New Volkswagen Passat pricing revealed

Volkswagen Australia has revealed pricing and specification details for the updated 2021 Volkswagen Passat range, which is due to touch down from April.

At the same time, Australian officials were non-committal about the long-term future of the Passat sedan and wagon, following reports the duo will be culled in the US and Europe to make way for a new electric strategy.

Speaking with Australian media this week, Volkswagen Australia managing director Michael Bartsch said he was uncertain what bearing the end of Passat production in Europe and the US would have on local allocation.

US industry journal Automotive News reported this week the Passat would be disappear from American showrooms, along with the Volkswagen Arteon, and would only enter its next generation in Europe as a solitary wagon.

Bartsch reaffirmed Volkswagen Australia’s commitment to the Passat, at least until the end of 2022, in sedan, wagon and Alltrack guise.

“I don’t know but what I can say is the Passat is part of our budget and volume planning for 2021 and 2022. That’s current generation, what happens after that I really don’t know,” he said.

“The Passat wagon 206, we’re making some really good inroads to the police [as a patrol car] in Australia. That car in Victoria and NSW is being recognised for its attributes, the Passat Proline.”

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat range will incorporate new engines and technology, headed by the range-wide introduction of wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, as well as new USB-C ports.

In terms of safety, the Passat inherits the latest version of Volkswagen’s IQ. Drive safety suite, which includes travel assist, front assist with pedestrian monitoring, lane assist with adaptive lane guidance, emergency assist, adaptive cruise control, side assist, rear cross traffic assist, park assist, front and rear parking sensors, driver fatigue detection, 360-degree ‘proactive occupant protection’ and a reversing camera.

The Volkswagen Passat 140TSI Business anchors the reworked 2021 line-up at $46,590 plus on-road costs – line-ball with the current price.

Under the bonnet resides an unchanged 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder petrol engine (140kW/320Nm) that drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

Key features on the entry car include LED headlights tail-lights, and fog lights, 18-inch wheels with a full-size spare, leather-appointed seats with heating function, plus three-zone climate control.
The infotainment system comprises an 8.0-inch centre screen with the wireless smartphone mirroring already mentioned.

Next in the line-up is the Passat 162TSI Elegance, priced at $51,790 plus ORCs in sedan form and $53,790 as a wagon.

Along with a more powerful 162kW four-cylinder engine, the 162TSI has 18-inch alloys with a different design, a panoramic sunroof, LED Matrix headlights and dynamic rear indicators, and an electric boot.

Likewise, the interior is upgraded via ambient lighting, the introduction of a digital instrument cluster and a larger 9.2-inch centre touch-screen with a Harman Kardon stereo and 360-degree camera. There’s also Nappa leather lining the seats, which are ventilated in the front.

An R-Line style package is available for the Passat 162TSI for an additional $3000 outlay.

Sitting atop the 2021 Volkswagen Passat line-up is the 206TSI R-Line Wagon, priced at $63,790 plus ORCs.

It adopts the same punchy turbo-petrol engine as the Golf R, offering up 206kW, and matches the performance bent with 19-inch alloys, a roof spoiler, R-Line bumpers front and rear, new scuff plates and tinted rear windows.

Volkswagen’s R-Line-branded Nappa leather seats reside inside, complemented elsewhere by brushed silver inserts, stainless steel pedals and a sportier steering wheel and shift paddles.

On the Alltrack front, Volkswagen is offering two Passat Alltrack variants for 2021 – the Passat Alltrack 162TSI (from $46,990) and the Passat Alltrack Premium (from $58,790).

The former mirrors the same specifications as the regular Passat Business and adds 4MOTION all-wheel drive with adaptive chassis control, plus an electronic tailgate.

The latter brings 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Matrix LED headlights and LED tail-lights with dynamic indicators.

The Alltrack Premium scores ambient interior lighting, the larger 9.2-inch screen and digital cockpit, a Harman Kardon stereo, Vienna leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, as well as the 360-degree safety camera.

How much does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat cost?
Passat 140TSI Business – $46,590
Passat 162TSI Alltrack – $46,990
Passat 162TSI – $51,790 (wagon $53,790)
Passat Alltrack Premium – $58,790
Passat 206TSI R-Line – $63,79

*Prices exclude on-road costs