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 photo, 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.
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 lb.-ft. 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. 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, Passat plays like an expensive German sedan. Look closer, and you see a lot of detail in the chiseled flanks, angled grille, and kicked up window-line. If you liked the old VW Phaeton, the Passat will bring smiles.
The interior is upright, but not uptight. As in old Mercedes, big analog gauges, near-vertical center stack, and large flat center console look serious. Hidden under the armrest is a large storage compartment with USB and AUX inputs.
Padded dashboard, leather-wrapped steering wheels and supportive seats feel expensive. There’s a lot of plastic elsewhere, but you have keep in mind the Passat starts at just over $20k. VW’s faux leather seats will last forever and are pet-friendly. Check out the back seat. Her high priestess Bea Arthur would have had room to spare. But, this car is not for me; 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, Tenn., 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. 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. I65 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, removes all mystery about the Passat’s stealth success.
2013 VW Passat TDI SE
Five-passenger, FWD sedan
Powertrain: 140 hp 2.0-L diesel, 6-spd. manual transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Ind
Wheels: 17-inch/17-inch 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
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