Riddle me this: “What looks like an Audi A8, but sips fuel like a hybrid?”
Another clue: it can travel from New York to Chicago non-stop, in one sitting (if you can).
You’re smart enough to check the photos, so you already know we’re talking about the Volkswagen Passat TDI. That’s TDI, as in diesel. But, you probably already solved that riddle too.
At your local VW dealer, you can get a Passat with a 170 horsepower, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine or a 280 horsepower, 3.6-liter VR6, but that’s so common. The real auto enthusiasts and tree-clingers among us will opt for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder Clean Diesel that grunts out 140 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque. And why not choose the six-speed manual transmission to achieve 31/43 mpg city/hwy.? As loony as it sounds, a TDI with a manual transmission is a pretty sporty ride. My partner is rarely one to fight for driving rights on long trips, but he refused to hand over the helm. Diesel driving is intoxicating.
A long, unadorned, streamlined body gives little clue to the powertrain within. It looks like a big Jetta or small Audi A8, depending on your station in life. Either way, the Passat plays like an expensive German sedan. Look closer, and you’ll see a lot of detail in the chiseled flanks, angled grille, and kicked up windowline. If you liked the old VW Phaeton, the Passat will put a big smile on your face.
The interior is upright, but not uptight. Like an old Mercedes, big analog gauges, a near-vertical center stack, and a large, flat center console look serious. Hidden under the armrest is a large storage compartment with USB and AUX inputs. A padded dashboard, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and supportive seats feel expensive. There’s a lot of plastic elsewhere, but you have to keep in mind that the Passat starts just over $20k.
Also on the plus side: VW’s faux leather seats will last forever and are pet-friendly. And check out the back seat: her high priestess Bea Arthur would have had room to spare. That said, I wouldn’t buy any Passat without the divinely crisp Fender audio system.
Although the Passat is built in a gleaming new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is sized for American girth, it feels like it was born to swallow vast amounts of Autobahn. The diesel is fantastic, but so is the chassis. It provides a compliant ride on rough streets, but settles down as the speedometer sweeps to encourage ever-higher velocities. Steering is light compared to other German iron. The Passat’s size conjures visions of Buick, but its perceived size from Seat One is much more Jetta.
Just because Volkswagen’s P.R. materials put the idea into my head, I drove the Passat to Chicago (but from Indianapolis, not NYC). I-65 is notorious for high-speed civilians mixing it up with slow-poking semi caravans and heavy duty pickups between. Proving its German engineering, the Passat settled happily in the left lane with torque to spare. A 396-mile trip used about a half-tank of fuel and netted 48 mpg. It’s a gerd’s heaven.
As in the grand German tradition, VW cracks the riddle of how to provide full-size accommodations with upmarket styling and hybrid fuel economy. A base price of $26,225, or $27,020 as tested, solves the mystery of the Passat’s stealth success.
Storm Forward!
2013 VW Passat TDI SE
Five-passenger, FWD sedan
Powertrain: 140hp 2.0-liter diesel, six-speed manual transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Ind
Wheels: 17”/17” alloy f/r
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have features: Big torque, big interior
Fuel economy: 31/43 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Chattanooga, TN
Base/As-tested price: $26,225/$27,020