Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line 2021 Review

Don’t let your eyes deceive you. This is the updated 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line which, as before, is only available as a practical wagon with a stonking 200kW-plus turbo-petrol engine and all-wheel drive.

Across the range, a fresh colour palette, wheel designs and LED light clusters are about the extent of the visual changes to Volkswagen’s enduring mid-size passenger car. But fear not, aesthetics is just one element of this mid-life facelift.

As we’ve seen in other variants such as the entry-level 140TSI Business – opening at $46,590 plus on-road costs – the latest Passat line-up ushers in new technology, more advanced safety systems and a variety of extra comfort and convenience items, together with a tried-and-tested brace of Volkswagen Group engines.

Now priced from $63,790 plus ORCs – $1500 more than its predecessor – the Passat 206TSI R-Line’s headline item is a familiar one: its powerful EA888 engine lifted from the Volkswagen Golf R.

There’s also 19-inch alloy wheels (with full-size spare), a panoramic sunroof, LED Matrix headlights and dynamic rear indicators. Other R-Line visual cues include a roof spoiler, R-Line bumpers front and rear, new scuff plates and tinted rear windows.

The interior is upgraded via ambient lighting, the introduction of a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a larger 9.2-inch centre touch-screen with a Harman Kardon stereo and 360-degree camera.

There are brushed silver inserts, stainless-steel pedals and a sportier steering wheel and shift paddles. Heated seats carry over, although the R-Line’s sporty ‘carbon-leather’ front buckets are not compatible with seat ventilation (cooling).

The flagship model also foregoes wireless phone charging and a head-up display in Australia – perhaps reflective of the Passat’s 2015 core origins.

In terms of safety, all models inherit the latest version of Volkswagen’s IQ. Drive safety suite, which includes travel assist (the ability to stay centred in the lane and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front), 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 Passat range also continues to advertise a five-star ANCAP safety rating originally awarded in 2015.

Volkswagen’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty applies, and buyers can opt for an optional Care Plan for servicing that comprises an upfront $2500 covering five years/75,000km of mileage – based on 12-month or 15,000km intervals.

Enthusiasts have a small win to celebrate with the return of the 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line – a model which adapts the venerable Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch’s engine.

However, were it not for Australia’s sub-par and sulphur-rich petrol, the news could be even better.

Whereas overseas markets adopt the latest version of the 206kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder – complete with a petrol particulate filter and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – Australian models make do with an ageing six-speed dual-clutch auto.

The same reasoning also precludes Australian buyers from choosing the GTE plug-in hybrid variant, which combines a 110kW version of the Volkswagen Group’s 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor, delivering 160kW of total system power.

In any case, the 206TSI R-Line’s sporty four-pot is still as relevant as ever with its on-paper performance and efficiency credentials.

Against a 1700kg kerb weight, the Passat 206TSI can hit 100km/h from rest in 5.7sec, while sipping on a claimed 8.1L/100km.

VW’s much-vaunted 4MOTION all-wheel drive system carries through in the flagship, electronically apportioning drive depending on wheel slippage, driving conditions and driving style.

It’s inside where the 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line really sets itself apart.

Already offering a layout akin to the much more expensive luxury brand cohort, the Passat’s internals feel genuinely worth the price tag in this mid-life facelift.

A new climate control panel located at the bottom of the dashboard centre fascia trades in hard-wired buttons for capacitive touch panels. Think of it as buttons with a digital veneer.

The beauty of the update is that it lends the Passat a more contemporary feel than the predecessor’s dials, yet is still as easy to operate and devoid of two- or three-step solutions introduced on other VW models, including the bristling Touareg.

About the only exception is the absence of a physical volume knob; guess you can’t win ’em all.

The 9.2-inch touch-screen display located immediately above the climate interface is likewise a cinch to operate and navigate – ditto the 10.25-inch virtual instrument display fitted standard to our Lapiz Blue 206TSI R-Line test car.

