Road Test: Volkswagen Passat Wagon V6 FSI

By Feann Torr - 31/Aug/2006

The Volkswagen Passat came into this world in the early 1970s and has been a solid performer for the German marque ever since, attracting buyers in their scores right across the planet. Indeed, the Passat is a medium-sized European car that makes VW a lot money in almost every market it's sold in.

Except for Australia.

In the last few years the German-built mid-sizer has found itself being squeezed out of contention. Improving medium vehicles from Japan have added pressure from below and advancing European product from above also impacted on Passat sales, and as the vehicle's identity appeared to wane and with sparse marketing to back it up in this country, sales took a swan dive. In 2002 the Volkswagen Passat found homes with more than 1,000 drivers in Australia, which fell by about 50 units in 2003. Nothing too drastic. But in 2004 people turned away from the German stalwart as Japanese models' popularity skyrocketed, and less than 350 units were sold in 2004, and 2005 wasn't much better.

Volkswagen is keen to regain its place in the luxury mid-sized market in Australia, and it hopes to do this in 2006 and beyond with the sixth generation Passat, and having driven the thing I'd wager that it's got a better chance than ever at winning over new customers. Why? It's a combination of things, but price has a big influence. Starting at $42,990 for the 2.0-litre diesel entry-level sedan, all Passat models feature ESP, eight airbags covering front and rear passengers, an electronic handbrake, climate controlled air conditioning, an 8-speaker CD stereo and halogen projector headlights.

In this test we are looking at the most expensive model offered in Australia, the $56,990 AWD Passat wagon, powered by a V6 engine, so let's get down to business and have a look:

Drive: 4/5

After remotely unlocking the conservatively styled Passat and settling into its comfy leather driver's seat, I was a little bemused as to how to start the thing. It looks and feels great, just like any self-respecting German car should, but there is no traditional key to speak of. Instead, the remote central locking device - or smart key - is pushed neatly into a large nacelle, which starts the engine.

As I pulled out of the underground Volkswagen vehicle depository, I realised that I'd not yet driven a vehicle pairing a double clutch gearbox (DSG) with a 6-cylinder engine, and around town and in general traffic it manages very well, providing more than enough acceleration from low in the rev range, while changing gears very swiftly indeed.

The cruise control system functions well, and though not radar-based like some of the more luxurious German models out there, it allows increments in single digits or multiples of 10, which I thought was a nice touch. This makes highway cruising a cake walk and thanks to the authoritative engine-gearbox combination, overtaking slower vehicles is effortless.

Driven in traffic, the car has a smooth and altogether refined feel and because the suspension is tuned to offer a smooth ride as well a good level of handling, it has a distinctly prestigious feel. The turning circle isn't great at 11.4m, and can be a pain when you go shopping and have to do a 5-point turn in a busy car park with several already harangued drivers giving you the evil eye, but on the upside, rearward vision is better than average for a wagon.

The Passat gets a new four-arm independent rear suspension system that is also acoustically shielded, which means a nice quiet ride, and when driven with discipline the muscular V6 can also return reasonable fuel consumption figures, dipping below 10L/100km.

Given a controlled kick, the 3.2-litre direct petrol injection V6 delivers a mild (but pleasing) note, one that belies its performance abilities. This thing is quick! It sounds slightly more manly when revved hard, and though the DSG gearbox is a very efficient shifter, I wasn't impressed with the tiptronic mode. Pushing forward to change up a gear is counter intuitive, and Volkswagen should look at Ford and BMW to see how to make a user-friendly tiptronic shifter.

The 4Motion AWD system is a very pleasing addition to the range-topping models - it's a standard feature on both wagon and sedan V6 Passats - giving the car an edge when it comes to cornering while simultaneously improving traction in bad weather. Indeed, the 4Motion system is quite clever, which we'll get to later in the piece, and gives it a perceptibly safer feel that results from its strong road holding ability.

