Volkswagen reveals the all-new B8 Passat

KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen has finally revealed the all-new B8 Passat. The car comes with a lot of new technologies and some modifications on the visual front. This D-segment model will be available in select European markets towards the end of August. It will be offered in three different body types - jacked-up Alltrack, wagon variant, and sedan version.

The all-new Volkswagen B8 Passat gets a new front bumper along with a revised grille design with two slats. Apart from the headlamps, the daytime running lights and fog lamps also get an all LED setup. A mildly redesigned bumper is featured at the back, and the exhaust trim gets a trapezoidal shape.

Speaking of the interior, the Volkswagen B8 Passat features a familiar dash. The facelifted car is the first from the manufacturer to feature the third-generation Modular Infotainment Matrix (MIB3). Three options of the infotainment systems will be offered at the time of launch - Discover Media (8.0 inch, first navigation system level), Discover Pro (9.2-inch, full navigation system level), and Composition Media (6.5-inch, no navigation). There will be an 11.7-inch Active Info Display, which consists of three basic layouts for the map display, dials and information fields.

The GTE variants of the facelifted VW Passat has a petrol plug-in-hybrid system with a 13 kWh battery that can be refilled via an onboard 3.6 kW battery charger or energy recuperation. It takes only six hours and 15 minutes to refill if the electrical outlet is 230 V/2.3 kW. On the other hand, using the 360 V/3.6 kW dedicated wall box/charging station, the battery can be charged fully in four hours.

Furthermore, there is a 1.4-litre TSI engine, which can make 156 PS of power and the electric motor can produce 115 PS . This makes the overall power output of 218 PS. The power is sent to the wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.