About the only chink in the armour here, at least initially, is the VW Group’s latest MIB3 infotainment software, which is occasionally slow to react to commands upon start-up.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are small wins for everyday useability, as are three USB ports and three 12-volt outlets dotted around the cabin and boot area.

The rest of the Passat’s capacious layout is a known quantity and, in our eyes, a veritable winner for families and weekend adventurers alike.

Front seat occupants are treated to adequate incidental storage and legroom, together with seats promising strong long-journey amenity.

Rear seat space is admirable given the Passat’s 4.77-metre length, complemented by cavernous door pockets, rear air vents, rear sun shades and a flip-down centre arm rest with two cup holders.

Family types will also appreciate ISOFIX attachment points for the outboard seats and three top-tether attachment points.

The Passat wagon’s 650-litre boot will happily swallow designer prams, suitcases or – with the split-fold seats stowed using the quick-access levers – a full-size mountain bike, as we happily discovered.

Shopping bag hooks, an electric tailgate and large storage binnacles simply compound the practicality here.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line feels right at home on varying roads, reinforcing its appeal as an antidote to the all-conquering SUV.

Meaningful weighting to the steering and controls help underline the wagon’s sporty pretensions while also lending a level of Euro sophistication that separates the Passat from most other medium passenger cars.

At low speeds, the steering is light, outward vision is plentiful and the engine and driveline are smooth – with the exception of an occasional hesitation upon setting off, a long-running legacy of the dual-clutch automatic.

The proven 2.0-litre turbo-four is incredibly accessible with its power delivery, helped by peak torque arriving from just 1700rpm. The engine will happily occupy a broad section of the rev range depending on driving style, retaining its refinement, smoothness and punch at all times.

Other than the hesitation we’ve mentioned, the six-speed dual-clutch automatic is superb with its shift times, reactions and intuitiveness.

That said, the absence of a seventh ratio found on overseas models means the 206TSI R-Line feels geared a little short on extended highway drives, whereupon the tachometer needle hovers between 2500rpm and 3000rpm.

What is likely to polarise opinion more is the 206TSI R-Line’s ride. The sporty wagon’s initial surface compliance is afflicted by an obvious ‘tremor’ on billiard table-smooth surfaces, a trait that is annoyingly most noticeable at typical around-town speeds of 50-60km/h.

The pitter-patter progress lessens with more speed and on more pockmarked surfaces. In fact, at highway speeds you’ll barely notice it at all.

We double-checked tyre pressures and switched the Passat’s adaptive dampers between modes to little avail: the tremoring transcends it all. It’s hardly a deal-breaker and you’ll soon probably become accustomed to it, but something to be mindful of, nonetheless.

In sporting terms, the Passat feels comfortable and composed at speed. It sits stable under braking, shifts weight confidently to the outside wheels upon cornering entry and apportions power in a fashion that promotes headier driving but also reflects the 4MOTION system’s front-drive tendencies.

Steering weight and feel is commensurate with the R-Line’s sportier pretensions.

The engine is similar in its execution. It will ably move the 1700kg Passat along in a hurry and with minimum fuss. The engine finds its sweet spot in middling revs, and pulls admirably to the 6500rpm cut-out.

At full blast on an open road there’s no escaping physics and the engine works hard to get the job done. Similarly, it doesn’t exude the soundtrack, flair or intimate feeling or feedback some enthusiasts demand.

For everyone else – family and weekend adventurers alike – this is an enjoyable, accommodating and broadly flexible sports wagon.

We averaged 8.5L/100km over a week of driving, marginally above VW’s 8.1L/100km claim.

The room of an SUV, the performance of a warm hatch. That is really the take-away from the 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line.

While the changes brought with this long-awaited update aren’t extensive, the known performance and lashings of equipment are still as relevant as ever – especially in a shrinking wagon segment.

We’re glad to see it back.

How much does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat 206TSI R-Line cost?
Price: $63,790 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 206kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 186g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

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