Our Cars: Volkswagen Passat Sport – Weeks 12-13
It’s the final report of our long-term Passat
By Shahzad Sheikh
18th Feb-1th Mar 2013 – read report for weeks 8-11
Our long-term Passat, after a run of three months and 6150km went back a few days ago. It’s a car that we weren’t entirely over-enthusiastic to get, it wasn’t a car that we relished driving every day and nor, frankly, are we pining for it back.
However, we are sure missing it. Swapping between 3-4 drivers, doing everything from inner-city commutes, long motorway hauls, picking up the kids from school and taking the family out on an evening, it accomplished every single task with unerring efficiency.
It also never missed a beat, suggested a hiccup or implied even a chink in its impenetrable armour of reliable durability.
This all made for a pretty uneventful period of ‘ownership’ with hardly any issues, concerns or characterful foibles to report. Let’s be honest, it’s as dull as a Nissan Altima.
Which really, is what VW execs, and admittedly, a load of potential owners out there, really want to hear. The Altima and Camry are the best selling large economy saloons – it’s a market share that Volkswagen would certainly like a fair slice of.
And with the American conceived, developed and built Passat, they have a car that can justifiably do exactly that.
It boasts on-par pricing and performance and the reliability, as we’ve said, seems to be spot on too, but it goes further.
The roominess and comfort of the Volkswagen, particularly the genuinely limo-like space and legroom of the rear cabin, whilst still retaininging a massive boot with fold down seats if required, makes this quite possibly the most capacious car in its class.
It combines this with an exquisitely smooth ride, a soothing five-cylinder engine note, and a driving experience so untaxing that you’ll struggle to remember making the journey – although the steering is somewhat surprisingly heavier than the segment average.
There’s enough performance on tap to keep up with the cut-and-thrust, and despite its gargantuan interior dimensions – and it remains a large car on the outside too – this really doesn’t feel an intimidating bulk to manoeuvre.
I initially thought the lack of a reversing camera or sensors would be a problem, but never once had an issue – although good all-round visibility all aids in this area.
In conclusion then, if you’re not particularly into the ‘driving’ part of actually driving, but fancy oozing down the street imperiously at the wheel of a hugely practical German saloon that really won’t break the bank – with prices starting from AED93,400 and servicing packages keeping costs minimal – then this is the car for you.
Highly recommended!
