Volkswagen Passat

The Passat’s conservative looks are actually impressive. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

Late last year, Volkswagen Philippines gave motoring enthusiasts a thrill when it launched the award-winning Passat midsize sedan in the country.

The Passat is the  2015 European Car of the Year and has earned favorable reviews worldwide for passenger and cargo space and refined, quiet but still powerful engines, which explains why many car buffs, including us, were anticipating its arrival.

When Cebu Daily News finally got an invitation from Volkswagen Cebu to have the Highline variant of the Passat for a weekend, we naturally got excited, too.

And as expected, the eighth-generation Passat didn’t disappoint.

We first saw the Passat in the flesh during its launch in Cebu last October at the VW Cebu dealership along A. Soriano Avenue at the North Reclamation Area.

Although we heard a lot of good things about it, we really didn’t get to check it out thoroughly since the display unit was the lone unit available at the time.

Driving is fun and relaxing because of the well laid-out cockpit. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

This time, though, we finally got to experience the whole package and it was one we really enjoyed.

Targeted for executives and businessmen, the Passat sports a conservative design that doesn’t call attention to itself.

But it is actually this simple yet elegant design that is highlighted by lines from the front fascia to the sides and back that make the Passat stand out.  Its clean and  simple lines  get more impressive the longer you stare at it.

And a positive thing about a clean sheet metal design is that it will age well.

But don’t be fooled by the conservative design. This executive sedan actually has some attitude.

The Passat offers impressive performance with German-tuned driving dynamics and a responsive and efficient 2.0 turbo fuel-injected gasoline engine generating 220

PS and 350 NM of torque and managed by a 6-speed dual-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission.

What does this translate to? 0-100 kilometer per hour (km/h) in 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 246 km/h.

When backing up, the rear Volkswagen logo automatically opens up to reveal the backup camera that aids drivers. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

And it’s not only this vehicle’s performance that  has afficionados dazzled.

Exterior details such as the LED headlights with U-shaped daytime running lights, nifty rear combination lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels and twin exhaust pipes give the yuppies a tickle, too.

And since it is an executive sedan after all, it has business-class features. These include adaptive chassis control, 12-way electric front seats, navigation system, backing-up camera, active info display gauges, panoramic sunroof and ErgoComfort leather seats, which includes a back massager for the driver seat (really helpful during traffic jams, which is like all the time, especially in Mandaue City roads).

With performance, comfort and elegance, it’s no wonder a whole slew were excited with the arrival of the Passat. Come to think of it, we would also still be thrilled to do another weekend review of this gorgeous car.

Volkswagen Passat (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)