Launching Tomorrow: Volkswagen Passat

A 177PS 2.0-litre diesel will be on offer initially, with no word on petrol, a manual option or the plug-in hybrid model, which was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. 

Volkswagen is all set to reintroduce the Passat in the Indian market tomorrow. The all-new eighth-gen Volkswagen Passat will renew its rivalry with premium sedans like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and its own sibling, the Skoda Superb. Revealed globally in November 2014, it went on sale in early 2015 in several markets. So, the new eighth-gen Passat has been on sale internationally for more than two years now.     

Local assembly of the Volkswagen Passat had already commenced at Volkswagen Group’s Aurangabad facility in Maharashtra, the space it shares with the Skoda Octavia, Superb, Kodiaq and the VW Tiguan along with several Audi models. The eighth-gen Passat is based on the German conglomerate's MQB platform (modular transverse matrix) and like the manufacturing facility, it also shares the platform with several of the models mentioned above, including the Superb. 

Unlike the Skoda Superb, the VW Passat will only be available with a single 2.0-litre diesel engine option with an automatic transmission. Besides this diesel, the Superb also comes with a 1.8-litre turbo petrol with a manual/automatic option. 

The VW Tiguan SUV also comes with a single engine option as of now (same 2.0-litre diesel in a detuned form) and is offered in a couple of variants. The Passat is also likely to follow the same route. Its equipment list is likely to remain similar to that of the Tiguan and the Superb, and it is most likely to be priced in the range of Rs 28-30 lakh.

Vitals 

• Engine: 2.0-litre TDI 
• Power: 177PS
• Torque: 350Nm
• Transmission: 6-speed DSG (dual-clutch automatic)