HY ASPIRATIONS (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Volkswagen has dramatically improved its Plug-in Hybrid Passat. Jonathan Crouch checks it out.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 41

The ninth generation Volkswagen Passat comes with a much more sophisticated Plug-in Hybrid powertrain boasting a considerably larger battery that allows for a vast improvement in EV driving range. It's enough to almost make this car usable as an EV. Almost.

Backgroundword count: 157

Suddenly, everybody seems to want a Hybrid. Volkswagen thought that by now, it would be winding down Hybrid model production in favour of EVs; instead, like other mainstream brands, it's going the other way as customer concerns about high EV pricing and a shaky public charging infrastructure make many think again about their planned impending electric vehicle switch. Hence the importance to the ninth generation B9-series Passat range of the eHybrid models we look at here. And why Volkswagen has put such a vast amount of technological effort in improving this car over the rather limited Passat GTE PHEV model it replaced. The brand still doesn't have a self-charging full-Hybrid engine, but there are now two Plug-in Hybrid Passat powertrain options - and, as with all MK9 Passats, this car can only be had as an estate. Might it be a cleverer choice than that mid-sized EV crossover you were thinking about? Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 319

In the absence of the kind of self-charging full-Hybrid engine that Volkswagen ought by now to be offering, the alternative to the brand's rather ineffectual eTSI mild hybrid tech in this car is a much improved does of PHEV technology. It's now badged 'eHybrid' and is vastly improved but can still only drive the front wheels. The eHybrid Passats replace the old GTE model's 1.4-litre engine with the eTSI model's 1.5-litre unit and now come in a choice of versions, with either 204PS or 272PS. The key change though, is that both now get a far larger 19.7kWh battery (up from 13.0kWh before), which has more than doubled EV drive range to as much as 82 miles; enough, Volkswagen reckons, to allow most families to use a Passat eHybrid much like an EV. As with the old Passat GTE, there's a 6-speed DSG auto gearbox to replace the 7-speed DSG auto used in the conventionally-engined model. This greater degree of powertrain electrification has been allowed for by this MK9 Passat's new MLB evo platform. Alongside which Volkswagen has also developed an uprated 'DCC Pro' version of its adaptive damping system, with a myriad of settings (15 in all). Previously, 'DCC' in a Passat was quite a crude system that operated with single valves. 'DCC Pro' is a far more sophisticated two-valve set-up that's co-ordinated by the 'Vehicle Dynamics Manger' set-up now added to all versions of this car. For reference, that's the system we first saw on the Golf GTI, which co-ordinates the stability, traction and XDS electronic differential lock functions a bit like the conductor of an orchestra, so that they better work together. You can also pay extra for 'DCC Pro' with mid-level trim and we'd say that it's a worthwhile investment if you really want this car to ride like a Passat should - and it's really needed with the extra weight of the eHybrid system.

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