Where the front wheel drive Golf GTI with a DSG (direct shift gearbox) would spin its front wheels through first and sometimes second gears, the all wheel drive Passat doesn't spin its wheels. No, this larger application simply grips and goes, even when the road is wet. I found myself quite giddy with excitement after keeping the throttle open through a couple of gears, then throwing it through a few medium radii corners, as the gearbox doesn't dilute the 184kW of power from the crankshaft as much as a traditional automatic with a torque/stall converter.

One would be wrong to call the V6 Passat wagon a true sports car, yet there are many aspects to the way it drives that nudge it very closely to such a description. It's not just the way the vehicle sits on the road when spearing through corners, but also the sound of the engine and the feel of the car through the steering whee - all very satisfying - and remarkably so for a wagon. And unlike some cars that take time to become comfortable with, I warmed to its character straight away: it took me all of three corners to acclimatise.

Though relatively easy to pilot through corners, I wouldn’t term the steering as light. It's got a bit of a meaty feeling to it, and I reckon this is due to the 4WD system. But this is no bad thing. The front end of the car turns in quite diligently when forced into a corner, and the steering is very progressive at higher speeds too. Much of the car's handling stability can be put down to the new front suspension rig, a McPherson front axle featuring aluminium components which reduces front end weight by a whopping 13.3kg.

The suspension could be described as tidy for a number of reasons. Though it's not as compliant as an entry level Falcon, it does offer a smooth ride over most surfaces, yet can attack corners without inducing too much body roll, and all in the face of a higher centre of gravity and the extra sheet metal compared to the sedan. Neither of these performance burdens seem to affect it too much and because it is a four-wheel drive matched with the DSG's ability to deliver power to the ground very forcefully, you can really stir it up and reap the rewards.

It exhibits a touch of understeer when you head too quickly into corners and dial in more steering than the chassis can handle, and it will also lean on its outside front wheel when you rev the engine through acute corners. However, in general it combines the best of both worlds - able to cruise around merrily and then turn the volume up when it's just you, the car, and hundreds of kilometres of twisting country roads. Moreover, the Passat has a range of very clever driving aids, foremost of which is ESP (electronic stability control), which means if you do happen to overcook a corner or hit the anchors with vehemence, it will smooth things out and potentially even save your skin.

Sitting on 17-inch alloy wheels, I was initially quite shocked by how much grip the Passat wagon has. Then I took a look at the tyres and saw the 235/45 R17s, which are significant contributors to the way Passat adheres to the road. The 4Motion all-wheel drive system helps with mid-corner grip, as do the tyres, but the engine seems to add something too. Perhaps it's the fact that it redlines at almost 7000rpm? I reckon that could be it.

After a few days in the saddle it must be said that the 4Motion AWD system feels almost fool-proof. Slam the throttle part way through a corner - say, just before the apex - then add a little more steering lock and for the most part it pulls neutrally through a corner with the kind of acceleration you're more likely acquaint with a sports car. Thanks to the revised rear suspension the car doesn't drag its tail around either, which I wholly expected it to do. However, the one situation in which the car does eventually fall prey to its wagon heritage is when the Volkswagen tries to navigate flip-flops or drawn out chicanes, as the changes in direction don't work well with the 1.7 tonne kerb weight and tend to upset the chassis balance. I also noticed on more than one occasion rather loud bangs coming from the suspension when going over speed humps at about 20km/h.

Interestingly - and a testament to the car's grippy nature - the side bolsters in the front seats weren’t generous enough to deal with the cornering G-forces that the V6 Passat wagon is capable of. Granted, in normal driving conditions the seats are quite nice with good comfort levels, but you find yourself slipping as the 4WD system grips and the seat unfortunately doesn’t. An aftermarket Recaro driver's seat would do the trick, but that's going to cost a few thousand dollars...

