Review and Test Drive: 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Volkswagen that was first introduced in the United States as the Dasher in 1974.It was mechanically identical to the Audi 80, while the five-door Passat wagon was in America as the Audi Fox.
One of the things that attracted me to the Passat was its identity crisis. The sedan version of the second-generation Passat was sold as the Santana in Europe and as the Quantum in the United States. Did I mention it was also sold as the Corsar (Mexico) and the Carat (Argentina)?
Today, the Passat sold in the United States is a U.S.-specific model introduced in 2011 and built in the United States; the only other market it’s sold in is China. The rest of the world has a smaller model that was introduced in 2015.
The current Passat was given an extensive facelift for 2016. Everything from the A-pillar forward is completely new. This includes slimmer headlights (LEDs are optional), light-alloy wheels, side mirrors, bumpers, fascia, and grille, which now exhibits more depth. The all-new hood has a powerdome that catches the eye, although there is no longer a TDI (i.e. diesel) option available under it.
As the Passat approaches the inevitable, Volkswagen has spiced things up a bit with the addition of a GT variant, offering tighter handling and a sporty and more powerful V6 powerplant.
To spice things up a bit, the GT inherited the R-Line’s more aggressive bumpers, and grille inserts, with red line accents GTI style and good-looking 19” Tornado-style wheels. The black-painted roof and side mirrors complete the look and fooled some onlookers into thinking they were looking at an upcoming Passat model.
Click here to continue to Page 2 – Inside the 2018 VW Passat GTI
