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There are times where a car can go from one model year to the next with few, if any, noticeable changes. But, from time to time, car makers decide it is time to raise the bar. That is exactly what Volkswagen did in moving from the 2015 to the 2016 Passat. When taking a look at what is new with the new Passat, we found quite a bit worth sharing. The 2016 Passat offers new styling inside and out as well as a host of new connectivity and driver assistance features. more Let’s start with the exterior design. The 2016 Passat is far more aggressive than the 2015. It features a new hood, front fenders, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunklid and available LED headlights and taillights. Volkswagen’s head of design, Klaus Bischoff said the new design gives the car, “a dynamic presence and a more sophisticated look.” More specifically, slimmer headlights, a more substantial four-bar grille, and the muscular, domed hood all work together to give the Passat a wider, more planted stance from the front. There are some noticeable changes to the interior of the 2016 Passat as well, all with the intent of presenting a more sophisticated look and feel. The description from Volksagen USA tells us, “a new instrument panel features two large gauges and the center stack incorporates VW’s latest MIB II infotainment system.  The interior also features upgraded materials, a new steering wheel and column stalk design, two-tone décor panels, and refined chrome and piano black trim.  Heatable rear seats are a new available feature, along with Easy-Open keyless access that opens the trunk via moving a foot near the rear of the vehicle.” Technology upgrades are where the 2016 Passat truly raises the bar as it features Volkswagen’s second-generation “modular infotainment platform”, also known as MIB II. The system features touchscreens as standard equipment on all models. On most models, the display utilizes a capacitive touch sensor (similar to smartphone and tablet technology) enabling gesture controls like swiping and pinch-zooming rather than the resistive touchscreens that require pressure and have slightly longer response times.  Most MIB II units also feature a proximity sensor, which detects when a hand is nearby and automatically switches its display to allow easier selection of specific features. USB and Bluetooth® connectivity are standard on all 2016 Passat models. The MIB II system also serves as the foundation for the available Volkswagen Car-Net® system, one of the most comprehensive suites of connected vehicle services and features available in the automotive industry today. VW Car-Net includes App-Connect technology, featuring the three major smartphone integration platforms—Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto™ and MirrorLink®. This allows seamless integration with the vast majority of smartphones available today. Since Volkswagen has a reputation for putting safety at the forefront, the 2016 Passat has numerous features that help live up to that reputation. It features, the automatic post-collision braking system, which applies the brakes after a primary collision in anticipation of a secondary collision, since most accidents are rarely a single, instantaneous event. Also standard on all Passats is a rearview camera.  Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, blind spot monitor, rear traffic alert, lane assist, and park assist are available on most, but not all Passat models.

Every year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) releases their list of top safety picks. To qualify as a top safety pick, a vehicle must earn good ratings in five crashworthiness tests: small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints. It also needs a basic rating for front crash prevention. To qualify as a top safety pick plus, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention. Volkswagen routinely finds its vehicles represented on IIHS lists every year, and 2016 is no exception. The Passat, Jetta, GTI, and Golf all qualify as IIHS top safety picks plus for 2016. more The Volkswagen Golf and the Volkswagen GTI are top safety pick plus for the second straight year, and have been a top safety pick for seven straight years. The Golf and GTI both feature front and rear head curtain airbags as well as front seat-mounted torso airbags. They also have electronic stability control, antilock brakes, and daytime running lights. A new addition to this year's models is a rollover sensor that is designed to deploy the side curtain airbags in the event of an impending rollover. Here’s a look at the small overlap test for the GTI: This is the second straight year for the Volkswagen Jetta to get the nod as an IIHS top safety pick plus and the first year for the Volkswagen Passat. Much like the Golf and the GTI, both the Passat and Jetta have front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags. They also feature electronic stability control, antilock brakes, daytime running lights, and the rollover sensor that is designed to deploy the side curtain airbags in the event of an impending rollover. Below is video of the small overlap test for the Jetta and for the Passat: These Volkswagen models earned their rankings even as IIHS toughened their standards. According to an article on PR Newswire, “A number of previous winners are missing from the new lists, including many small and midsize cars. Last year, vehicles with an acceptable small overlap rating could qualify for either award if their other four crashworthiness ratings were good. An available front crash prevention system was required only for TOP SAFETY PICK+ and not TOP SAFETY PICK. More than 20 winners of the 2015 TOP SAFETY PICK award and four plus-award winners don't qualify under the 2016 criteria. The tougher criteria are intended to encourage manufacturers to continue to build safer vehicles, a focus that has helped to dramatically reduce crash deaths during the past two decades.”