Upcoming Volkswagen Passat facelift spotted testing in India
The updated Volkswagen Passat has been spotted testing in India, ahead of its launch in the next few months. Volkswagen India had discontinued the Passat before the BSVI norms came into effect, but the German brand is looks set to reintroduce the car again here in its facelifted form.
The big change with this new car will be that it will now be powered by the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol motor. This unit makes 190PS and 320 Nm. The engine is already available on the Tiguan Allspace and the Skoda Superb, and like in those cars, will come paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The new Passat looks quite different on the outside, there is a wider grille and new LED taillamps. The international-spec car also gets Matrix LED lighting but that seems unlikely for India. At the rear, there is a slightly redesigned tailgate with wide Passat lettering and new LED taillamps.
The interiors have seen a major revamp with a new curved dash design. This incorporates a new look to the full-width AC vent design, the MIB3 infotainment system and the new Virtual Cockpit instrument cluster. The colour of the materials used has changed as well.
The revamped Volkswagen Passat will compete against the new Skoda Superb facelift, Toyota Camry and the slew of entry-level models that Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi are set to launch in the coming year.