The arena of the mid-size family sedan is a fiercely competitive and challenging segment. Pretty much all major carmakers have at least one formidable player in here, and some are more (or less) relevant than others. In the UAE, at least, this segment has been dominated by the Japanese and Koreans for a long time. However, there’s also been a German car that’s been hanging in there for a while now, and that car is the Volkswagen Passat. The Passat was launched internationally far back in early 1973, and since then, there have been over seven different iterations of it, worldwide.
Currently in its eighth generation, the 2019 Volkswagen Passat remains a good choice for buyers all over the world. However, the same cannot be said about its popularity and sales numbers here in the UAE. That said, the eighth-gen Passat puts up a decent fight against some of its rivals, especially the now familiar South-East Asian counterparts. Its primary competitors in the region include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Mazda 6.
Exterior
The outer design of the 2019 Volkswagen Passat isn’t going to excite or thrill anyone. It’s got to be one of the blandest and most uninspiring designs I’ve ever come across. However, it’s be penned to be as practical and sensible as possible, sans any distractions – more of a form over function type of a thing. The front features a broad grille with some chrome trimmings and a large VW badge in the center. The straight-forward headlights get LED DRLs, while the thick bumper gets halogen foglights and a centrally-place air dam.
The simplistic side profile of the Passat gets 18-inch alloy wheels, a thin chrome strip along the doors, and gently-arched fenders. The rear has some nice-looking, stylish LED taillights, and some more application of chrome on the boot and bumper. The latter also has a well-integrated yet subtle air diffuser, and a single chrome-tipped exhaust pipe. The new Passat measures 4.868 meters in length, 1.835 meters in width, 1.472 meters in height, and boasts a wheelbase of 2.803 meters. Thanks to its practical, three-box sedan shape, the VW Passat’s boot has a commendable cargo volume of 568 liters.
Interior
The interior design of the new 2019 Volkswagen Passat is clean, minimalistic, and pretty modern – albeit, slightly dull and boring. It’s a pretty sensible place, though, and ergonomics won’t be an issue at all. The new Passat’s build quality is quite good, and in typical Volkswagen style, there are no weird squeaks or rattles from any of the trim. Also great is the fact that this cabin offers plenty of usable room for all its occupants. The seats are very accommodating and longer journeys would be a non-issue.
As for onboard features, the 2019 Passat comes with automatic HID headlights, rain-sensing wipers, electric sunroof, parking sensors with rear camera, leather upholstery, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, an 8-speaker premium sound unit, and a touch-infotainment display with navigation. Some of the Passat’s safety gizmos are 6 airbags, electronic stability and traction program, hill assist, and tire-pressure monitor.
Engine and performance
Under the hood of the 2019 Volkswagen Passat is a 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-popper that also generates 200 Nm of torque. It sends thrust to the front wheels via a traditional 6-speed torque converter unit. Although not a driver’s car as such, the Passat can do 190 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 9.2 seconds, and 9.4 L/100 km.
Verdict
The 2019 Volkswagen Passat costs from AED 96,500 to AED 131,000 for the base and top variants, respectively. As for insurance, it ranges between AED 2,171 to AED 2,948.
