Value, Connectivity Big Plays for ’16 Passat

STOWE, VT – Cash and connectivity are at the heart of Volkswagen of America’s strategy behind the redesigned-for-’16 Passat.

Cash, because a big part of the game plan with the freshened midsize sedan is around pricing: Despite the investment in new sheet metal and added content, the automaker is holding the line on stickers of the most popular models in the Passat lineup.

Connectivity, because besides some styling tweaks that improve the car’s lines and add some finish to the interior, the big play is centered on infotainment technology and the user experience.

The Passat is a key vehicle for VW in the U.S., where it anchors the automaker’s efforts to become a more mainstream brand, blanket the core market segments and jack its volume and share to historical highs.

As the sole product coming out of VW’s Chattanooga, TN, assembly plant, at least until a new midsize CUV is launched there in late 2016, the 4-door sedan holds the employment fate for hundreds of line workers.

The investment in a midcycle refresh comes in the nick of time, because the brand is reeling from a diesel-emissions-cheating scheme that has blackened its image and knocked the automaker off its perch as the No.1 vehicle seller worldwide. The scandal also will be taking a huge bite out of VW’s earnings and already is causing the automaker to pull back on some future vehicle programs, which could portend little new-product help is on the way any time soon.

But this is only a midcycle tweak, so changes to the Passat are minimal and are likely to have the same level of market impact.

Powertrains are carryover, and there’s been no fiddling with the car’s suspension, so on-road performance goes largely unchanged. Standard is a 1.8L turbocharged, DI 4-cyl. that delivers 170 hp and 184 lb.-ft. (249 Nm) of torque and was a Wards 10 Best Engines winner in 2014 and 2015. It is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with self-shifting capability (albeit no steering-wheel-mounted paddles).

In drives through hilly Vermont, the 170 hp and responsive torque prove more than adequate, and fuel-economy readings hover impressively above the 30-mpg (7.8-L/100 km) mark in each of two models tested, the SE and SE with Technology.

Officially, the EPA rates the 1.8L at 25/38 mpg (9.4-6.2 L/100 km) city/highway. The Passat’s combined-cycle rating of 29 mpg (8.1 L/100 km) bests the Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry but is shy of the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima’s 31-mpg (7.6-L/100 km) benchmarks.

Driving Dynamics Strike Middle Ground

Our opinion of the car’s handling, ride and road manners in general haven’t changed from the first time we drove the U.S.-built sedan when it originally launched in 2011. The Camry wannabe aims for the performance middle ground and hits it, with a solid throttle response, soft ride, excellent-for-its-size fuel economy and steering that is a touch too over-assisted.

Buyers can purchase more oomph via the optional 280-hp V-6, but few do. VWA officials say the take rate is less than 5%, and V-6 cars were not available here for test driving.

Also conspicuously absent is the Passat’s 2.0L diesel, one of the engines at the heart of the emissions scandal and unavailable for sale until further notice. That’s too bad, because diesels were a strong seller for the line, accounting for some 30% of demand.

VWA executives on hand for the media launch are too skittish to comment much about Dieselgate and decline to venture a guess as to whether they will be able to shift more Passat buyers toward gasoline engines in the short term.

What is changed for ’16 are the car’s front and rear treatments, which help add a little more character to the Passat’s straightforward exterior design. The front is all new from the A-pillar forward, with a more-sculpted hood and changes to the fenders, grille and bumper. LED headlamps are available for the first time.

At the rear, the Passat trunklid and bumper are revised, and LED taillights are among the options.

The R-Line spec model, one step up from the base S trim, gets unique rocker panels, a stylized love-it-or-hate-it front bumper, modified rear diffuser and 19-in. aluminum wheels.

Inside, VW borrows the steering wheel from the Jetta, which features stalk controls and sets the Passat up for an eventual big switch to the ubiquitous MQB platform expected in 2018.

Gauges are new and are designed with what VW describes as a GTI-inspired look. Trim that includes laser-grained chrome, plus new upholstery options, add some glam to the Passat’s interior presentation.

More important is the upgrade in infotainment. Some of it is a long-overdue catchup: The Passat gets a USB port for the first time.

But VW also is one of the automakers leading the charge when it comes to smartphone integration, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink systems as part of its infotainment package.

There wasn’t enough time to fully test the workability of the software during our drive, but both Apple and Android phones connected quickly, projecting clear, generously sized icons on the central navigation screen for easy entrée to contacts, emails, maps, text messages and such apps as Pandora and Spotify.

Bang for the Buck

Other new tech for ’16 includes VW’s Intelligent Crash Response System that automatically unlocks doors, shuts off the fuel pump and turns hazard lights on in the event of a crash. Newly available is the automaker’s Automatic Post-Collision Braking system that applies full force to braking after a primary collision has been detected.

A myriad of driver-assistance features are offered as well, from park assist to rear-traffic alert and blindspot monitoring.

Also on the list of Passat talking points is rear-seat comfort. With 39.1 ins. (993 mm) of legroom, the VW lays claim to the most spacious rear passenger compartment in the segment. There’s also an option to add heated seats to further pamper rear-seat riders.

Aggressive pricing could help seal the deal for some buyers in the segment. Stickers for the S and SE models go unchanged at $22,440 and $26,280, respectively. Those are the Passat’s most popular trims, accounting for the bulk of sales, and the S (which adds $1,315 in new content for ’16) undercuts every key competitor except the Fusion.

The R-Line nestles in between at $23,975 and the SE with Technology stickers at $28,410. Ultimately buyers can go all the way up to the V-6 SEL, which bases at $36,835. Prices do not include the $825 destination fee.

All in all, the ’16 Passat doesn’t shift the paradigm, but the updates are genuine enhancements and, importantly, don’t come with a cost penalty for buyers sticking with the most popular trims. That’s critical, because without a diesel to differentiate it, the ’16 Passat will be forced to go toe-to-toe with the big boys in the midsize segment solely on the basis of bang for the buck and curb appeal.

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'16 Volkswagen Passat S