Volkswagen Passat relates to those cars, which history is known to an ordinary motorist and he knows its biography better than his own. When you mention you drive Passat, you will seldom face the full layman – everyone knows this car!

Most likely, interlocutor will start to specify: Which generation? What a body? And, certainly: which motor? We took Passat with the most popular type of the engine – «one and eight turbo», but in modern, 160-strong execution 1.8 TSI, which appeared rather recently.

Everything is familiar: a recognised strict silhouette, a chubby line of a body, small headlights with «drawn eyelid».

The interior is also executed in typical design. The forward panel has two floors: only a black peak of the instrument panel and cowlings on top. Below you will find with dials with red arrows in rat holes. Surely, the level is not a premium one (to compare: just sit down at the wheel of Passat's relative – new Audi A4), but quite worthy. The sparkling lever of "automatic machine", with its numerous modes, well readable buttons on a wheel and climate control handles – the main thing is that Passat is made for convenience of the person, and the longer you are at the wheel, the better you understand it!
        
However, this is not the thing that draws our attention. The main thing – is the 1.8 TSI motor, which came to replace 2.0-litre FSI. The only possible minus of the last one is acute dependence on quality of fuel. Nevertheless, many people reproached Passat with such engine with languid character, but it is already a subjective parameter.

We already estimated the same motor before – while the test of already mentioned A4. Then it produced not so strong impression: probably, because A4 presented also a set of other advantages (design, interesting decisions in salon, Audi Drive Select system). Here we could concentrate on the main thing – the new engine.

Frankly speaking, in usual mode Passat seems a little depersonalized. Yes, dispersal is all the same good, and the high twisting moment – 250 nanometers already on 1500 rpm – allows to gain the necessary speed promptly . But switching on the raised transfers occurs earlier, than it would be desirable. In the city this is everything you need, but in the country you have to lose precious seconds.

The difference between usual mode and Sport algorithm is felt so considerably, that it seems, as if you have replaced not only position of the handle of a check point, but also the car. Transfers last longer, and motor sounding is painted by new, sonorous high notes.
    
Thus, the alliance of turbo motor and six-step automatic transmission looks quite viable and self-sufficient: you should not worry that Passat 1.8 TSI is not completed with excellent DSG box. Certainly, usual "automatic machine" changes transfers not so immediately, and insignificant failures are still felt.

Elastic, powerful enough – what else? Ah, yes, profitability! Well, 11.3 l fuel in a city mode, even adjusted to the fact that declared figures differ from real ones, – quite a good result. Though it is far not the leader on profitability in a class. At last, it is difficult to underestimate silence and vibro-compartmentalization of a salon. Generally, FSI engine was not noisy, but this one is a real meek creature.

Volkswagen's brakes are reliable and sensitive. Pads stick into disks instantly, confidently slowing down sedan, but the mechanism stil lacks information capacity.

Passat's traversing shows optimum rigidity on small hollows so that the car would not be shaken, and sufficient softness so that these hollows would be passed imperceptible for the driver and passengers. Even on a strongly broken line (or a stone blocks) suspension brackets fulfil each roughness reliably, not conceding the most comfortable cars of a class.

Passat has not changed cardinally –  it just became better with the new engine: little faster, little more silent and definitely more economic. The wind of changes blows in a right direction and with optimum force.