The Passat.

For the fifth time since 1977, the Volkswagen Passat has won the Golden Steering Wheel, the sought-after prize which has been awarded annually for the last 30 years by the German Sunday newspaper "Bild am Sonntag". The Passat came out well ahead of its competitors in its group test. One of the key factors in the Passat's success was the luxury-class level of comfort and safety features it provides as standard. That’s a luxury standard you'll quickly get used to.

In the Passat mobile telephony is made more user-friendly than ever. The optional "Premium" mobile phone prefitting performs all the functions of a mobile over its Bluetooth link without you, the driver, having to do anything at all. The system detects your SIM card when the ignition is switched on, connecting automatically to your mobile phone. All in all, this optional mobile phone prefitting feature offers you all the comfort of a permanently installed telephone.

The Passat now offers a stunning new top-of-the-range engine as from the Comfortline spec: the V6 FSI unit featuring permanent four-wheel drive and the dual-clutch gearbox DSG develops a hefty 184 kW (250 hp) of power output. If you choose the powerful 3.2l engine, you will be richly rewarded, with standard features including an anti-theft alarm system, "Plus" multi-function display and the "Solitude" 17-inch alloy wheels. (Fuel consumption: 9.8 – 10.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions: 235 - 242 g/km)*.

Riding in the rear of the Passat or the Passat Estate is turned into a mobile cinema experience with the Rear Seat Entertainment system (RSE) from Volkswagen Individual. This state-of-the-art system comprises one or two 7" TFT colour screens built into the head restraints, a DVD player installed in the glove box, a remote control, two sets of headphones and an AUX interface for external media sources such as an iPod or camcorder. Listening to music, watching movies, playing on the Playstation – motoring has never been so entertaining.

In the Euro NCAP crash test the Passat achieved the top five-star rating for occupant protection. The test proves that the Passat safely protects both adults and children, based among other factors on its highly robust passenger cell. Further protection is provided by the passenger restraint systems, as well as intelligent active safety elements such as ESP and ACC (adaptive cruise control).
The Passat is the fourth Volkswagen model in a row to be awarded five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test. Proof once again that Volkswagen sets the standards when it comes to safety and occupant protection.