Passat 1.8 petrol test drive (Old)

Volkswagen’s luxury car Passat is now available in a petrol avtaar. Powered by the same 1.8 TSI motor that powers the Skoda Superb and Laura, this version of the Passat has been very competitively priced to take on the likes of Honda Accord and Skoda Superb. It also shares the same six-speed gearbox as the Laura and Superb, but here it is lighter and shifts in with more precision.

The motor, as one would expect from a petrol luxury car, is very refined. There is a bit of turbo-lag, almost negligible, but once past 2000rpm the motor pulls strongly. The direct-injection petrol unit produces maximum torque from very low engine speeds. The motor towards the top pulls very enthusiastically to 7000rpm. 

The Passat has a long equipment list too. It comes with unique features like touch-screen music system, heated seats, electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, etc.

Priced at Rs 22.21 lakh (on-road, Mumbai), the Passat is a strong contender in the luxury car domain, vying with the Skoda Superb and the Honda Accord.