Other updates are due next year for the 2016 Passat.
But the current diesel model remains popular — 42% of Passats sold in April were diesel. And it was a good month for Passat, so that's 42% of a strong number.
VW's usual "take" rate for the TDI — VW's name for the diesel — is about 23%, so VW either was giving away the diesel Passat last month, or people suddenly realized that diesels are a good way to boost mileage without the complexity of a gas-electric hybrid.
A heavily promoted bonus for buyers — a $1,000 card for diesel fuel — surely helped. Based on recent diesel prices and the car's combined city/highway mileage rating for the car, the card is worth roughly 8,600 free miles.
Test Drive wanted to say farewell to the current Passat TDI with a reminder drive, hoping for more insight into why so many sold last month. And insights we got, though not all strictly related to the TDI powerplant:
Expect good but not stupendous mileage in the city. That's what hybrids are for. Diesels excel on longer runs.
We notched about 25 mpg in short-hop suburban schlepping; about 29 in longer suburban trips; and about 50 on the highway.
Auto editor Fred Meier reported an astonishing 53.1 mpg with a different but similarly outfitted Passat TDI in 1,579 mostly highway miles from the East Coast over the mountains to the Midwest and back and driven, shall we say, not always gently.
That tester was similar to VW's record-setting Passat that got 77.99 mpg in 8,122 miles through the Lower 48 states. The record-setter, though, had special tires and was driven strictly for mileage, without much regard for speed, convenience or comfort.
The 53.1 was in the real world: 800 pounds of people and cargo, AC on, keeping up with, or passing, the Joneses on the turnpike.
Don't expect gee-w! hiz electronics. For example, the backup camera has a dimmer image than some rivals, making it harder to use in low light. And phone pairing was non-pairing with our too-hip Windows phone. IPhone had better luck, maybe you will, too.
Be delighted by the very roomy back seat. Look for opportunities to carry passengers back there. Remarkable.
Renew your understanding of "elegant," an oft-misused word meaning high-class simplicity. Passat's interior is laudable for the elegance of its straightforward dash, gauges, upholstery and trim. The exterior is likewise applause-worthy for not trying too hard in pursuit of "styling."
Reacquaint yourself with comfort. Passat's seats are close to the Goldilocks Baby Bear standard: just right. Firm, supportive but not back-breakers, as in some Europeans. Great for road trips.
Be reminded how pleasant it is to pilot an engaging car. No-drama corners. Treat-filled steering and stopping.
We found the ride could turn a bit choppy on wrinkled asphalt, which sounds like a "duh," but other test vehicles have handled that area more gracefully.
What about that new EA288 diesel due in a few months? VW says it's rated 150 horsepower, up 10 hp, with the same 236 pounds-feet of torque. And it says emissions-reducing changes also result in better throttle response. We'd vote for that. While the test car wasn't sluggish, especially once it picked up a bit of speed, it could have felt perkier.
Passat strikes us as a very good sedan, able to satisfy practical needs and driving enthusiast longings. Equip it with the TDI and it enjoys a "green" credential hard to find elsewhere.
But if we were writing the check, we'd wait to try the new engine, or perhaps even bide our time until the updated 2016 model next year, hoping it has friendlier electronics and a handful of other updates. Without losing its elegance, of course.
WHAT STOOD OUT
Highway mpg: 50 or more without trying.
Comfort: Lots of room, great seats.
! Driving feel: Nice mix of comfy, sporty.
ABOUT THE 2014 VW PASSAT
What? Midsize, front-drive, five-passenger, diesel-power sedan; VW calls its diesels TDI.
Where? Built at Chattanooga, Tenn.
How long? Current-design Passat on sale Since September 2011. New diesel engine's coming this summer and overall freshening of the car a year after that.
How much? Passat TDI SE, the lowest-price diesel, starts at $27,115, including $820 shipping, $2,350 more than most similar gasoline model. Top diesel model, TDI SEL Premium, starts at $33,815.
What makes it go? 2-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel rated 140 horsepower at 4,000 rpm, 236 pounds-feet of torque at 1,750 rpm. Six-speed manual standard, six-speed automatic optional.
How big? Within an inch of Honda Accord all around. Passat has 102 cubic feet of passenger space, 15.9 cu. ft. in the trunk. Weighs 3,393 lbs. (163 lbs. more than gasoline model).
Rated to carry 1,155 lbs. (manual) or 1,237 lbs. (automatic) of people, cargo, accessories.
How thirsty? Manual rated 31 mpg city, 43 highway, 35 combined. Automatic: 30/40/34. Burns low-sulfur diesel, holds 18.5 gal.
Manual test car registered 25.8 mpg (3.88 gallons per 100 miles) in mainly short suburban hops, 29.8 mpg (3.36 gal./100 mi.) in longer suburban trips.
Colleague driving similarly equipped 2012 model recently got 53.1 mpg (1.88 gal./100 mi.) in about 1,500 miles of mostly highway, 30.2 mpg (3.31 gal./100 mi.) in city/suburb mix.
Overall: A charmer, despite some annoyances.
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