DETROIT – Americans may be fleeing the traditional sedan segment for crossovers, but Volkswagen joins a shrinking group of automakers willing to wager enough folks will choose convention over trend to make a buck on the cars.
The German automaker redesigns its long-running Passat midsize car, focusing more on expressive styling and perhaps even tinkering with the sticker price in a gamble the segment’s drop-off has tapered and it can grab volume from other brands, such as Ford and FCA US, choosing to cut and run.
Traditional-car sales have been in a free fall. The segment accounted for 31.1% of light-vehicle sales through November, according to Wards Intelligence. Light trucks, including red-hot crossovers, took 68.9%. Passat sales reflect the trend, down 33.7% to 38,285 units through November compared with 57,707 in the same period last year.
But Volkswagen does not push all its chips to the center of the table with the ’20 Passat, which arrives at its 650 U.S. dealers from its Chattanooga, TN, assembly plant in the middle of next year. The automaker hedges its bet by sticking with a carryover chassis and powertrain, rather than spend hundreds of millions of dollars more on an all-new platform.
“It would not justify the business case,” says Steven Warrick, manager-Passat Family Line for North America at Volkswagen.
As a result, the Passat will not get some of the new technologies rolling out elsewhere in the VW model line, such as the Digital Cockpit available on the redone Jetta compact car and all-new Atlas large SUV. The reconfigurable driver display would have required an entirely reworked electrical architecture.
Otherwise, the Passat gets an extensive makeover. Except for the roof, exterior sheet metal is all-new, although VW fans will recognize the brand’s familiar broadside character line running the length of the vehicle. Bound for a public reveal at the North American International Auto Show here in January, an early production model shown to journalists just blocks from where it will premiere boasts crisp lines and a confident stance.
Inside are other familiar VW design turns, such as the horizontal dashboard and the up-market-like trappings typical of the brand. There also is the expansive rear legroom of the second row and generous truck space Passat owners enjoy. The infotainment system is reworked, and the Passat will receive a number of connectivity and advanced driver assistance systems to make it competitive in its segment.
“We wanted to give customers more of what matters and we tried to turn some heads,” Warrick says.
The 2.0L 4-cyl. TSI turbocharged gasoline engine and Aisin 6-speed automatic transmission carry over, but VW will release details next month of an increase in torque from 184 lb.-ft. (250 Nm) in current models. A fuel-economy improvement and a reduction in tailpipe emissions also are expected. The Passat’s 174 hp goes unchanged.
The Passat will retain the taut driving dynamics unique to the segment, Warrick promises.
“It is still very good,” he says.
Pricing also will be released later. Warrick declines to say whether it will increase from the $25,295 base price today but says VW wants to place a greater emphasis on the value equation.
“We want to come in at the sweet spot of the market,” he says. “I want a great sticker price out there, but you have to decide if you want to buy the segment or lose share. We want to find the balance.”
A planned reduction in build combinations could help. The number will be slashed from a whopping 17 to a more manageable five.
2020 VW Passat.
