The first time the Passat name appeared on a Volkswagen the year was 1973 and the Giugiaro-styled B1 model was launched in two-door or five-door fastback form, with the Variant estate car version completing the trio.
Over the ensuing five decades the D-segment Passat has generated over 30 million sales, earning its place as a linchpin of VW’s success story. It achieved this over nine generations so far, while the 37 million plus Golf sales span eight generations. Incidentally, the iconic VW Beetle still holds the record for single platform car sales of 21.5 million units over its 65-year lifespan.
The original Passat was powered by 1.3 and 1.5 litre longitudinally-mounted four-cylinder engines making 55 PS and 75 PS respectively. The 2024 B9 Passat 1.5 eTSI I tested is powered by a four-cylinder 1.5 litre engine making 150 PS, so exactly double the output of the 1973 original.
Fast and Frugal
In a six and a half-hour early morning dash from Oberhausen to Pfaffenhausen the Chilly Red Passat proved to be very comfortable over distance, adequately fast and also quite fuel efficient. VW’s official consumption figures claim 7.6 L/100km in town with 4.9 L/100km on country roads and 5.8 L/100km on the autobahn. I covered about 2,000 km over 12 days, averaging between 5.9 and 6.8 L/100km, which is very good indeed for a car of this size.
One of the contributing factors to the new Passat’s good fuel economy is the marked improvement in aerodynamic efficiency. The drag coefficient has been improved from a commonplace Cd of 0.31 for the outgoing model to a commendable 0.25, making it the equal of anything in its class.
Our test car had the optional DCC Pro Adaptive Damping, which drops ride height by 15mm over the standard suspension, further aiding the aerodynamics. The 8.0J x 18-inch Airstop alloy wheels shod with 235/45R18 Bridgestone rubber provide a good balance between ride comfort and mechanical grip. Their relative quiet on most surfaces is aided by the optional Acoustic Packet that adds more sound-deadening to keep unwelcome exterior noises from occupants ears.
Size Matters
In sheer physical size the new Passat is a significant 144 mm longer, 20mm wider and 10mm lower than the outgoing version, stretching the tape measure out to 4,917 mm in total. It shares its MQB platform and wheelbase with the Skoda Superb, and the amount of room in the rear compartment makes it easy to see why the Superb is the doyen of taxi drivers all over Europe. But while you can still tick the Saloon or Estate box at a Skoda dealer, its German cousin is now only available as an Estate car, formerly known as the Passat Variant.
Rear seat passengers benefit from 50mm greater legroom, while the boot capacity gains 40 litres to 690 litres. Fold the 40/20/40 split rear seat flat and the 140-litre gain over the previous model means a total load space of 1,920 litres. As Volvo has now vacated the reasonably priced full-size Estate car segment, and the much pricier Mercedes E-Class Estate offers a mere 1,830 litre load capacity, the new Passat and Skoda Superb are now the only game in town if you needs a big estate in the traditional sense.
I have said many times that modern cars are laden with too many gadgets, and that all most people really need are LED Matrix headlights, good satellite navigation and a reversing camera. Typical of most test cars my Passat was equipped with that and more.
The IQ.Light LED Matrix headlights make night driving a real pleasure, shining the maximum amount of clear, white light onto the tarmac without affecting other road users, while the reversing camera is a boon for manoeuvring a car of this physical size in tight spots.
Quality Street
First things first and the physical build quality of the new Passat and its cabin fittings are very good. The doors shut with a solid ‘thunk’ while the long structure with its five openings feels rigid on badly surfaced roads. The bonnet is held up with a pair of pneumatic struts and closes with the sound and feel of a substantial panel.
The cabin trim is suitably upmarket in look and feel with soft, stitched leather look covering on the dashboard and door tops, Alcantara seat centres with leather sides and a nice leather clad, thick rimmed steering wheel. The dashboard and door inserts that would be wood on luxury cars is treated to a form of LED backlighting, which looks quite enticing at night.
When we tested the Golf R Mk 8 two years ago, the infotainment HVAC interface simply drove us to distraction. Two years on the next generation system incorporated behind the 15-inch screen on our Passat test car was never cause for a moment of confusion from the get-go.
Not only has VW solved all the inherent problems of the earlier iteration, they have also moved the user interface meaningful steps ahead from there. The only area in doubt continues to be the voice activated control system, which trails behind the Mercedes’ MBUX of even five years ago and does not work 100% of the time even when you speak to it slowly and clearly.
