The New Volkswagen Passat is Only Available As a Wagon

The VW Passat remained one of VW’s most important over that half century, despite the brand discounting the sedan in the U.S. for 2022, before axing it in Europe back in March. Now though, Volkswagen is ready to show off an all-new Passat ahead of the 2023 Munich Auto Show, which exclusively carries a longroof design.

The all-new Passat wagon, which VW is calling the Passat Variant, is based on an updated variant of the MQB platform. The same platform underpins models like the Golf, Tiguan, and Audi A3. Due to the flexibility brought on by these underpinnings, VW has gone ahead and installed seven different powertrain options to choose from. These include two mild hybrid (eTSI) powertrains, two plug-in hybrid setups, three turbo diesels, and a pair of turbocharged gas engines. The brand’s dual-clutch gearbox comes as standard equipment across the powertrain variants, with the most powerful gas and TDI motors receiving 4-Motion permanent all-wheel drive. The most potent variant of the Passat Variant will be a plug-in model, which provides up to 268 hp. Thanks to a 19.7 kWh pack, the wagon should be able to do 60 miles on full electric mode on the WLTP cycle.

The Passat Variant is larger than the outgoing longroof, gaining five inches in length. In fact, the Passat’s 193.6 inch overall length puts it right in line with the BMW X5, which measures in at 194.3 inches. Two extra inches of wheelbase also seek to give passengers more legroom. The Passat Variant then is in many ways an SUV without its stilts, which only further highlights how weird the sedan market has gotten. Wagons remain a lot more popular in Europe than they are here in the States, but crossovers and SUVs are on the rise. Perhaps VW didn’t feel like a sedan variant of the Passat would retain the current customer base, even if the outgoing sedan was one of the most popular cars on the continent. That would also explain why we aren’t getting the Variant here, as sales figures would surely be dwarfed by the Taos, Tiguan and Atlas SUVs.