The brakes do a tidy job of slowing the vehicle down from various speeds and feature integrated disc wipers that allegedly wipe off the water than can build up on wet roads. Measuring 345mm up front and 310mm at the rear, I couldn't really tell any difference when braking in the wet, but they always felt strong and solid, and it's no wonder considering their large diameter. Generally speaking the brakes were up to the task of decelerating the Passat wagon's substantial 1667kg, and even from high speed the brakes felt relaxed and self-assured.

Volkswagen's new Passat has been thoughtfully designed in most respects, and it's been engineered to be safe and refined too, but also plenty ballsy when the time calls for it. There's a full sized 17-inch spare in the boot, which is always a nice addition in today's world of run-flat and space-saver spares.

Engine: 4/5

If I haven’t mentioned it already, the engine note is very stirring for a 3.2-litre V6. It's not loud per se, yet has a presence that's says "precision engineering". Another thing I like about this Passat is that it's a cheaper way to acquire this potent V6 than buying a 3.2-litre Audi, many of which feature the same 184kW engine seen here.

A soft burble emanates from its dual exhaust pipes when the revs hit 3000, one that builds quite quickly into a very sporty drone towards 6600rpm, and often ends with a glance at the speedo, followed dramatically by a rapid check of all three mirrors and a careful but firm application of the anchors.

The engine has a very strong feel and part of this is due to the way the DSG puts this power to the ground, but let's not take anything away from the engine, as 184kW is quite a lot of power - a clean 250bhp in the old scale. Another aspect to take note of is the engine's remarkably high 12.0:1 compression ratio, which gives it a tightly wound strength that's highly rewarding to unleash. The V6 engine feels very fit and spritely and is quick off the line, able to scorch the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.2 seconds.

As was mentioned in the drive section, the 6-speed dual clutch transmission works astonishingly well with this high revving V6 engine, instantly punching the power out to the four wheels, which gives the vehicle a very respectable turn of speed. It also gives the car a very safe and stable feel, even when you completely open the throttle and watch the tachometer needle race around the dial.

With the advent of the CVT (continuously variable transmission) and the increasing range of double-clutch gearboxes, such as Volkswagen's DSG and BMW's SMG, it's hard to go back to the traditional automatic transmission - these things really do make driving both more economic and indeed more fun.

The only other DSG application we've tested here at the Motoring Channel is the 2.0-litre turbo 4-cylinder from the Golf GTI and Jetta, and in both those circumstances the consensus was that the gearbox was efficient and damned powerful, but not smooth enough or refined. Compared with this non-turbo engine the DSG works a tad better than in the Jetta and Golf and isn't so abrupt between shifts, which better suits the car's luxury character in traffic.

Because of the quicker shifts and the six ratios, it's also a more efficient shifter than a traditional automatic transmission, and saves a little fuel when driven with a modicum of civility, and the 70 litre fuel tank means its cruising range is quite good when paddled slowly. I should also point out that when driven hard, the opposite is true and the Passat will drink fuel like its going out of fashion.

At 100km/h the Passat's V6 mill is ticking over at 2000rpm in sixth gear and the DSG is more than happy to quickly change down gears when you sink the foot at this speed, and it's overtaking ability is profound. Because the engine has such a strong spread of torque between 2500 and 4000rpm, it revels in mid-gear roll ons yet is just as keen to be wound out to almost 7000rpm. In essence, the 3.2-litre FSI V6 is a very lusty engine, and in combination with AWD and DSG, a large proportion of its 184 kilowatts are given a chance to make themselves felt.

One can only wonder at how much fun the new 3.6-litre V6 would be, which is currently offered to North American Passat customers, packing a useful 206kW... Still, this engine and gearbox combination works harmoniously, and I reckon a V8 with a DSG would be the dogs bollocks as this thing puts its power to the ground rather nicely and very quickly. The AWD mechanism deserves some of the credit for the Passat's impressive drive too, able to offer safety and performance gains without the driver feeling a thing.

