Skip advert
Advertisement

Volkswagen Passat 2015: price, release date, and specs

Prices for the new Volkswagen Passat start at £22,215

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the new Volkswagen Passat at the Paris Motor Show. The company showed the standard car as an estate in classy R-Line trim, plus saloon and estate versions of the super-efficient Passat GTE petrol-electric hybrid.

The new model is lower and wider than the car it replaces and has a stylish, coupe-like profile. We know that the most basic new Passat, a 1.6-litre turbodiesel with a manual gearbox in S trim, will cost £22,215.

Advertisement - Article continues below

By giving the car an imposing grille and classier overall look, VW is going after upmarket rivals such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. The new Passat is also set to feature plenty of new technology to help it compete with the established premium cars in its class.

New Volkswagen Passat design

The new Volkswagen Passat is based on some of the same components as the Volkswagen Golf to save money on development costs. These modern parts shave 85kg from the weight of the Passat, to improve fuel economy and make it more fun to drive.

The front grille of the car incorporates the latest VW grille seen on other new models, such as the most recent Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Polo, while the rear of the car quite clearly takes inspiration from the luxurious Volkswagen Phaeton.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The premium feel of the new car continues inside, where the interior has been designed to challenge the upmarket BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class.

New Volkswagen Passat interior & practicality

The revised Passat is 2mm shorter than the current car, but passenger space increases by 33mm thanks to a longer wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels). Headroom has also increased and boot space is up by 21 litres to 586 litres.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The car will be available in five trim levels; S will be the most basic, then there's SE, SE Business, GT and finally R-Line.

Boot space in the estate is up to 650 litres, which is 50 litres more than in a Skoda Octavia, 113 litres more than in a Ford Mondeo and – impressively – 17 litres more than in a Skoda Superb. The Passat is also able to swallow items up 2.85m long, while rear seats that fold down add extra practicality. The estate's bootlid can be closed by sweeping your foot under the rear bumper.

New Passat engines

One of the most important additions to the new Passat range is a powerful twin-turbo diesel engine. The 2.0-litre TDI BiTurbo produces 237bhp – 62bhp more than the current most powerful diesel. This engine will power the top-of-the-range model and will only be available with Volkswagen's 4MOTION four-wheel-drive system and a DSG automatic gearbox. Despite the car's power, VW claims it can still achieve 53mpg fuel economy.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

A BlueMotion model capable of 78mpg and CO2 emissions of 95g/km will join the range in summer of next year.

A total of five petrol engines will be offered in the Passat worldwide, but Volkswagen has confirmed that none of them will be offered here, because demand for diesel models vastly outstrips the demand for petrols in the UK.

Volkswagen Passat GTE

From October 2015, the new VW Passat will also be available as a hybrid, using the same engine as the VW Golf GTE petrol-electric plug-in hybrid. This produces 208bhp in total and can cover up to 31 miles using electric power alone. If you have a short commute, you could conceivably travel to and from work without ever using any fuel. In the Golf, the hybrid engine can return 188mpg and emits 35g/km of CO2 (meaning free road tax and London Congestion Charge exemption) and the Passat should be capable of similar figures.

SONY DSC

SONY DSC

New Volkswagen Passat technical specs

Lots of new equipment will be available in the new Passat, including powerful LED headlights. They'll be capable of remaining on full beam without dazzling oncoming traffic by turning off individual bulbs.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Safety is a priority as the car chases the all-important five-star Euro NCAP rating. That means it has plenty of cutting-edge technology available, including autonomous braking that prevents low-speed collisions (a five-star Euro NCAP requirement from 2015), emergency assistance that stops the car if it detects the driver has fallen asleep and trailer assistance that makes it easier to reverse park when the car is hooked up to a trailer.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

From late 2015, Passat buyers will be able to order the car with Active Info Display, a 12.3-inch TFT screen that will replace the traditional instrument dials. A head-up display (HUD) will also be added to the options list. This projects information such as speed and sat-nav directions onto the windscreen in front of the driver.

