Designed in Germany and America, the new Passat was developed as a larger vehicle with additional services and handling characteristics with will perfectly match the tastes and lifestyle of most Americans. The 2012 Volkswagen Passat is the most affordable midsize sedan on the market. The diesel engine of the Passat TDI is expected to be quite economical for highway driving.
The all-new VW Passat offers three powertrain options. One of them is a responsive 2.5-liter gasoline engine. The second is a remarkably ecological 2.0-liter TDI clean diesel engine, and the third is a powerful 3.6 VR6 engine. The 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower, which is available for the first time ever in a Passat, will be combined with a standard five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
The quiet, four cylinder 2.0-liter TDI clean diesel engine with 140 horsepower option offers the power of a six-cylinder gasoline engine and the fuel economy of a hybrid car. The Passat TDI is expected to have very low fuel consumption when driving on the highway. Volkswagen TDI diesel engines with catalytic NOx storage converters are among the cleanest engines in the world, adhering to emission requirements of all 50 states.
The new Passat TDI comes with option of having Volkswagen's legendary 6-speed DSG transmission. The VR6 3.6-liter engine with an output of 280 horsepower offers power, luxury and ride comfort with European-type restrictions in fuel consumption resulting is 28 MPG in highway mileage. The new VR6 Passat uses a standard six-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission, which is considered the most efficient automatic transmission in the world.
This technologically advanced six-speed transmission with dual-clutch allows the driver to immediately switch gears without the need for a clutch pedal. The result is a clear, quick shift without the loss of power like a traditional manual transmission.