[Taboleo] Volkswagen Passat GT, Smart Safety Driving and Cost-Effectiveness

Travel Assist, Safe Driving with Finger
Advanced Infotainment, Control Functions with Hand Gestures
Streamlined Interior...Sleek Exterior Design
Added Advanced Features and Cost-Effectiveness...Price Competition with Sonata

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] Volkswagen, which declared the popularization of imported cars in Korea, has recently hit consecutive home runs. The compact sedan Jetta sold out completely on the first day of pre-orders, while the compact SUV Tiguan sold over 8,000 units last year, ranking second among best-selling imported cars in Korea.

Volkswagen aims to continue this momentum this year and introduced the mid-size smart business sedan Passat GT at the beginning of the new year. This model was also launched at a price similar to that of domestic cars in the same class to compete. I personally test-drove the facelifted 8th generation Passat GT, which returned equipped with an aggressive pricing strategy, state-of-the-art driver assistance systems, infotainment system, and intelligent lighting.

Volkswagen New Passat GT

-What is the biggest change in this facelifted model?

▲The advanced driver assistance system has been upgraded, enabling smarter driving. The new Passat GT is equipped with Volkswagen’s first-ever ‘Travel Assist’ feature that allows partial autonomous driving. It simultaneously activates lane keeping, distance control from the vehicle ahead, and lane change assistance, helping the driver operate the vehicle safely.

To activate this feature, you just need to press a button on the steering wheel. On the highway, you can perform ‘finger driving’ by controlling the car with just the button without using the accelerator or brake. First, press the button on the highway and set the desired speed within a maximum of 210 km/h, and the car will automatically detect traffic flow and drive accordingly. When I tried it myself, I was initially nervous, but after seeing it quickly recognize a car suddenly cutting in front and reduce speed, I felt reassured.

Also, the capacitive steering wheel, applied for the first time in the brand, made me realize that the era of autonomous driving is approaching rapidly. In previous vehicles, even when partial autonomous driving was activated, the driver had to continuously confirm holding the steering wheel by shaking it or changing hand position. However, the capacitive steering wheel detects touch just by lightly resting your hand on it, and no separate warning message appears even if the steering wheel is not operated for more than 15 seconds.

Volkswagen New Passat GT Interior

-Is there another reason why the new Passat GT is called a ‘smart business sedan’?

▲The new Passat GT is advanced not only in driving but also in lighting and infotainment systems. The interactive lighting system, applied from the Prestige model, illuminates a wider range of the road during nighttime driving, enhancing safety and convenience. On curved roads, the car automatically adjusts the lighting range according to the wheel angle, helping secure visibility.

The infotainment system has also become smarter. The Passat GT is equipped with Volkswagen’s latest infotainment system MIB3. The ‘Wireless Application Connect’ feature, which allows wireless connection between smartphone and vehicle, is standard on all trims. Sitting in the driver’s seat, you can say “Hello Volkswagen” to operate various functions via voice recognition vehicle control. Gesture recognition is also enabled, allowing you to control vehicle functions simply by moving your hand in front of the display.

Volkswagen Passat GT Latest Infotainment System MIB3

-How about the design and space utilization?

▲My overall impression of the design can be summarized as ‘clean and no frills.’ I liked the neat style without unnecessary elements, both in exterior and interior design. The exterior features sleek yet refined lines emphasizing straight edges. The interior design places a large 10.25-inch display and handles controls like air conditioning with touch buttons in a tidy manner.

Compared to the previous generation, the overall length has increased by about 10 mm, and interior space utilization has improved with a trunk capacity of 586 liters and 1,152 liters when folding the second row. Folding the second row allows you to load long and bulky items such as golf clubs or strollers comfortably.

Volkswagen New Passat GT Wireless App Connect and Climate Control Function Buttons

-I’m curious about the powertrain performance as well.

▲The new Passat GT is launched in three trims combining a 2.0 TDI engine with a 7-speed DSG transmission. The 2.0 TDI engine delivers a maximum output of 190 horsepower and peak torque of 40.8 kgf·m. You can choose between front-wheel-drive models, 2.0 TDI Premium and 2.0 TDI Prestige, and the all-wheel-drive 2.0 TDI Prestige 4Motion. The Prestige trim has an official combined fuel efficiency of 14.9 km/l, and the fuel efficiency I measured during the test drive was 13.8 km/l. However, it is somewhat disappointing that all the models launched this time are diesel. Volkswagen has stated that it is considering launching models with various engines besides diesel in the future.

Volkswagen New Passat GT

-How does the price compare to competing models?

▲The biggest competitive advantage of the new Passat GT in the domestic market is its price. Recently, Volkswagen declared the popularization of imported cars and has been offering imported cars at reasonable prices comparable to domestic cars. The Passat GT is priced at 44.33 million KRW for the Premium model, 49.27 million KRW for the Prestige, and 53.21 million KRW for the Prestige 4Motion (based on 3.5% individual consumption tax).

Additionally, with Volkswagen Financial Services programs and vehicle return compensation programs, you can receive discounts up to about 7 million KRW. This means the lowest trim, Premium, can be purchased from the mid-37 million KRW range. This is even cheaper than the top full-option model of the domestic competitor Sonata, priced at 38.34 million KRW. We will have to watch whether Volkswagen’s recent aggressive pricing strategy to increase market share will work with the Passat GT as well.

Volkswagen Passat GT Logo

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.