Comfort Zone
The Discover Pro Max navigation system is intuitive to operate and simple to programme, while the touch slider controls for cabin temperature and audio system volume are now properly lit at night and work well. You can of course access these controls in more precise increments via the touch screen, but if you just want to make a quick adjustment these sliders work just fine.
All the software on the big 15-inch screen is now intuitive and well thought out. One of my pet hates is the EU mandated lane change assist, and it is a simple task to go into the Assistance Systems part of the Menu and disable it with a total of two touches; three if you count reverting to your previous screen such as the navigation map. Of course you have to remember to turn the lane change assistant off each time you start the car as it resets automatically whenever the motor is turned off.
The turbocharged 1,498cc four-cylinder motor is assisted by a 48-volt Integrated Starter Generator system, and produces 150 PS between 5,750-6,500rpm, with 250 Nm of torque on tap from 1,500 to 3,500rpm. While too many contemporary cars of this physical size tip the scales close to 1800kg, the Passat 1.5 eTSI weighs a modest 1,572kg, allowing its comparatively small but torque rich motor to avoid feeling stressed in normal driving.
Long Distance
By today’s standards the 222km/h top speed and 0-100km/h time of 9.2 sec are nothing to write home about, but thanks to the nicely judged ratios of the seven-speed DSG gearbox, the Passat is able to use its flat torque curve to generate a brisk and relatively stress-free pace in normal cross country and autobahn driving.
The motor sounds a bit throbby at high revs when you are squeezing it for maximum acceleration through the gears, but once you settle into a cruise any mechanical noise recedes into the distance background. That means relaxed cruising at anything from 120 to over 160km/h comes easy, and you should arrive at your destination free of fatigue.
The DCC Pro Active damping and the various response modes for the drivetrain are a boon. They allow you to combine a loping and absorbent ride while enjoying crisp response from the steering, engine and gearbox. Sport mode worked best for me.
Screen Test
Over the test duration the Harman Kardon audio system provided the background music. This 12-speaker plus subwoofer system is fed by a 16-channel Class D amplifier and is a 910 euro option, which is good value compared to the B&O and Burmester systems in rivals with glossier marque badges.
I have a high-quality USB stick that has USB A on one side and USB C on the other, covering me for test cars old and new. This was loaded with about 200 music tracks from classical to jazz plus some upbeat numbers with dynamic bass lines.
The system sounded a bit off when the car was delivered. Delving into the comprehensive set-up menu it was immediately apparent that someone had skewed the equaliser settings in a way I would rather forget.
Returning everything back to the neutral position I began to experiment with the myriad of possible setting and eventually settled for modest boosts in the lower mid frequencies to lift the vocals slightly and better project the soundstage. The ability to adjust the focus of sound to the driver or other seating positions at the touch of a button is very useful as the benefit is very real.
System resolution is good as is dynamic range. You can go loud without distortion and the tonally well-balanced sounds coming from the speakers did not at any time grate on my ears, allowing me to relax and enjoy the music.
Space Ace
The fact that the new Passat comes only as an Estate (Kombi) is a good thing for the performance of the audio system. Despite the potential of any DSP system to create a wider soundstage, in the end simple physics always helps. The extra ‘cabinet’ volume of this large estate car helps to generate inherently deeper bass and a larger sound even before the DSP comes into play for fine tuning. In the grand scheme of things the Harman Kardon system in the new Passat is a clear cut above the systems we have previously tested in other VW models.
My time with the new Passat was interesting in as much as it is a well-made car whose standard of fit and finish inside and out is palpably only a small step away from Audi. Its only real rival is the slightly cheaper Skoda Superb with which it shares its platform and mechanicals.
Verdict: VW Passat with Harman Kardon
The new Passat’s overall competence should satisfy the needs of anyone looking for a roomy family load carrier. And if you compare it with a hulking SUV that costs more, carries less, and is far from as good to drive, the Passat will make you seriously question why the world ever began its exodus away from big estate cars. With good sound quality and adjustability for a reasonable price, the Harman Kardon audio system is an offer you should not refuse, if you are considering buying a VW Passat B9.
STEREO GUIDE verdict
With good sound quality and adjustability for a reasonable price, the Harman Kardon audio system is an offer you should not refuse, if you are considering buying a VW Passat B9.
Pros
- Excellent comfort and space. Adequate performance and driving dynamics
- Good fuel efficiency matches VW's claims
- Infotainment system now looks and feels mature
Cons
- Nothing really stands out
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Sound quality8
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Price/Performance sound system9.4
