Also, with all the work VW's engineers have put into the new Passat it may prove to have taken giant leaps forward in dependability,
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| I can't help but recommend the Passat to those buyers who hold fastidious attention to detail high on their priority lists. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
and my guess is that the carmaker has jumped through hoops to make sure that its various study results improve dramatically. Therefore, it may not be a front runner for MNC fleet departments, but it arguably remains as the best in the midsize class, and better than many full-size "luxury" competitors, from a perceived quality point of view - you know, that touchy, feely part of a car's ambience that makes you willing to spend more in order to own one. And for this reason alone, I can't help but recommend it to those buyers who hold fastidious attention to detail high on their priority lists.
It's also a class leader when it comes to safety, besting many in its segment. It just recently earned a "Double Best Pick" designation for outstanding performance in front and side tests, as conducted by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). To achieve this rating it had to
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| The Passat's ride and handling compromise may be perfectly balanced, with minimal untoward harshness entering the passenger compartment. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
earn top marks in every individual measurement category, which include head protection injuries and overall structural design for both the side impact and frontal crash tests.
But wait, there's a lot more to the Passat that makes it stand out in what is otherwise a rather bland midsize sedan segment. Its ride and handling compromise may be perfectly balanced, with minimal untoward harshness entering the passenger compartment, yet enough steering feel and seat-of-the-pants excitement to make piloting one, especially the 3.6-litre variant that I'm concentrating on in this road test, a nonstop adrenaline rush - if any lack of maturity gets the better of your composure.
