Test Drive Volkswagen Passat US From 2011 Sedan

Family traits

Lucky some! Those who managed to be born in a rich famous family. Who guaranteed a peaceful life, who is doomed to fill on the pages of newspapers, whose name knows any little-old educated resident of the planet. It is customary to give birth names to such children, and so as not to be confused with the false or great-grandfather, the younger or sequence number add to the name
 
In the automotive world now, too: if the model turned out to be successful, her name and success inherit descendants. I ask to love and complain Volkswagen Passat Sixth typical dinner of automotive fate. His race for automobile standards is quite ancient 32 years ago, the first Passat appeared. During this time, the model was separated by a circulation of 13 million, becoming one of the most successful Volkswagenov. The car was produced and sold almost all over the world. Take Russia, for example. Who is not a simple, roomy and fourth generation, a simple or fourth generation? Similar to their names with number five lost in simplicity and low cost, but added solidity. And somewhere in the outback still happening the Latal-overheat stores of the seventies and the newcomer. A brief acquaintance with the design of the Sixth Passat has already been held (SP, 2005, No. 4), today will present the debutant in the maritime environment.
HEIR
Sleeping noble kind unconditionally absorbed all the best features of his predecessors. Look in the photo nothing in common, you will say. Correctly, cars do not like people the external similarities are not necessarily transferred by inheritance. The originality and freshness of the appearance is sometimes more important than the recognition. Look better in the salon: richly, solid and, at first glance, spacious. I confirm the car turned out very roomy and comfortable. And this is just the name of the feature that moved from the older to the younger. The Passat has long been honored for the internal dimensions: long legs will fit here, and the beer belly, and, by the way, considerable kidding: 565 liters trunk volume!
In the pendants of the novice, aluminum is widely used. Recall: the previous, fifth, Passat was one of the pioneers using light metal in the chassis design.
The sixth inherited the family driving qualities. If I had to characterize the behavior of the Passat on the road in one word, I chose comfortable. In the reactions of the machine there is no deliberate sportiness or relaxed impulvity. Driver commands are performed clearly and definitely, without excessive sharpness or noticeable delays. The suspension tries to refute the saying of two hares, perfectly holding the car on the road and, at the same time, providing a high level of comfort. Good power steering, clear gearboxes. Chain and reliable brakes a mandatory attribute of German cars in general and the trade wind in particular. After all, the speed on German autobahs is still not limited!
For Russia, countries of used trade winds, the newcomer did not inherit one important quality of simplicity. However, not equal to the grandfather and great-grandfather twenty-first century in the yard.
YOUNGER BROTHER
In the Volkswagen Hierarchy, the Passat family is one of the oldest. But by age, the last Passat is completely another child, and other cars of the company, despite the size and class, for him the older brothers and sisters. The younger examples a lot of what they wore the elders.
Fans of trade winds must say goodbye to the 1.8T engine. Four gasoline engines with direct injection will replace the old family. Some of them are already familiar with other concern models.
The same can be said about gearboxes. Different models of Volkswagen, Audi and even Skoda are already wearing a six-speed mechanical transmission, and fashionable now the DSG box. Electric steering wheel enhancer and touran sign.
In ensuring the comfort and safety of the Passat, only Faeton is focused on the eldest in all respects. From the largest Volkswagen, the newcomer borrowed a system of access to the car without a key (it recognizes the chip lying in the pocket or the owner's portfolio). From Phaeton, a device has been obtained, which automatically supports the distance to the car going ahead. In addition, smart climate control, which should cool the interior without drafts, in order to the Lord, the passengers did not picked up a runny nose. Even the LED rear lights and those came from the chapter beautifully, bright and more secure.
Personality
All listed above is only a small share that the new Passat has received from other models. In the age of unification differently and can not be. Therefore, one of the main tasks of the manufacturer to give technically similar cars to individual traits to attract and save money, and save money.
Take the appearance to whom a new Passat look like? A little bit on Faeton, a little on Audi, in general, at all. And certainly in the guise of anything in common with the ancestor. Except except emblems.
The body demonstrates a record hardness to twist for its class, high-strength steel are widely used in the design. The power frame is designed to fulfill the most modern safety standards. And at the same time, developers managed to reduce the mass through modern technologies.
Pretty bulky sixth Passat is distinguished by an unexpectedly low coefficient of aerodynamic resistance of only 0.28. Unlike the predecessor, the motors under the hood of the new car are not located along and across. The powerful speaker system is optimized specifically for this model.
Listed the differences between the trade wind from other concern cars for a long time. The Passat acts in the class where it is impossible to be sulfur and faceless. Therefore, the sixth is trying to demonstrate individuality, and it is quite successful. If you can confuse with whom with phaeton. And from such comparison, the new Passat is unlikely to suffer. One newcomer should not be equal to the flagship in price. Not that affected will be the wallet of the buyer.
 
Igor Tverdunov
 
  

A source: Journal "Behind the wheel"