Trades sex appeal for sense appeal, but does it move the innovation meter?

SEXY isn’t a COTY criteria, which is probably a good thing for the Volkswagen Passat.

As with previous Passat iterations, this newly minted mid-sizer is all about clean-cut visual neatness, yet it rollicked all over the five COTY criteria.

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It stormed into the second round with the frugality and verve of its four-cylinder engines, all the while impressing with a cabin that generates a premium ambience well beyond the car’s $35K starting price.

But value was a two-part story with the Passat. In its most affordable form, the 132TSI, those elegantly executed Teutonic finishes and its exemplary attention to detail allow it to soar above rivals.

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Yet in the $50K-plus Highline with R-Line sporties thrown in, the only-partial electric seat adjustment and lack of features such as digital radio are suddenly more apparent. Cheap sound from the audio system is also a rare letdown.

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From the driver’s seat, Passat’s understated demeanour transforms into a tantalising handler. Refinement is top notch, too, especially in the 132TSI, which uses its 1.8-litre turbo to good effect. Modest 132kW/250Nm outputs are helped by a slick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch ’box. The diesel isn’t as adept, with some top-end breathlessness.

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One key to its talent is impressive weight saving, a result of increased use of aluminium. From 1450kg, it’s one of the lighter medium cars on the market – which that helps agility, performance and fuel economy.

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Yet it was the lack of genuine innovation – Passat is more about refining a proven formula – that saw its COTY run end in the second round. That and the fact the Passat was up against a stellar field, and one with a diversity and breadth COTY has never experienced before.