The D-segment market in Malaysia is usually dominated by the Japanese brands, and many newcomers struggle to compete in this segment. This is because past buyers of these vehicles tend to be more advanced in age, and they rather choose something that they are more familiar with. As time goes by, more and more younger generations have the ability to access this market, and the cars are slowly evolving to look even sportier than before.
One of the D-segment sedans that manages to attract younger buyers is the Volkswagen Passat, where it manages to combine the comfort of a D-segment sedan with the performance and handling of a Golf. In Malaysia, the Passat is available in 2 variants, the Passat Elegance and Passat R-Line. This time round, I’ll be checking out the more sporty and powerful Passat R-Line and see how it stacks up against the other D-segment competitors. 
From the outside, the Volkswagen Passat is an elegant looking sedan that is common among its competitors. With the R-Line treatment, it made the Passat look sportier with its own identity. At the front, the Passat R-Line comes with a more aggressive looking front bumper with black color accents to highlight the lines around the bumper. The Passat R-Line also adds on the R-line badges on the front grille and the side sill extension for an added touch of sportiness. 
While at the rear, the rear bumper also receives the R-Line treatment that features fake exhaust tips to hint that this is not your regular Passat. With all this talk about sportiness, Volkswagen also fitted the Passat R-Line with a set of larger 19″ Verona rims wrapped in 235/40 R19 tyres to further bring out the sporty characteristic of the Passat R-Line. 
Stepping on board, the main color scheme on the Passat R-Line has been toned down a notch to make the interior look and feel sporty. To enhance this characteristic, the brushed aluminum trim has been swapped out for a dark diamond flag decorative trim around the cabin. Apart from that, the Passat R-Line also comes with R-line specific steering wheel and aluminum pedals that contributes to the sporty feeling on the interior. 
At the center of the dashboard, the Passat uses the 9.2-inch Discover Pro infotainment screen for settings and entertainment purposes. Within the infotainment system, it features connectivity functions such as Android Auto and Apple Carplay with wireless connectivity feature. On top of that, this infotainment screen also comes with gesture control for a unique user experience. Apart from the infotainment screen, the driver also gets a digital instrument cluster that was featured on a wide variety of Volkswagen models.
Unique to the Passat R-Line is the Harmon Kardon Premium sound system, which uses 12 speakers to provide a maximum output of 700W for an absolute in-car entertainment experience. For daily drives, having a premium sound system will definitely elevate your driving experience. Apart from that, the Passat R-Line also gets a triple zone climate control, where the rear passengers get their own climate zone that is not available in the Passat Elegance. 
In terms of comfort, the driver gets a 14-way adjustable sports seat that was only available in the Passat R-Line which is decently comfortable and supportive. For added luxuriousness, the seats are wrapped in soft and plush Nappa leather that is smooth to the touch. While at the rear, I do seat comfortably behind my own seating position with plenty of headroom and legroom to spare. The rear seats also have the ability to be folded down if the owner needs more than the 586L of boot space that the Passat provides. For added privacy and shading, both rear windows and windscreen do come with retractable shades to block out the sun or unwanted gaze. 
Under the hood, the same EA888 engine and transmission on the Tiguan R-Line is made available on the Passat R-Line. This is a 2.0L turbocharged engine mated to a 6-speed DSG. The difference here is that the Passat R-Line loses the 4motion system that was available on the Tiguan R-Line. This engine has the ability to produce 220 PS at 4,500-6,200 rpm, and a peak torque of 350Nm at 1,500-4,400 rpm. 
With lesser load from the drive train, the engine on the Passat R-Line does feel lighter on its foot under hard acceleration. For daily driving, the Passat R-Line has no problem in keeping up with the traffic. Knowing that there is plenty of performance available on tap, it does give the driver the confidence to execute an overtake on small roads without much hesitation. Apart from feeling eager, the engine in Passat R-Line is also slightly more fuel efficient thanks to the lack of all-wheel-drive system. Regarding the transmission, expect a snappy and smooth gear change from a Volkswagen dual clutch transmission.
As for the ride, the Passat R-Line does come with a very well tuned suspension system. The suspension on the Passat R-Line does absorb most of the road imperfection without even breaking a sweat. Occasionally, some form of juddering from the road imperfection still manages to make its way into the cabin, but this is a compromise that Volkswagen engineers have to make in order to ensure the Passat R-Line has a good body control on twisty roads. Paired with a rather precise steering wheel, it does a great job in hiding the size of the Passat and making it handles like a Golf. On top of that, the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) will ensure that the car is stable while in the corners.
To slow the car down, the Passat R-Line uses a 4 wheel disc brakes system that has plenty of braking performance to provide the necessary stopping power. Even though the Passat R-Line is fitted with a whole host of standard safety features, the driver assistance features are still lacking on the Passat R-Line. Currently, the systems that are available on the Passat R-Line include 6 airbags, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA), and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Electronic Differential Lock (XDS), and Hill Hold Control. As for the advanced safety system, there is only the Side Assist with Rear Traffic Alert and Driver Alert System (Rest Assist) available.
At a price of RM 212,938.88, I would consider the Passat R-Line over the other D-segment sedans. This is due to the fact that Passat R-Line is not only a good vehicle in carrying out your daily chores, but also a very capable vehicle in tackling the weekend drive activities. Of course, there are other D-segment vehicles that are more comfortable and come with better safety systems, but the Passat R-Line is in a league of its own when considering the performance that it provides.
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