The Passat sedan, as most people know it, has met its end, but the Passat Pro continues its legacy in China. While the latest iteration of this practical family car is absent from the American market, a wagon version is available in Europe. In China, Volkswagen is introducing a traditional saloon in partnership with SAIC, which will be sold alongside the Magotan, a sedan of similar size offered through the FAW-VW joint venture. Indeed, sedans remain a significant market there.
The three-box Passat differs from its global counterpart, not only due to its extended roof and more functional rear hatch. Upon entering, one will notice that VW has included a dedicated display for the front passenger. Such triple-screen setups are common in premium brands like Porsche and Audi within the VW Group, and now they are filtering down to the core mainstream brand, a trend we're not particularly excited about. This additional 11.6-inch display is smaller than the 15-inch infotainment screen but larger than the 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Passat Pro is part of a growing list of new cars that have nearly eliminated physical buttons, relying instead on a large touchscreen protruding from the dashboard. If smartphones are distracting, how can this tablet be any different? That extra screen certainly doesn’t alleviate the issue.
Built on the same MQB platform as the European wagon-only model, the Passat Pro is larger, measuring 197.1 inches in length, 72.8 inches in width, and 58.6 inches in height, with a generous 113-inch wheelbase. It is 3.5 inches longer overall and 1.2 inches longer between the axles compared to the Magotan, which shares the same wheelbase but is slightly shorter overall. Incidentally, the other large sedan VW sells in China also features a passenger display, introduced with the new generation earlier this year.
SAIC-VW plans to sell the Passat Pro with a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine producing 217 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A less powerful 1.5-liter engine with 158 hp and 184 lb-ft is also in the works. The older Passat will not be phased out immediately, as SAIC-VW intends to sell both generations concurrently for an unspecified period. Volkswagen offers several other sedans in China, where crossovers and SUVs have not yet completely dominated the market: Lamando L, Phideon, CC, Sagitar, Bora, and Lavida.
After its debut at the 2024 Chengdu Motor Show, the VW Passat Pro is set to go on sale in China by the end of the year.
