The 2020 VW Passat has been spied in India for the first time, courtesy Team-BHP reader Mohan. IAB had broken the news in October that the old VW Passat has been discontinued in our market. While the old VW Passat is only BS-IV compliant, the facelifted VW Passat will comply with even the BS-VI emission norms that will come into effect on 1 April 2020. The new model packs subtle design tweaks and some new equipment as well. The bumpers, the radiator grille, the Passat logo and the headlight and tail light clusters have been redesigned for a sharper and more refined look.

Volkswagen has introduced several new technologies to the Passat with the facelift, including IQ.Light LED Matrix headlights, MIB3-based infotainment systems that come with an integrated online connectivity unit including eSIM as standard to remain permanently online, new Digital Cockpit and a capacitive steering wheel that detects touch by the driver - a first for any Volkswagen worldwide. Also, select Samsung mobiles can be used as a mobile key to open and start the car. This feature also wasn’t available in the old model.

Of the many different engine options the 2020 VW Passat is made with, the 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged four-cylinder unit that produces 190 PS at 4,200-6,000 rpm and 320 Nm of torque at 1,500-4,100 rpm will likely be offered in the Indian-spec car. The maximum power and maximum torque could be slightly different after the country-specific tuning is done. Without a doubt, the 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission will be standard.

The 2020 VW Passat will likely be priced between INR 30-35 lakh (ex-showroom). It won’t go on sale before Q2 2020, as no launches are planned before this period.