2015 Volkswagen Passat: OFFICIAL

The new 2015 Volkswagen Passat has been revealed as a more upmarket, better equipped, sleeker and lighter car. Debuts at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.

VW previewed the 2015 Passat back in May with a set of design sketches and the promise of a sleeker design, less weight and better economy with more room for passengers – and now it’s here.

The 2015 Volkswagen Passat is the eighth generation of a car that VW always hoped would wipe the floor with the Ford Mondeo and steal sales from the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, but which has never quite hit the sort of home run the VW Golf has.

But VW has tried hard with the 2015 Passat and delivered a car that looks Audi-slick and more upmarket, so perhaps the eight generation Passat will be the Passat to finally dominate the segment?

The new Passat is lower, wider and shorter (although not by much) than the outgoing model, based on the MQB platform, with a more rounded design, new nose, swept back headlights and a back end that owes something to the Phaeton.

Despite being a bit shorter, the new Passat manages to offer more interior room – and more headroom – with more boot space in the saloon and estate, and top-end models will get a configurable 12.3″ TFT screen in place of the traditional analogue instruments.

Engine options will be the 1.4 TSI with 123 bhp or 148 bhp, 1.8 TSI with 177 bhp, 2.0 TSI with 217 bhp or 276 bhp, 1.6 TDI with 118 bhp, 2.0 TDI with 148 bhp, 187 bhp or 237 bhp and a 1.4 TSI Hybrid with 208 bhp, with fuel consumption across the range cut by up to 20 per cent.

Debuting officially at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, the 2015 Passat will arrive in the UK in early 2015 at prices expected to start at a bit over £20k for the saloon (based on the German price of €25,875).