Corporate styling – take a look at the current Volkswagen offerings in Malaysia, and you will be able to immediately identify them as VW makes. While the models across the range might look similar in some ways, all of them feel different when driven. I was able to compare this in finer detail earlier this week during the Volkswagen Media Drive; up from Glenmarie to Penang, the media folks had the opportunity to sample the three new models being launched – the Passat, Cross Touran, and Jetta.
All three are CBU from Germany, and are already priced fairly competitively against the local Japanese/Korean offerings. To quickly re-cap, the prices for all three were RM185k for the Passat, RM167k for the Cross Touran, and RM150k for the Jetta. It will surely be very interesting when VW finally unveils the CKD models; after all, it is surely a good thing for consumers in Malaysia to have more choices.
In the meantime – how does the three new models stack up against each other. All three cater to different groups and lifestyles, but power figures are similar; 160PS for the Passat and Jetta, 140PS for the Cross Touran. Torque outputs are also similarly close – 250Nm, 240Nm, and 220Nm respectively. How different are they to drive? Read on…
Passat 1.8 TSI
18, 28, 8 – those were the cars numbered to my name. As it turned out, Passat, Cross Touran, and Jetta respectively. As I mentioned earlier, the Passat has all the signature VW corporate styling – the front and rear lamps, grille, and DRL LEDs. Interior build quality was good – soft touch plastics everywhere. The general layout in here was typical Volkswagen; intuitive, and easy to figure out. There are some premium touches like the RCD510 touch-screen audio system, and the parking button that replaces a conventional hand-brake, and feel-good leather that wrapped the large steering wheel. However, I felt that there were some detailing that would have been better if left out, like the aluminum trim in some areas fascia that turned out to be plastic. Another quirky discovery was the semi-automatic controls for the driver’s seat – you tilt front and back electronically, but moving the seats forward and backwards was the conventional ‘pull the lever’ method. The passenger seat on the other hand is completely manual.
The media folks were divided into two teams – lifestyle, and motoring. As the lifestyle folks went on the highways, we (motoring folks) broke off from the pack and headed for some twisty kampung roads. Spirited drivers (yours truly) will not appreciate the Passat properly. When I floored the throttle, I did not get the sort of acceleration I expected. Maximum torque is on tap between 1500-4200rpm, but maximum power only arrives from 5000-6200rpm. Couple that with its 2-tonne weight, the Passat does not possess outright pace, or sharp handling. Instead, I would categorize it as a very accomplished cruiser. During our drive, we were able to hit the claimed top speed of 220km/h. What I was very impressed with was the ride quality in here. Suspension was set up for ultimate comfort, and I will remember the moment flew through a set of pot-holes and a bump in the road with only a ‘whoomph’. Road acne was ironed out without much fuss – better than both Camry and Accord. In fact, as I piled on the miles, I was so comfortable that I barely noticed the speeds I was cruising at.
Cross Touran 1.4 TSI
We headed to Ipoh for lunch, and I found out that the car that I would drive to Penang next would be the Cross Touran. Belly filled, I settled down into the car and noticed how bright it was – and for good reason; there was a huge panoramic sunroof over my head. Inside, I noticed that the cabin looked and felt less premium than the Passat (although the fabric was nowhere near as cheap as in my Civic). Only a short while was needed to acquaint myself with the Cross Touran; especially since the layout was closely related to other VWs across the range. Sliding the sunroof open a fraction with the wind deflector in place, I headed onto the highway, heading towards Penang.
It is interesting to note that whilst the Cross Touran has 20PS and 30Nm less and almost 100kgs more than the Passat, the sensation of acceleration was more acute in here. My rear would agree that 0-100 felt more brisk than what the official numbers suggest (9.8secs). This definitely is not a bad thing. As standard, this comes with the ‘Cross’ kit that includes 17-inch alloys, longer suspension springs, and 20mm more ground clearance. This actually helped with the handling characteristics of the Cross Touran, allowing me to take corners faster than I should – especially considering I was at the helm of a seven-seater MPV. Ride was slightly harsher than I expected, but this could also be due to the harder springs to accommodate the maximum 7-person headcount (there were only two persons in each car during the media drive). Another interesting ‘feature’ I discovered by accident was that the top speed rating (194km/h) was not very accurate; especially considering most people were able to hit speeds above 200km/h…
Jetta 1.4 TSI
Now comes the part that I was looking forward to the most – the Jetta. This time, I was lucky to drive 80% of the journey from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. Historically, the Jetta has always been ‘just’ a saloon version of the Golf. This time, it was no longer derived from the Golf and has been built from ground up. Only the award winning 1.4 TSI mill was shared. On the inside, it was again standard VW fare. Externally, it looked very different from the Golf with the rear having strong hints of the current Audi A4. The Jetta also boasts to have the longest wheelbase in its class, and this contributes to the spacious legroom, and massive boot-space (510-litres). If you’ve been complaining about the lack of space in the Mk6 Golf, this is VW’s solution for you! With the added length, it is also no surprise to find out that the Jetta also weighs just about 100kgs more than the Golf. The one disappointment I had was the lack of Xenons in the Jetta (although I suspect that this can and will be easily rectified with a ‘Light & Sound Package’; not yet offered by Volkswagen Malaysia).
