8:00am Friday 16th July 2010
AT-A-GLANCE Volkswagen Passat estate BlueMotion 1.6 turbo diesel.
Price: £20,995.
Top speed: 117mph.
0-62mph: 12.7 seconds.
Fuel: 64.2mpg (combined figure).
C02 emissions (g/km): 114.
Verdict: Outstanding economy for roomy estate, quality build inside and out, well equipped, tops for comfort and safety. Great family holdall.
MOTORISTS faced with paying the high cost of filling the tank and taxing their cars know they are unlikely to see much relief in the foreseeable future unless they can make some positive changes to their daily motoring.
You can drive more gently, have your car regularly serviced, remove the roof rack and keep your tyres at the correct pressure to save some fuel. But if you are really serious about cutting costs, then you might look to one of the special economy models from several manufacturers who realise that genuinely greener cars do offer cheaper motoring.
So far the makers have applied the fuel-saving treatment to mainly smaller models. But Volkswagen has extended fuel-efficiency to larger family holdalls such as the Passat and has branched out to a commercial, the Caddy, which is the company’s first workhorse to have the fuelsaving treatment.
VW’s BlueMotion treatment certainly works well with the popular Passat estate and makes it the most fuel efficient production Passat ever built. The estate houses a five-speed manual 1.6-litre turbo diesel, producing 105PS and not only does the motor provide plenty of oomph for everyday use but returns the excellent combined mpg figure of 64.2. In town it will return 52.3mpg and on a run 74.3.
For an estate offering an abundance of load-carrying capacity, comfort and versatility, the fuel returns are exceptional and it is easy to see why the fleet market is showing such a strong interest in the BlueMotion efficiency which is also available with the Passat saloon.
At £20,955 on the road the estate version is not cheap as you are paying extra for the engine modifications, changes to the drive train and a number of wind-cheating features to the body. But the cost is reasonable when compared to the diesel’s closest equivalent without the BlueMotion technology, which is the 1.4TSi petrol, producing 122PS, returning a combined figure of 42.2mpg and costing £18,995 on the road.
For those motorists doing a small mileage the BlueMotion cars may not be the answer because of the extra purchase cost but users who run up high mileages should be pleased with the financial benefits over a period of time, especially as the cars are not only conventional to drive but to service and repair.
The Passat is a big seller for VW, having gained an unenviable reputation over many years for its combination of economy, quality, safety and security. The cabin is a nice place to be and the car itself makes you want to drive it far and fast.
You might expect that the changes to the engine and transmission and other body alterations might dull the performance.
Not so. Apart from the slightly taller gearing which might occasionally necessitate a change-down, the Passat can still show opponents a clean pair of heels.
It accelerates from standstill to 62mph in the respectable time of 12.7 seconds and races on to a top speed of 117mph. A bonus is that the C02 output of 114g/km qualifies for very low road tax.
The motor is flexible so that there is plenty of power for overtaking and swift acceleration when the need arises.
Behind the wheel the Passat feels composed with a strong grip and with the family and their luggage aboard the car remains remarkably stable at speed.
The car’s comfort and quiet running make it ideal for those long motorway hauls.
The BlueMotion vehicles incorporate a battery regeneration or recuperation system which helps to utilise energy that would otherwise be lost during braking and also an automatic start/stop system which further saves a worthwhile amount of fuel. Other special treatment includes the fitting of wind-cheating attachments to the body and underneath the vehicle.
However, despite the keen focus on economy, the Passat is available with a comprehensive list of standard equipment including climatronic air-conditioning, cruise control, multi-function computer and CD stereo.
Safety systems include six airbags, an electronic stabilisation programme and ABS brakes.
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