The 4Motion 4WD system's main claim to fame is the Haldex coupling, which is integrated into the rear axle by Volkswagen robots. Simply put, it 'couples' the front and rear axles to work together in an integrated AWD fashion. Unlike some part-time systems, 4Motion is always active and in normal operating conditions apportions torque 90:10 between the front and rear respectively.

This Haldex coupling is a Swedish design that involves a multi-plate wet clutch system which is told by the car's electronic brain (including ESP, ABS and ASR) when the speeds between the front and rear axles differ - which could be wheelspin, slippage or skidding - and apportions torque accordingly. Volkswagen's 4Motion system is quite clever and can divert up to 100 per cent torque to the rear axle if need be, and as Volkswagen explains, "...the transmitted torque can be varied by adjusting the pressure on the coupling [clutch] plates, thus controlling the flow of power between the front and rear axles."

In practice, the 4Motion system is highly effective and is well suited to spirited driving, giving the Passat wagon an uncanny amount of mid-corner grip. If you were thinking that Subaru was the leader in the AWD systems, you should take one of these for a test-run first, because it's hard to fault and easy to commend. Even in corners whose angle tightens, the Haldex coupling copes very well apportioning torque to whichever axle is most likely to benefit and helps reduce heavy over and understeer, and though it can wallow a little bit on its rear outside wheel (and that never feels good), for the most part it’s a pretty sweet cornering machine, and easily the most inspiring wagon I’ve tested yet. The only downside to the Haldex coupling-based 4WD system is that the coupling often needs servicing every 30,000 kilometres or so (20,000 miles).

If there's anything negative to say about the powertrain, it would be when engaging reverse. When you pop it into reverse and don't get onto the accelerator straight away the car rolls forward, and this can be unnerving when there's a pristine Ferrari 355 with a matte black paint job parked directly in front of you. The gearbox needs more throttle than a standard automatic transmission to engage reverse gear, but if you were to weigh up the pros and cons of the DSG you'd be hard-pressed to vote against it.

The Passat V6 wagon has a brilliant gearbox and engine combination that, while refined and safe, has very serious levels of performance, and should not be underestimated. It's new technology and it works. Simple as that.

Exterior: 3/5

Until recently I've never been a wagon fan, but having driven more and more of them in the past year I'm quickly becoming an aficionado. Where I used to baulk at Liberty GT wagons and the like, these days I admire, and though I'm not too keen on the Passat's overall style, it's a lot nicer to look at that the outgoing version.

First and foremost the front end, which prominently boasts of its luxury aspirations with the shiny chromium grille work that is pierced by a large circular VW badge. Flanking the grille are the headlight clusters, featuring stylised projector lamps that can be equipped with xenon bulbs if you don't mind shelling out extra. These headlight clusters would be fairly plain if not for the subtle cut-outs in the lower sections, which give these projector lamps more prominence. You may also have noted there are no indicator lights in the main headlight bezels, and are instead located much lower on the front apron, just above the lateral air dams, which adds height and a touch of difference to the front end.

Beyond these features, the front end is fairly conservative, with no bonnet vents nor power bulges to speak of, and from the side there's not a great deal to get excited about either. It's a wagon. It's got some curves around the wheel arches. Oh, and there's door handles too. Volkswagen will wax lyrical about its stylistic adventures with the Passat, but in my mind it's a conservatively styled vehicle that's more about pleasing the driver dynamically than aesthetically.

The rear end continues the conservative theme with neat styling that steers clear of radical or dramatic elements. That said, the large brake light clusters are very cool, poaching the Golf's circular design but using powerful LED's for illumination. It's true, the brake lights look great and are incredibly visible even from long distance, but for anyone sitting behind the Passat at night they may go somewhat blind because these things are bloody bright; when driven at night I could see parts of road light up red behind me. Still, a few irate drivers squinting behind you is surely better than being rear ended by a V8 Valiant.

