Volkswagen gives Passat 2019 a face lift, luxury sedan revealed in Europe

VW debuted the Travel Assist feature in the Passat, which makes driving the car partially automated at cruising speeds. It allows level 2 autonomy for speeds up to 210 kmph. It works together with adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist, making long hauls a little less tiring. The 2019 Passat will be the first VW to feature a capacitive steering wheel, which detects tactile inputs from the driver. Failure to maintain contact with the steering wheel for more than 10 seconds at a stretch triggers a series of alerts and if there is no response, the Passat's Emergency Brake Assist will take over and bring the car to a halt.

IQ Drive

VW has armed the Passat with a bunch of features clubbed under the moniker "IQ Drive". This includes lane change assist, lane keeping assist, emergency steering assist, park assist and trailer manoeuvring assist. It features LED matrix headlights and multi-function LED clusters for DRLs.

Cabin Amenities

To make the Passat more intelligent, VW has introduced the MIB3 system, which allows the car to be connected to a network of services without a paired smartphone. The highlight of this feature is a "digital butler" AI system that can be accessed simply by saying "Hello Volkswagen". This allows the driver to operate navigation, the phone and radio via voice commands. The car has an updated 11.7-inch instrument cluster, which offers a wide array of information at a glance.

Digital car keys

Forgetting car keys at home and having to rush back or make frantic calls is passé. With the "We Connect" interface and app, a driver can convert their smartphones into keys and can use it to unlock and start the car. The "mobile key" can be sent to family and friends, making it easier for them to access the car as well. This potentially eliminates the need for a physical key and diminishes the chances of having to suffer because of a lost or forgotten key.

Improved engine

VW upgraded the Passat's engine with the GTE PHEV variant, with an all-electric range of 55 km. The GTE electric motor, along with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, pumps out a combined power output of 218PS. Apart from that, there is a host of engine options including a 1.6-litre unit, a 2.0-litre unit and a new 2.0-litre TDI Evo unit. The TSI petrol units on offer include a 1.5-litre engine and a 2.0-litre engine in two states of tune.