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All-New Volkswagen Passat Sedan and Wagon Design Takes Center Stage in First Videos

For years, the Passat was the unloved child of the mid-size sedan family, ignored and criticized in equal measure due to its bland styling. No more! An all-new model has just been revealed for the European market and it's no longer designed in 50 shades of vanilla.
2015 Passat B8 sedan and wagon 1 photo
Photo: Volkswagen
We've talked about the technical details at length in our previous report and now that the initial novelty factor has worn off, it's time to take an objective look at its design. The B8 generation is unmistakably a Passat, still done in simple creases and a slow buildup of curvature. But a lot more attention to detail is payed this time, giving it an Audi-like feel, which some might argue is superior to the current A4.

The Volkswagen fans will love it – refined and elegant, at the same time a bit conservative. Remember this isn't for the same crowd that like the Golf R. Most Passat buyers like black, listen to classic rock and wear suits. That's probably why VW was bold enough to call this "the most successful European business car."

Unlike the Golf 7, which is built on the same MQB platform, the new Passat offers its LED taillights as standard. The front ones are an optional extra, though well worth the extra money. A couple of the press images show the R-Line cosmetic package, which adds even more sporty character to the front and rear bumpers with spoiler inserts.

The interior of the new Passat is less of a masterpiece. The steering wheel looks like a larger version of the one in the Golf, the dash is completely flat and the infotainment system, while large, is not angled towards the drive. The saving race is an Active Info Display with a 12.3-inch TFT screen replacing analog dials. This feature will be available as an option on higher spec models.

The basic models starting from €25,875 in Germany will not be quite as interesting as the ones we're being shown. Their power will come from a 1.4 TSI with 125 PS (92 kW) and 150 PS (110 kW) coupled to a manual. Still, the weight of only 1,312 kg (2,892 lbs) is hugely impressive for a sedan this size.

No matter what we say about it, good or bad, the new Passat will sell well and that's because at the end of the day it's a Volkswagen. But unlike the old one, the B8 is new from the ground up and has more toys than an Apple store. That should keep things interesting for a while!

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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