Volkswagen Passat 2.0T FSI

Nobody likes a two-face, yet we applaud the FSI engine from the VAG group; the most two-faced engine there is. One moment it is a storming Golf GTI engine, with a sensational sprint time to 100kph, then a muted and refined cruiser once allied to the new
Passat.

But as Abraham Lincoln said, 'If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?'

Rolling from the production line, each FSI engine must have pistons crossed: praying the bay awaiting is that of a GTI and not the dull Passat. But what those jumping for joy - in line for a GTI transplant - fail to realise, is that the others have a more laid-back life ahead of them.

There are still some quirky additions that try to make up for this: mainly the dash-mounted smartkey and electromechanical push-button parking brake. The latter takes some getting used to, and is not entirely everyone's cup of cocoa. The smart-key, again, will not exactly be winning a pool of awards.

Neither is very 'Volkswagen' but, needless to say, a stab in the right direction for this league of car.

As for the interior: the glove box is about big enough for a pair of mittens, but generous door pockets and a dotting of fascia compartments are ideal for mobile phone, paperwork and all the brica-brac most lug around day-to-day. Rear legroom is good too, and headroom fair, so you could just throw everything in the back. Or better still; lug all your sweets, gloves, phones, and passengers (plus shopping), in the shockingly deep 565-litre capacity boot.

Aside from great friends and their gubbins, the 1506kg Passat is also loaded to the roof-lining with eight airbags, active crash head restraints, electronic stability control, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning, traction control, ABS brakes, 17in alloy wheels, eight-speaker sound system with six-stack CD, a boot lid that rises at the press of a key fob, electrically heated mirrors which include turn indicators, six-way electric adjustment for the driver's seat and rain-sensing wipers!

Also, as expected in every VW these days, the FSI 2-litre turbo is at hand to donate 197bhp of power at 5100rpm, to the front wheels, along with 206lb ft of torque from as low down as 1800rpm. The Passat happens to be one second slower to 100kph, at 7.8 seconds, compared with its Mk5 GTI alter ego; 16kph slower in top speed too. But a second here, and 16kph there, is of little consequence when we are talking about a luxury European family sedan.

Even so, there is little evidence that it is a turbo - making lunch of those hasty kilometres, with no lag to talk of, pulling steadily from low rpm. It is a quiet cabin, no boomy noise, with a rewarding fuel economy for those that ache for such simplicities. Of course, that 'saved' juice can be thrown out of the rear when you near the top end of the rev range, if you feel the urge to plant the right pedal. The Passat is quite planted itself, in the turns too, surprisingly.

For all that talk of families, sedate persona and comfort, the middle age Volkswagen is not exactly shy of a corner or two. There is still old faithful 'understeer' waiting to catch you out on most of the bends, but what do you expect when the engine weight, in a front-wheeldrive car, is way ahead of the front axle line? All in all though, a jolly good show.

Specifications:
Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1984cc, 16v, turbo
Max power 197bhp @ 5100rpm
Max torque 206lb ft @ 1800-4700rpm
Top speed 235kph (claimed)
0-100kph 7.6sec (claimed)
Basic price $28,588

Pros: Great cruiser, with performance too
Cons: Mismatch interior, no paddle-shift