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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Discounted OSF tickets aid local nonprofits ... Police Reports ... Ashland police seek man alleged to have snapped upskirt photo ... Discounted OSF tickets aid local nonprofits ... Police Reports ... Ashland police seek man alleged to have snapped upskirt photo ... Silvio Calabi: Passat 1.8T Sport is satisfyingly rational Comment By Silvio Calabi More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Apr. 13, 2015 at 6:32 AM By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Apr. 13, 2015 at 6:32 AM » Social News No matter what we’re told about books and their covers, first impressions are important. It’s true whether we’re speed-dating, scanning a menu or getting behind the wheel of a new car. When I started up this 2015 VW Passat for the first time and saw “Range 630 miles” come up on the screen, I figured it for one of VW’s long-haul clean diesels, the cars we can drive till our bladders scream for mercy. The first few miles didn’t change that impression; there was enough torque and engine grumble to be diesely. To be sure, though, I hopped out and looked at the rear panel — where, instead of “TDI” for diesel, the badge said “TSI.” Under the hood, therefore, was a regular-gas-burning turbocharged Four of just 1.8 liters displacement — 110 cubic inches, the same as a big motorbike — rated for 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. The impressive range figure derived from the Passat’s 18.5-gallon fuel tank multiplied by the 34 mpg the car had averaged on its way to me. If this were in fact a TDI diesel, the range could have been more than 800 miles — that is, 18.5 gallons at somewhere in the mid-40s MPG. Furthermore, VW’s fuel efficiency estimates lean toward cautious; we’ve always been able to beat them, at least in decent weather. (We’re enjoying our traditional Easter Sunday snowstorm just now.) You may not care much about this since gas prices are low — for the moment — but less fuel burned also means less carbon pumped into the atmosphere. If, however, you have to have more power, VW will stuff a 280HP V-6 into your Passat, along with a dual-clutch automated gearbox and all-wheel drive, but then you’ll net five to seven fewer miles per gallon of (premium) fuel. And, naturally, pay a few grand extra. Why use more when less will do? This VW motor is one of the reasons Europeans sometimes get snotty about our “big, lazy, inefficient” engines. Yes, Detroit is rapidly moving from V-8 to six and four and even (in one case) three cylinders, but American cars with engines this small tend to be econo-scooters. The Passat is anything but; it’s a comfortable, nearly luxurious four-door, American-family sedan the size of a Chevrolet Malibu or Toyota Camry. Our car’s two-tone gray/black interior with carbon-fiber trim looked and felt upscale, the back seats were especially comfortable—and easy to get into, thanks to large door openings — and the trunk was capacious. Passats come in 13 trim levels—four diesels and nine gas-powered — at prices from $22,000 to $36,000 plus options. Our 1.8T was a $28,655 Sport with a six-speed, dual-mode automatic transmission with paddle shifters and an electronically locking front differential, as well as unique wheels and trim. (With a five-speed manual gearbox, the Sport costs $1,200 less.) Although it had no sunroof or push-button ignition, no satnav, auto-unlock or steering-wheel heater, and the seats were merely leatherette, it felt anything but lower-class. The over-the-road experience was even better: The Passat Sport’s controls are weighted just right for comfortable yet dynamic driving, and the refined suspension soaks up potholes and frost heaves with no banging, crashing or throwing the car off-line. The “little” 1.8T motor feels strong for its size, capable of enough torque steer and turbo lag to entertain the driver without being bothersome, and the transmission responds crisply. The Passat is built in Tennessee — and the engine in Mexico, while the transmission hails from Japan — but it’s a German sedan, with all the benefits that come with a car engineered and designed in a country where there are still highways with no speed limits. We’ve been conditioned by the other Germans — you know, M-B, BMW, Audi, Porsche — to accept daunting complexity and awful prices in exchange for speed and luxury, but the Passat scoops them all with real-world performance at real-world prices. You may lust after another German, but think of this one as a satisfyingly rational alternative. Likes - Quality feel and look - Confident FWD handling - Space and comfort - Efficiency Dislikes - I got nothing ... Silvio Calabi reviews the latest from Detroit, Munich, Yokohama, Gothenburg, Crewe, Seoul and wherever else interesting cars are born. Silvio is a member of the International Motor Press Association whose automotive reviews date back to the Reagan administration. He is the former publisher of Speedway Illustrated magazine and an author. Contact him at calabi.silvio @gmail.com. By Silvio Calabi More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Posted Apr. 13, 2015 at 6:32 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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