New Volkswagen Passat price & release date

The new Volkswagen Passat was shown in public at the Paris Motor Show and the car will be available to order in the UK from 7 October. Prices for saloon models are listed below, with equivalent estates costing around £1,500 more. First deliveries will be made in January 2015.

TrimEngineCO2 (g/km TBC)Price(RRP OTR)
S1.6 TDI 120 PS 6 speed manual106£ 22,215.00
S1.6 TDI 120 PS 7 speed DSG103£ 23,815.00
S2.0 TDI 150PS 6 speed manual 106£ 23,340.00
S2.0 TDI 150PS 6 speed DSG 118£ 24,940.00
SE1.6 TDI 120 PS 6 speed manual106£ 23,310.00
SE1.6 TDI 120 PS 7 speed DSG103£ 24,910.00
SE2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed manual 106£ 24,435.00
SE2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed DSG 118£ 26,035.00
SE Business1.6 TDI 120 PS 6 speed manual106£ 24,010.00
SE Business1.6 TDI 120 PS 7 speed DSG103£ 25,610.00
SE Business2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed manual 106£ 25,135.00
SE Business2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed DSG 118£ 26,735.00
GT1.6 TDI 120 PS 6 speed manual107£ 25,305.00
GT1.6 TDI 120 PS 7 speed DSG104£ 26,905.00
GT2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed manual 109£ 26,430.00
GT2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed DSG 119£ 28,030.00
GT2.0 TDI SCR 190 PS 6 speed manual107£ 27,780.00
GT2.0 TDI SCR 190 PS 6 speed DSG119£ 29,380.00
GT2.0 BiTDI SCR 240 PS 6 speed DSG139£ 34,510.00
R-Line2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed manual 109£ 27,425.00
R-Line2.0 TDI 150 PS 6 speed DSG 119£ 29,025.00
R-Line2.0 TDI 190 PS 6 speed manual107£ 28,775.00
R-Line2.0 TDI 190 PS 6 speed DSG119£ 30,375.00
R-Line2.0 BiTDI SCR 240 PS 7 speed DSG139£ 35,505.00

From launch, the car will be available in saloon and estate bodies, but those models will be joined by a VW Passat Alltrack version with raised suspension, as well as a sleek five-door VW Passat CC coupe.

For all the latest on the VW range, visit the Carbuyer Volkswagen reviews page.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

All-new Volkswagen Tayron seven-seater added to VW’s SUV lineup
Volkswagen Tayron driving front quarter
News
9 Oct 2024

All-new Volkswagen Tayron seven-seater added to VW’s SUV lineup

Volkswagen Passat Estate review – conservatively styled, but hugely practical
Volkswagen Passat UK Carbuyer front quarter
In-depth reviews
8 Aug 2024

Volkswagen Passat Estate review – conservatively styled, but hugely practical

New Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle is the biggest VW bus you can buy
Volkswagen Caravelle front quarter
News
1 Aug 2024

New Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle is the biggest VW bus you can buy

Volkswagen ID.2all concept previews one of several new budget EVs from VW Group
Volkswagen ID.2all concept show car front 3/4
News
29 May 2024

Volkswagen ID.2all concept previews one of several new budget EVs from VW Group

Most Popular

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s best PCP finance offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
11 Oct 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s best PCP finance offers

All-new Dacia Bigster: flagship SUV arrives with 4x4, hybrid power and off-road kit
Dacia Bigster front quarter
News
9 Oct 2024

All-new Dacia Bigster: flagship SUV arrives with 4x4, hybrid power and off-road kit

Renault 5 review – iconic supermini reinvented as an EV
Renault 5 front quarter
In-depth reviews
7 Oct 2024

Renault 5 review – iconic supermini reinvented as an EV

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
26 Mar 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: the complete guide

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024