Volkswagen Passat 2012 now in UAE, KSA, Oman and GCC

Volkswagen Middle East has launched the brand new Passat in the GCC region, now positioned to compete with the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry.

The newly-redesigned VW receives corporate frontal styling and a longer body with an extended wheelbase to appeal to Middle East consumers.

The Passat will be available in the Middle East with the 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine producing 170 hp and 240 Nm of torque, and will be coupled with a 6-speed automatic gearbox, which helps the Passat claim a 0-100 kph time of nine seconds.

The interior of the Passat will be quite familiar with VW customers, with smart chrome bezels, and tachometer and speedometer which are split by a digital multifunction display. A high-end chrome look is also applied to the air vents in the cockpit, and to the surrounds of the radio, navigation centre and climate control panels on the centre console.

Volkswagen will offer the vehicle in four trim levels – S, SE, SEL and SPORT variants.

Six airbags, Bluetooth system with voice command, multifunction steering wheel with audio and phone controls, cruise control, radio with MP3 and CD player, a 60/40 folding rear seat, armrests in the front and rear and electronic vehicle immobilisation come as standard in the ‘S’ variant.

However, the ‘SE’ comes with additional gizmos like a six-CD changer with MP3 player, leather multifunction steering wheel, rear a/c vents and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Leatherette seat covering, high-end ‘Fender’ sound system with additional subwoofers, mobile device media input with iPod and iPhone cable, powered driver’s seat, front fog and cornering lamps, keyless entry and pushbutton start, sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, and dual-zone climatronic air conditioning with air quality sensors come with the ‘SEL’ pack.

The ‘SPORT’ model adds a touch-screen navigation system with a 30GB hard disc, SD card reader and DVD drive, memory function for the driver’s seat and a powered front passenger seat. 18-alloys will be standard on this variant.

Safety features for the Passat include tyre pressure sensors, insulating glass and a special acoustic film integrated into the laminated safety glass on the windscreen. The vehicle will also sport active and safety features like ABS, ESP and driver and passenger head curtain and side thorax airbags.

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat is available at local dealerships in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the rest of the GCC. The pricing for the mid-spec ‘SE’ starts at Dhs 90,999 in the UAE, SAR 93,900 in Saudi Arabia and OMR 9,650 in Oman. Prices also start at KD 6,999 in Kuwait, QAR 90,999 in Qatar and BHD 8,990 in Bahrain.

Keep track of updates in the Volkswagen Passat buyer guide.