VW’s economical new plug-in hybrid Passat GTE is available to order from today, with prices starting at £36,525. Saloon and estate versions will be available with both eligible for the Government’s £2,500 plug-in car grant.
As with the Golf GTE, VW’s latest plug-in hybrid is designed to offer the prospect of zero-emission motoring for up to 31 miles – thanks to the addition of an electric motor – along with strong performance, courtesy of a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine.
Claimed fuel consumption stands at 166mpg, while an official CO2 emissions figure of 39g/km means that the GTE models slot into the lowest seven percent benefit-in-kind band – this means a 20 percent taxpayer will pay less than £43 per month. With 218hp on tap from petrol and electric power, this plug-in model sprints from a standstill to 62mph in 7.6 seconds.
It should also be capable of covering more than 660 miles between refills, according to the manufacturer. Setting the GTE out from other Passats are unique C-shape LED daytime-running lights, along with a redesigned front bumper and 18-inch alloy wheels. Boot space, meanwhile, matches the standard Passat – despite the additional hybrid technology – with the saloon offering 402-968 litres and the estate 483-1,613 litres.
The Passat can be controlled by Volkswagen’s new Car-Net app, which lets drivers operate charging and climate control functions remotely, while allowing them to monitor remaining charge, recent driving data and the car’s last parking position.
Two trim levels will be available: GTE and GTE Advanced. The former includes all the same equipment as GT trim – including adaptive cruise control, emergency city braking, sat-nav, Bluetooth and parking sensors – and gains LED headlights, two charging cables and the Car-Net app. GTE Advanced, meanwhile, adds an eight-inch sat-nav system, nappa leather seats and uprated LED headlights.
As with the Golf GTE, the Passat can be put into electric, hybrid and battery charge modes, along with power-optimising GTE mode. The car can be charged via a standard UK plug in around four hours and 15 minutes, dropping to two hours 30 minutes when using a 3.6kW dedicated charging wallbox.
Most affordable is the GTE saloon at £36,525 with the estate carrying a £1,550 premium and GTE Advanced trim adding £3,655.
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