The Volkswagen Passat Wins Coveted Car of the Year Award

The Volkswagen Passat has scooped Europe’s ‘Car of the Year 2015’ award. On the eve of the Geneva Motor Show, it won by a clear margin, taking 340 points, as well as 30 top marks out of a possible 58, beating Citroen’s C4 Cactus, as well as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

The Car That Keeps On Giving

Now 41 years old, and into its eighth generation, there is probably no better symbol of success for the VW brand than the Volkswagen Passat, a car that continues to please. The brand will no doubt be buoyed that this eighth generation has been so well received, owing to the fact that this particular version is a completely new model. Car of the Year themselves describe it as a “typical VW in that it delivers quality and functionality in every aspect. It’s more lightweight than the outgoing model while at the same time improving in terms of body stiffness.”

“Extremely Proud”

The Car of the Year awards has been going since 1964, and has grown to become one of the most respected award ceremonies in the automotive world. Composed of a panel of journalists from 22 different countries, the jury subjects each car to a stiff and rigorous test to find out which has the mettle to scoop such a prestigious award. The Volkswagen Passat would have been examined for comfort, economy, safety, drivability, design, functionality, as well as technical progress, and was nominated along with 6 other vehicles. Prof. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said, that the brand is “extremely proud of this accolade. This honour is a tremendous confirmation for the work of our engineers, designers and the entire team. The new Passat shows that the Volkswagen brand has the right answers to the challenges of our time.”

The Volkswagen Passat In A Nutshell

The new Volkswagen Passat has so far shifted 1.1 million units, making it one of Volkswagen’s best ever sellers. Highly regarded by the automotive world, it’s known for its class-leading innovation and advanced engineering. Thanks to this combination, the Volkswagen Passat is home to a dynamic design that is still unmistakably Volkswagen Passat, but which now houses bigger wheels, as well as a longer wheelbase and lower body.

The interior length remains the same, yet, remarkably, the designers have managed to expand the inside. Moreover, the brand have kept keenly up-to-date with all the new technologies, introducing Active Info Display, app-based Rear Seat Entertainment for tablets, as well as an extendable head-up display for all their models. There are also safety innovations too, including Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Trailer Assist.

10 engines are available in total, whilst the new Volkswagen Passat GTE is the first plug-in hybrid Passat. Arriving in the UK this summer, it combines a 1.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. The petrol unit develops 156PS, whilst the electric motor is capable of producing 115PS.

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