The longest-lived car in the VW line-up gets one final generation – and the brand pulls out all the stops
The Volkswagen Passat has been in production for more than 50 years, during which time it has captured more than 30 million sales worldwide.It may not be as widely celebrated as the smaller Volkswagen Golf, but its 1973 introduction preceded that of the hatchback by almost a year, making it the longest-lived car in the Volkswagen line-up.It’s important to point this out because the new ninth-generation Passat seen here is most likely the last to be offered with combustion engines. As the recent launches of the similarly sized Volkswagen ID 7 saloon and ID 7 Touring estate have brought into clear focus, the future of Volkswagen is fully electric.Not that Volkswagen has merely updated the Mk8 Passat. The Mk9 is based on a heavily revised version of its predecessor’s platform, called the MQB Evo.It brings internal changes to its rear-end design for added rigidity and to facilitate a range of new vibration-reducing measures; it has larger dimensions; it offers a range of re-engineered petrol and hybrid drivetrains; and, in a bid to steal sales from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, it features a higher-quality interior with contemporary technology and greater space and versatility.A sister model to the new third-generation Skoda Superb Estate, alongside which it will be made at the Volkswagen Group’s factory in Bratislava, Slovenia, the Passat will be offered exclusively as an estate.