Interior: 4/5

While similar in execution to the exterior, the interior is also conservative in appearance, but this effect is considerably more pleasing on the inside, where the innovative ideas and new features are elegantly integrated into the vehicle. Finished with a faux-carbon fibre styling strip, the dash looks quite classy - the plastics are of a decent quality - and the instrument cluster is a winner, with easily legible dials (lit up blue at night) and a practical dot matrix display wedged between the tacho and speedo for trip computing and other ancillary functions.

Ergonomically speaking, the Passat is up there with the best of them. The leather seats found in the V6 models ($2,990 on 4-cylinder variants) have a comfortable and accommodating effect, are heated and feature four-way electronic lumbar adjust (forwards, backwards, up and down) but could have used more lateral bolstering to keep front occupants firmly in place when tracking through corners.

The electronic push button handbrake removes the need for a great big handle wedged between the front occupants on the transmission tunnel, and getting rid of the handbrake opens up plenty of room up the front of the cabin, giving the car a more spacious feel. Anyone who has driven a European import in Australia will also appreciate the removal of the handbrake lever, as most models are tailored for European drivers and therefore the hand brake is on the wrong side for Aussie drivers.

All Australian specification Passat models benefit from the smart key system and the electronic handbrake, the latter of which takes the effort (and hairpin shenanigans) out of tugging on a traditional cable-operated park brake. These highly visible features add a real technological edge to proceedings and combine with the tastefully finished cabin to impressive effect.

Front and rear parking sensors come in very handy as well, with different melodies for each to help distinguish between front and rear obstacles/obstructions, and the rear seats aren't too stuffy either, able to accommodate a pair of adults without too much rearranging, such is the rear leg room. The back seats can also be folded flat (60:40 split fold) opening up a useful 1731 litres of rear cargo space, but even in their upright position the 603 litres of space is still generous enough to fit a number of medium sized palms and succulents and a few large bags of potting mix, and the boot will also gladly swallow a few golf bags when the occasion calls.

The rear seats feature useful fold-out cup-holders in the central armrest, which are eerily similar to the Audi items (that's because they're one and the same), and include another small storage option behind the cup holders, perhaps for board games or slimline digital cameras or media players, as it's not terribly deep. One of the things I liked about the Passat's interior was the plethora of stowage cubbies that appears on almost every conceivable surface, and there are even a couple of very handy trays that slide out from a section of the dash just above the centre console.

On the subject of the centre console, it's far less ambitious than some European luxury cars, yet has all the features you'd expect like dual zone climate control and an easy-to-use stereo interface. The 8-speaker stereo system with 6-stack CD player pumps out some very high quality audio and below the centre console is the DSG's shift area, which is finished in high gloss chrome and looks quite good.

Because the Passat is a long car (and possibly because it had been ill treated) I noticed the odd creak coming from the boot area once or twice, but otherwise there was little else to complain about.

Overall: 4/5

The lines are starting to blur, and I'm having a lot more fun that I ought to. This DSG gearbox, V6 engine, 4Motion system and suspension set up make what should be a mid-sized luxury German wagon into something that will keep up with an XR6 in the twisties.

And logic suggests that a medium wagon with such broad spectrum utility shouldn't be able to take on a 4.0-litre sports sedan. Imagine being overtaken and then left behind by a family wagon? Humiliating, yes, but now an extreme possibility thanks to VW's well sorted chassis, and praise has to go to the 4Motion system with its Haldex coupling. Dynamically, the Passat is a competent vehicle in most situations on the road, from highway cruising and dirt road thrashing to enthusiastic driving on winding coastal roads, and is completely happy just darting down to the shops for bread and milk.

Though the exterior styling isn't quite as instantly enamouring as Volkswagen's other big seller, the Golf, it's got the fancy bits where it needs them, and illuminates well at night. Neat innovations, like the smart key and electronic handbrake, make a significant impact to the car's functionality and it's the kind of vehicle you end up thinking about idly when your mind is left to wander. I really liked it, and I get the feeling that this new model will renew interest in VW's medium luxury car, and particularly when priced from $42,990 for the diesel model.

Simply put, the Passat fulfils its purpose remarkably well.