Is the 1.6 TDI engine man enough for the Volkswagen Passat?

Hi guys,

Looking closely at a 2010 Volkswagen Passat, powered by the 1.6 diesel engine. It's the Highline model with great spec. My only concern is with the 1.6 engine: is it big enough for this car? Will I be dropping the gears to overtake etc?

Thanks

Mick

Michael Mulvey (Ashbourne)

Feb 2012 Filed under: performance

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Expert answer

Hi Mick,

The 1.6-litre TDI engine has 105hp, which doesn't sound like much, but it's the engine's torque that matters more in the real world, and this Passat has 250Nm from just 1,500rpm. It's more than enough for the Passat in most circumstances and as all the performance is low down in the rev range you don't really change down to overtake.

Saying all that, if you plan on towing or you drive with a full car regularly you'll appreciate the extra power of the 2.0 TDI engines, but most people will find the 1.6 perfectly acceptable.

Hope that helps.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D