Driving the Jetta, a few things become very apparent – it has less pace and doesn’t handle as well as the Golf. Again, this wasn’t unexpected – performance has been compromised for practicality. This doesn’t mean that the Jetta doesn’t drive well, because it does. In a straight-line, not many cars in its class, with higher displacement mind, can match it. And although it can get a little hairy in corners (turn in at speed and you have to be committed to follow through), the Jetta does still handle better than its Japanese and Korean rivals (at least based on the ones I’ve driven – Civic, Altis, Lancer, Forte). Slip into Sport mode, floor the pedal and acceleration feels faster than the claimed 8.3secs. At low speeds, Sport mode felt very jerky, and I decided to leave the Jetta in Drive. Cruising at high speeds on the highway was no issue; ride was stable, and perfectly civil. In moments when you needed to stop, the brakes performed well, having plenty of bite. Another interesting discovery; the Jetta accelerates faster than the Passat, but was unable to out-run it. Having driven (fairly hard) from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, I covered about 370km and used around 80% of fuel. These consumption figures are fairly impressive, and I would not be surprised if the Passat and Cross Tiguan returned similar results.
Three new models – what’s the verdict?
As mentioned earlier; all three are CBU units and have solid, German build quality. All three comes equipped with 7-speed DSG gearboxes. All three boasts impressive fuel economy (and are able to achieve 210km/h!), standard kit, and a slew of safety features (Passat, Jetta, Cross Touran all have a Euro NCAP 5-star rating). All said, it is clear that the target markets for each of the three new models cater to different needs and wants. One key factor is their pricing: at a RM15,000 – RM20,000 premium of their Asian rivals, this presents consumers with one more choice to make choosing that much harder.
Drumroll, please!
Special thanks to the people who made this possible for me. Tom and Zerotohundred are of course top on the list for allowing me the opportunity, Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) for hosting such a brilliant event, and for having us there, YS, Ivan, Ian, and Iona Khong for their hospitality, and of course to the rest of the media folks (oh, you know who you are!) who made this a very awesome first time for me.
Statistics:
Passat 1.8 TSI
• Zerotohundred: 8.5sec
• Top Speed: 220km/h (tested)
• Engine: 1.8L turbocharged 4-cylinder, direct injection
• Power: 160PS / 5000 - 6200rpm
• Torque: 250Nm / 1500 - 4200 rpm
• Weight: 1517kg (kerb weight)
• Fuel Economy: 7.0L / 100km (combined)
• Wheels: 7.5J x 17
• Tyres: 235/45 R17
• Price: RM184,888
Cross Touran 1.4 TSI
• Zerotohundred: 9.8secs
• Top Speed: 210km/h (tested)
• Engine: 1.4L twincharged 4-cylinder, direct injection
• Power: 140PS / 5800 rpm
• Torque: 220Nm / 1250 - 4500 rpm
• Weight: 1587kg (kerb weight)
• Fuel Economy: 7.1L / 100km (combined)
• Wheels: 6.5J x 17 front, 8J x 17 rear
• Tyres: 215/50 R17, 235/45 R17
• Price: RM166,888
Jetta 1.4 TSI
• Zerotohundred: 8.3secs
• Top Speed: 218km/h (tested)
• Engine: 1.4L twincharged 4-cylinder, direct injection
• Power: 160PS / 5800 rpm
• Torque: 220Nm / 1500 - 4500 rpm
• Weight: 1417kg (kerb weight)
• Fuel Economy: 6.0L / 100km (combined)
• Wheels: 6.5J x 16
• Tyres: 205/55 R16
• Price: RM149,888
Interior of the Passat TSI; key fob inserted as whole and depressed to start the engine
DRL LEDs on the Passat
Three new VW models being tested on the roads
Not bad for a 7-seater MPV
17-in Minnesota's on the Passat
From here, the Jetta looks very much like an Audi A4
Passats, all lined up in a row
Cross Touran having a coffee break
Passat & Jetta
Cross Touran
VW Management during the press conference
Can you tell the difference between the two pictures above? Top Jetta, bottom Passat
Only the Cross Touran (in pic) and Passat has this lever to open the boot; the Jetta is opened the conventional method
Jetta with two small sized luggage bags
Jetta with five small sized luggage bags
Jetta - lack of Xenons in these headlamps
Jetta's brakes are actually quite huge and fills up the gaps
Engine bay in the Jetta is clean...
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