The Volkswagen Passat, long-time title holder of America’s Most Meh™ Sedan, get’s a sleek new refresh for 2016. Following an awkward announcement on the blooming Dieselgate scandal, we got our first look and fresh details of the refreshed ride.
The 2016 gets an updated infotainment center, now available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as MirrorLink. From the pictures above it looks like the materials have improved a bit, and I like the simple, centered layout of the dash. Rear passengers can now enjoy the luxury of heated seats, should you check the right boxes.
The big news is with the introduction of the R-Line Passat, which comes with larger 19-inch wheels, black accents on the bumper, a modified rear-diffuser and unique rocker panels (oooooohhh).
The engine offerings for the car remain the same, with a 1.8 liter turbo four-cylinder, a 3.6 liter V6, and they are still offering a 2.0 liter TDI diesel option, though you probably won’t be able to buy it for awhile (see: Dieselgate).
Power figures were not announced just yet, but with the engines staying the same we can probably expect 170 hp and 177 ft-lb of torque from the 1.8 liter turbo, 280 hp and 258 lb-ft from the 3.6 liter V6, and 150 hp and 236 lb-ft from the diesel if or when we see it again.
The base model price for the 1.8 liter turbo remains $22, 440.