A new lease of life will be granted to the Volkswagen Passat in 2023, after the German firm gave the green light to the introduction of an all-new B9 generation.
It will be built in Bratislava alongside the Touareg SUV, although it will continue to use the brand’s MQB underpinnings. Eventually the Passat will share the same production line as the next-generation Skoda Superb, which is being developed alongside it. VW’s family car has been moved from its traditional home at Emden in Germany to make way for the ID.4 SUV and production versions of the ID. Vizzion saloon and ID. Space Vizzion estate concepts.
Auto Express understands that the new Passat could be offered as a spacious estate or a more practical hatchback, in place of the current saloon. Our exclusive images preview how the next-generation Estate could look.
Versatility and practicality will be priorities for the new model so that it places some distance between it and the sleeker, but similarly sized, Arteon. The latest Golf Estate has increased in capacity to rival the current Passat Estate, too, so the latter is feeling pressure from above and below in the VW line-up.
The Passat’s wheelbase is likely to be stretched to a Superb-rivalling 2.85 metres. While that should translate into more legroom for rear-seat passengers, the extra length will also go towards improving boot space, carving out a new niche for the Passat as the brand’s most practical non-SUV or commercial vehicle-based offering.
All-electric drive will be catered for by the upcoming production version of the ID. Space Vizzion, so the Passat can continue to meet the needs of buyers wanting a traditional power source.
The popularity of diesel in this segment has slipped over recent years, but the Passat will continue with TDI options. The latest version of the brand’s 2.0 TDI turbocharged unit will slot under the bonnet, in states of tune ranging from 148bhp to 197bhp, while 4MOTION all-wheel drive will also be available.
Petrol power will play second fiddle, but will be an important bridge towards an expanded plug-in hybrid offering, with two options anticipated.
The entry-level eHybrid model will develop around 200bhp, but a 242bhp GTE model is also likely to go on sale, with a larger battery than the 13kWh unit used in the current Passat GTE. It would enable a much longer all-electric range, possibly up to 60 miles.
Matching the bigger pack would be improved recharging technology, with a move from 3.6kW to 11kW AC charging.
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