Volkswagen are a massive brand world wide and their appeal is not lost on South African drivers who seem to love anything with the VW logo on it, so it’s a sure bet that the release of the new Volkswagen Passat will have a lot of people smiling. While the Passat model is nowhere near as popular as the Polo or Golf, it does fit into a somewhat different niche, catering to a slightly older more discerning driver. As with many other Volkswagen vehicles, the Passat has a long history, with the model spanning 37 years of production and endless kilometers up and down South Africa’s roads.

New Volkswagen Passat gets new styling and gadgetry

The 7th generation Passat has undergone a completely revamped look and styling, with a new front grille element and horizontal chrome fins finished at the front, with the back featuring distinctive rear tail lights and subtle chrome highlights. Inside, the new Volkswagen Passat is decked out with new seats, which can be set to heating or cooling and just to top it off, they have a massage function for the driver and front passenger seat. Another clear indication that the Passat definitely caters to a different customer compared to that of the Golf, Polo and Scirocco.

Under the hood, the new Volkswagen Passat comes with a range of petrol and diesel engine options as one would expect. With the most efficient of the lot being the 1.6 liter TDI, which when combined with VW’s BlueMotion package that includes; aerodynamic modifications and start/stop and battery regeneration, all come together to enable the Passat to hit a combined fuel efficiency of just 68.8mpg and a CO2 emission rating of just 109g/km.

You expect the Passat to be fitted to the max with safety features, and this rings true for the 7th generation model. First on the list is an optional “City emergency breaking system” which applies the brakes (only if the vehicle is traveling below 18mph) if an unavoidable collision is detected in front of the vehicle. In the same way, if the system detects a collision from the rear, it will automatically accelerate in an attempt to avoid the collision. Another rather cheeky safety feature comes in the form of an optional fatigue sensor, which monitors the driver’s inputs and lets the driver know if the system believes the driver should take a break. Time will tell just how accurately this feature performs.

And lastly, if there was any doubt as to who VW was targeting the new Passat at (read: Shopping moms), here is the final clue: as long as the Passat is equipped with keyless entry, the driver, who is carrying the key fob, can open the boot by a simple foot movement aimed at the rear end of the vehicle. VW note how this is a “useful function when your hands are full”, subtle Volkswagen, very subtle!

Look out for the new Volkswagen Passat early next year.