B8 Volkswagen Passat facelift – 2.0 TSI Elegance variant for Malaysia, order books now open

Earlier this week, the facelifted B8 Volkswagen Passat was sighted on a transporter, and now, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) has teased the car on its website, identifying that it will be known as an 2.0 TSI Elegance variant when it arrives. The presence of a registration of interest tab also likely means that the order book for it is now open.

The D-segment sedan gets some subtle exterior revisions in the update. At the front, there’s a new bumper with angular fog lamp sections, a reworked grille and slimmer headlamps. As shown by the recent spyshot set, the Malaysian-spec Passat will come equipped with IQ.Light LED matrix headlights and 18-inch “Liverpool” alloy wheels, wrapped with 235/45 series tyres.

At the back, changes include a new light signature for the LED tail lights, a revised bumper with faux trapezoidal-shaped exhausts and a new location for the model script, now located in the lower middle section of the boot lid, like on the Arteon .

 

The Passat will go on sale as a 2.0 TSI Elegance model – the 2.0 litre TSI should be the new lower-tuned version offering 190 PS and 320 Nm, and likely paired with a seven-speed wet-clutch DSG transmission. This takes over from the 220 PS and 350 Nm 2.0 TSI and six-speed wet DSG on the pre-facelift, and should effectively also replace the 1.8 litre TSI and its dry-clutch seven-speed DSG in the local line-up.

No photos of the interior as yet, but the changes inside are minimal – key new bits include a revised 11.7-inch Active Info Display with clearer graphics and adjusted functionality as well as a third-generation Modular Infotainment Matrix (MIB3) system. The only question is to which the local spec car will get, because there are three options available for the Passat, ranging from a 6.5-inch Composition Media with no navigation to a 9.2-inch Discover Pro system with full navigation.