Popularity of plug-in GTE variant heralding wider electrification options.
Volkswagen’s venerable mid-size family saloon, the Passat, is slated for a mid-life nip and tuck next year, as part of efforts to keep the car looking and feeling fresh on the market and entirely capable of fending off attacks from cars like the Holden Commodore, Ford Mondeo, and Mazda 6. But it seems that the Germans want more than just the usual aesthetic touchups: They want to refresh the lineup significantly by updating the powertrains on offer.
The Passat GTE, a plug-in hybrid performance variant that we don’t get in our market, is the cause of this. The GTE has proven to be rather popular in Europe, though many would-be buyers have complained that its positioning as a premium variant has left many wanting a large plug-in hybrid saloon in the cold due to its rather steep asking price.
VW is responding, and it’s responding kindly. Because of the interest in an electrified Passat, the German company will offer a PHEV powertrain on more of its Passat variants, turning it into an engine option rather than a trim level. This mimics the approach that Skoda wants to make with its Superb which, incidentally, shares the Passat’s underpinnings.
Beneath the skin of the Passat PHEVs will be a 1.5-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine with 115kW, mated to an 85kW electric motor that gets its power from a 13kWh battery sandwiched somewhere in the construction. That battery pack is actually bigger than the unit that was used in the pre-facelift Passat GTE and as a result, the Passat PHEV facelift will be able to offer an all-electric range that AutoExpress speculates should be around 70km.
Aside from the PHEV powertrain, there will also be updates to the Passat that have trickled down from the more premium, sexier Arteon. That’ll include thing like Emergency Assist (that steers the car to the side of the road, brings it to a halt, and calls the emergency services automatically should the car detect an unresponsive driver), a heads-up display, and the very latest iteration of Volkswagen’s ActiveInfo digital instrument cluster.
Of course, as part of any Volkswagen facelift, progressive aesthetic updates will be applied. Expect a more streamlined face & small changes out the back, likely highlighted by updated lighting signatures and internals. It’s a mystery as to whether we’ll get a Passat plug-in hybrid given that the Passat GTE wasn’t offered here, but Volkswagen’s intent to shift heavily towards electric and electrified models may demand that the Passat PHEV be offered here. Regardless, with the new model slated for launch in early 2019, we should expect to see a facelifted Passat (new powertrains or not) later in the year.
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