The 2020 VW Passat has been spied sans
camouflage in India, courtesy Team-BHP forum member ScoopMeister. 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 for 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.
The new spy shots show the Indian-spec
2020 VW Passat equipped with basic LED headlights and 16-inch Sepang alloy
wheels. 17-inch alloy wheels should be offered in the top-of-the-line trim. The
IQ.Light Matrix headlights are unlikely to be available neither as standard nor
as an option in any trim.
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.