Volkswagen Passat and Tiguan get PETROL engines as VW runs away from diesels

The Volkswagen Passat saloon and estate is now available with petrol engines – and the Tiguan with extra petrol options – as VW distances itself from the dieselgate scandal.

The dieselgate scandal – where VW used defeat devices to scam emissions regulations – has seen Volkswagen trying to get stuck in to electrification for their cars – hybrid, plug-in hybrid and BEVs – but turning all their cars in to hybrids and BEVs is not something they can do overnight.

So after a couple of decades in the wilderness – as VW promoted their ‘Clean’ diesels, especially in Europe – petrol engines are making a big comeback, with VW now rolling out petrol engine options for the Passat, saloon and estate, and new petrol options for the Tiguan SUV.

The Passat is now available with a choice of four petrol engines, from the 1.4 litre TSI 125PS through to the 2.0 litre TSI 220PS, and including the 150PS 1.4 litre with cylinder deactivation (ACT).

Not only that, but the 1.4 TSI with ACT comes with a BIK rate of 22 per cent, which means your average 40 per cent taxpayer will pay £1k less in BIK over a three year period than on the 2.0 TDI Passat. You can also have your Passat in R-Line trim with even the entry-level 1.4 petrol.

To add to those benefits – and the fact you’re not driving a diesel – the petrol engine specs match the diesel engines specs model for model, and they cost £1,900 less than their diesel equivalents.

Volkswagen has been a bit less keen to add extra petrol engines to the Tiguan – which does already have the 2.0 litre TSI as an option – but you can now have a Tiguan with the 125PS 1.4 litre in SE and SE Nav trim with 2WD, or the 150PS version in the SE Nav, SEL and R-Line with 2WD or 4WD and six-speed manual or DSG.

Wes Withey, VW’s UK Product Marketing Manager, said:

Adding petrol engine options to our popular Passat family, in particular, is a great step forward.

Powerful, refined and frugal – these new petrol units make the Passat more accessible in terms of price, as well as further broadening the cars’ already extensive appeal.

Not a comment you’d have heard from VW about petrol engines just three years ago.