It’s quite a mouthful isn’t it? Volkswagen Passat Comfortline Plus 280 TSI 7-speed DSG. Okay, so that last bit with the mention of its gearbox isn’t really in the official name, I just added it in for effect and because I’m silly that way…
But while we’re at it, let’s dissect that “280” badge on the boot shall we? Well, apparently it denotes the torque figure, but this Comfortline Plus 1.8 variant only has 250Nm, so why “280” then? VW says that if the torque figure falls between a certain range, they’ll just take the higher numeric and stick it on the boot. Wait, what?
It’s all part of a new naming nomenclature that began last year, whereby the VW Group has chosen to use the torque figure to denote which variant of the car it is, simple as that.
If you’re still with me, let’s try to forget all that because it really isn’t relevant to the car at hand. Here’s my take on the car, summed up in a short video:
It really is nice actually, and as you can see from the video below, it looks strikingly good as well. Here’s a quick 360-degree external walk-around video, followed by the 5 main things I love about this car:
The Clock…
No joke, wanna know one of the coolest things about the Passat interior? It’s the clock. Seriously, situated smack-dab in the centre of the dashboard sits this wonderful analogue clock. Now I don’t know about you but to me, in this digital-age, digital clocks really cheapen the looks of a car. I don’t care if it cost millions or mere thousands, a digital clock cheapens any car that it’s used in. Period.
Thankfully, the one in this Passat looks glorious. I absolutely love the simplicity of it, and the thought given to where it’s placed deserves mention too; anyone in the car can see it, regardless of where they’re sitting.
The Engine…
Like me, I’m sure anyone test-driving this car will not believe it’s a 1.8-litre 4-pot, especially when ‘Sport’ mode is selected, followed by vigourous fingering of the paddle shifts. I should have worded that better I think, but you get what I mean.
There’s a definite Dr.Jeckyll & Mr.Hyde thing going on under that bonnet because ‘Sport’ mode really does bring out the beast in this car, and while normal cruising rewards the occupants with a smooth and effortless ride, ‘Sport’ mode alters this cars’ personality to the ‘nth degree.
The Design…
It’s a subjective matter of course, but in terms of design and aesthetic appeal, despite being a ‘safe’ choice as I mentioned in the video, there’s still something about how this car looks from the outside that’s uncannily appealing.
It’s not in the least bit ostentatious, however, the Passat manages to pull-off looking sporty and aggressive, and yet stylish at the same time. There’s just something about that front-end that captures your attention and holds it. Double-takes were very prevalent during the time I had the car…
The Ride…
Here’s another trick akin to what the designers pulled-off insofar as looks are concerned, that the engineers accomplished as well. The car runs on 18-inch alloys, but you’d never know it because the suspension manages to soak-up even the worst undulations and asphalt irregularities, which abound in this country.
At the same time, the Passat feels stable and reassuring in twists and turns taken more ‘spiritedly’. It’s not a GTI and shouldn’t be thought of as one, but it will hold its own during the odd occasion you find yourself alone on a stretch of road that would be a sin to not take advantage of. Yes, I know you know what I mean…
The Ownership Experience…
I had a bet the other day with a friend that I could drive a car for 5km and know exactly everything I’d need to know about it for the purposes of a review. I was bullshitting of course, and while reliability and cost of ownership are things that I can’t comment about for this Passat, I can say that having had it for a longer period of time than usual, it’s a brilliant ownership proposition.
This is the kind of car that would be ideal as a company car, daily commuter and weekend family-time car as well. It’s big, spacious, comfortable and very well appointed (FULL specs, click here). That’s my driving position in the photo above and look at the space available at the back. Some carmakers shorten the length of the rear seat for added legroom, this is not the case with the Passat.
So as I said in the video, despite not seeing this car much on the road, it is a definite worthy consideration for anyone seeking a D-segment car in the RM180k range. By all means go test the other multitude of D-segmenters from Germany, Japan, S.Korea, and even the USA. But do yourself a favour… save the VW Passat for last. – Chris Wee.
VW Passat Comfortline Plus Photo Gallery…
