HITCH TO THIS WAGON

It8217;s not the BMW or a Benz, but at Rs 25 lakh, the Passat offers more luxury and driving pleasure than you could hope for

My cousin in the UK calls it the ideal family car. In deference to the difference in the standard of living between the two countries, we will simply call it a luxury car. No, we are not talking about the Bavarian beast BMW or the tri-star Mercedes Benz. It8217;s another German giant, the sixth generation Volkswagen VW Passat, the 2-litre turbo diesel automatic saloon that is the first made-in-India VW vehicle.
The 140 bhp sedan is not for wannabes who want to be seen at the wheel of a loud, flashy machine. The Passat may be more expensive than the average car, but it is for those who simply want to drive fast, enjoy luxury and revel in modern technology. VW has armed the Passat with a new body, improved performance and features that should give the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes Benz C-Class sleepless nights.

Exterior
When it comes to styling, there8217;s just one way to describe the Passat8212;understated class. The turbo diesel sedan8217;s wide V-shaped chrome grille gives it a fantastic road presence which guarantees much head-turning. Its design is similar to older brother Phaeton8217;s and it has bi-xenon headlights that illuminate the road brilliantly at night. The circular-rectangular headlights give the car a sleek look and the hi-tech LED rear lamps change colour as required8212;red for braking and amber when taking a turn. Hide the chrome VW logo on the bonnet and the Passat can easily be mistaken for a less aggressive and fresher looking Audi.

Interiors
The Passat looks huge from the outside, but inside it seems smaller than it looks. That8217;s not to say it8217;s cramped8212;four, tall people can sit in comfort, with generous legroom and headroom. It also has a whopping 565 litres of luggage space, but the trump card of the VW is the sporty, body-hugging seats that increase the comfort level. The front seats have a 12-way adjustment system with an electronic manoeuvre for lower-back support.
The rear window has an electronic sun blind, while the side windows have manual blinds. The audio system is a six-disc CD changer, which has an excellent surround quality. It does not have a hand brake, but makes up for it with an innovative Electro-mechanical Parking Brake button, which prevents the car from rolling when static, and releases when the accelerator is pressed8212;an arrangement that makes for more space between the front seats. The Passat also has a nifty car key8212;a rectangular remote pushed into a slot on the right side of the steering wheel8212;which is present in most BMW cars and is called the press-and-drive key.
The top variant has beige or all-black interiors. The console, unlike other luxury cars, is of aluminium, giving the car a sporty look. The upholstery is high quality.

Engine/Performance
The turbo-charged mill is a bit loud, but it sounds more like a racing car than a grunting diesel demon. The 140 bhp makes sure that the Passat cruises at ease over 140 kmph. The car sped without a murmur at 190 kmph on the highway and was game to go faster, but then we didn8217;t want a bull on the bonnet.
The driving dynamics have true German qualities. The car sticks to the road no matter how sharp a turn, but the quality of ride on rough roads is not very good. What8217;s good is that it requires no effort to park or manoeuvre in rush-hour traffic.

Fuel economy
It returns 9 kpl on city roads and 12 kpl on highways. The fuel average of the car is very impressive keeping in mind that it is a big luxury car. Add to it the fact that it has a 70-litre fuel tank, and you can drive on and on.

Last word
The Passat may not have the flair of the 3-Series, but it has an air of sophistication that makes many luxury cars look pedestrian. It8217;s noisy, but then it8217;s also competent. Is it a smart choice? At Rs 25 lakh, VW actually provides more luxury than what you are paying for. In other words, it8217;s worth every lakh.