Other than the news about the Mazda6's power bump, the new Nissan Altima's AWD option, and limited-production Lincoln Continental's suicide doors, most news about sedans is a bit depressing. But sedans still sell very well, despite some sales volume decline over the past couple of years. VW is hoping the decrease will level off, and they just tweeted the fancy wheel of the next-gen Passat. It might be a small glimpse, but it's a
Fact: In 2018, over 4.25 million sedans were sold in the U.S. Stay tuned. #NAIAS #NAIAS2019 #DetroitAutoShow pic.twitter.com/BquudwPhCD
— Volkswagen USA (@VW) January 9, 2019
Don't expect these fancy 19" wheels to show up on the base model. In fact, they'll likely be on the R Performance trim level with its low-profile summer tires. We do know that the new Passat may look very much like the Chinese market version show in the photos below. The Passat in China looks refreshed and not wholly different from the last model. Ours might look more like a big Jetta that got totally redesigned for the 2019 model year.
Get a Great Deal on the Volkswagen Passat
Word on the street is that the new Passat won't just get new
The Passat will continue to use the same four-cylinder engine from the old car, but torque will jump from 184 to 207 lb-ft, and the change will be noticeable off the line. The car's 174 horsepower isn't something to write home about, but if the car's driving dynamics are the same or better, it should still be pretty fun to helm. Good thing the Passat still has good sales numbers, still beating out contenders like the Mazda6.
Unlike Ford and GM, Volkswagen is thankfully not killing off any sedans (the CC will be replaced by the stunning Arteon). Both American brands are looking hard at the future of sedans and have decided that it's
We're happy VW decided to redo it since it's been a bit long in the tooth compared to newer offerings like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. We'll get more information and photos to you when the 2020 Passat bows at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show next week.