Volkswagen Passat 2.0 Tdi Road Test Report

Performance

The car has the 2.0 Tdi 140PS engine and is extremely fast, off the mark the car leaves most hot hatches behind. There is a mountain of torque and the car pulls strongly from low revs even in the higher gears. Because of the large amount of power on tap this makes the car effortless to drive. Gets a little thirsty when pushed.

Ride & Handling

At times the ride can be hard even though I opted for the SE version. In the twisty bits the car can feel a little sloppy when there are a series of bends. Having said that at normal speeds the car is refined and composed and only lets it’s self down when pushed.

Build Quality & Reliability

Apart from some minor rattles the car is very solid and the door closes with a satisfying clunk! The interior is light and airy and the switch gear feels solid. VW is renowned for reliability and this was a major consideration when making my decision.

Safety & Security

Traction control, ABS, Electronic stability control, loads of airbags all standard, the car feels safe and solid. The car comes with a factory fit alarm and a high security key; so no problems there.

Space & Practicality

The inside is huge, seats 5 adults with ease and I can put my seat right back and there is still ample leg room in the rear and I am 6’ 3”. The boot is big enough to get the mother in laws body in there, so that’s rather good.

Ownership & Value

Only had the car for 1 month and am now thinking I should have gone for the 170PS Sport and it has the advantage of more power, better handling and a lot more goodies which the SE lacks. Overall this is a good car and I am happy with it.