New Passat 206TSI R-Line

[Delewin]

Now for the negatives
1. Most significantly my wife preferred the Tiguan. We have been driving SUVS for the past 14 years.

2. Errrr... oh I know. Refer to point 1.

Putting wife's comment aside. I am very impressed with the quality of finish and performance. Very big smile.

I can only congratulate the owners of their 206s and wish them a long safe and trouble free motoring experience.

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[Janko]

I can only congratulate the owners of their 206s and wish them a long safe and trouble free motoring experience.

Did you test drive the 132 Comfortline?The 206 has an adaptive suspension,AWD and a bigger engine other than these 3 features the rest is all same for 132 and they are about 10k cheaper.

It is worth exploring if the area view is really useful.If yes then Tiguan may be a better choice.The only issue I see with Tiguan 132 is lack of LED headlights.I am in love with LED headlights on my Passat.It makes a huge difference to the visually challenged like myself.

[chopper]

Now for the negatives
1. Most significantly my wife preferred the Tiguan. We have been driving SUVS for the past 14 years.

2. Errrr... oh I know. Refer to point 1.

Putting wife's comment aside. I am very impressed with the quality of finish and performance. Very big smile.

I can only congratulate the owners of their 206s and wish them a long safe and trouble free motoring experience.

Just buy both. Problem solved. You're welcome!

Did you test drive the 132 Comfortline?The 206 has an adaptive suspension,AWD and a bigger engine other than these 3 features the rest is all same for 132 and they are about 10k cheaper.

It is worth exploring if the area view is really useful.If yes then Tiguan may be a better choice.The only issue I see with Tiguan 132 is lack of LED headlights.I am in love with LED headlights on my Passat.It makes a huge difference to the visually challenged like myself.

It's a bit more complicated than that... for example, the 19" wheels you used to get with the R-Line package are now exclusive to the 206TSI. The interior is more like a luxury pack Highline than the Comfortline (including alarm, safe-lock etc.). All in all, I'd say it's $10,000 well spent to upgrade to the 206TSI. That's without mentioning the Comfortline driver will be passing 70km/hr (and looking at my sweet, sweet premium LED tail lights - also not included on the Comfortline) when I'm at the highway speed limit...

Also, I wouldn't get wrapped up around the axles with area-view. Honestly, you'll use it once or twice (I still haven't used the self-park on our 206TSI (yes... it's fitted as standard) then just use the regular rear view camera. We have it on another of our cars... it gets VERY little use! It's cool if you've got it... not a disaster if you don't (IMHO!).

[Delewin]

Hi Janko,

I did get to drive both the Tiguan 140TDi highline with R-line option as well as the 132TSI with DAP installed. The leather seats of the Tiguan highline are not a well fitting as the Passat. They are flatter and wider. I dended to slide around when pushing the Tiguan but did not budge in the 206 Passat.

I did not get much of a chance to "play around with the adaptive suspension in both the Passat and the 140 TDI Tiguan. I can say that I was going to order the Tiguan 162 with both DAP & R-line options but now I will be saving myself $4,000 and not getting the R-line option.

In day to day traffic, I could not tell there was much difference in the std suspension of the 132TSI (17" rims) and the 140 TDI Rline (20" rims). I appreciate that when really pushed the sports setting would assist considerably on a track day, but I am a bit past that and I am not buying the Tiguan to race it. If I was that way inclined I would get a Golf R, etc.

I areally like the Area View that comes with the DAP option in the Tiguan, but the 206 4 wheel drive Passat wagon is such a beautiful "sleeper" I loved it. I have owned a small number of very powerful sleepers in the past. (If you have 10+ hrs free I could talk abit about them. Ha. Ha.)

I actually did not get much of an oportunity to test out the Area view but I could see my hans when I stuck it out the driver's window. The Passat has "near side" mirror park position. Basically if it knows you are reversing into a parking position, it will reposition the near side mirror to look down towards the gutter thereby helping you see where you are heading and how much clearance you have. There is also the rear wide angle camers.


I agree with you regarding LED headlights. I would consider the 132TSI with DAP pack if it came with the adaptive LED headlights, but alass it does not. So Highline it must be. (I justify the difference in cost by having an 30 KW extra output, 18" rims vs 17, the adaptive LED headlights plus a few extra bits and pieces.) At this stage I think I will be placing my order for the 162TSI with DAP only. No sunroof no R line. That way I can put a tow bar on if needed later.

Regards,
David

[Delewin]

Ha Ha Chopper.

No can do. My wife tells me I only have one garage with space for one car. She would not tolerate me having a brand new car stuck out on the roadside every day.

So even with such a generous genleman like yourself who would willingly stump up for the 206 TSI on my behalf, I would have to very reluctantly pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity.

But thank you again chopper your great suggestion will be remembered for a long time to come.

Best wishes,
David

[chopper]

Ha Ha Chopper.

No can do. My wife tells me I only have one garage with space for one car. She would not tolerate me having a brand new car stuck out on the roadside every day.

So even with such a generous genleman like yourself who would willingly stump up for the 206 TSI on my behalf, I would have to very reluctantly pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity.

But thank you again chopper your great suggestion will be remembered for a long time to come.

Best wishes,
David

Sell house. Buy another. Two garage spots. Problem solved. You're welcome... again!

[Delewin]

Too complicated. Maybe sell wife only need one car. Problem solved. Hmm... maybe not. Still have problem. Now got angry wife as she saw this thread.

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[snala]

Hi everyone. I'm from NZ and have had one of these for a while so might add some value to the new guys here that have just got theirs. Sorry it is quite long but.....
Done 11,000kms in mine and came from an Octavia VRS as wanted to back to AWD and petrol and we only get the TDI AWD Octavia VRS wagons here with DSG which I didn't want.
So far, once I got over the fuel consumption coming back to petrol which actually isn't bad probably for a 280BHP car. I'm getting 9L per 100kms average. Other thing here is fuel tank is quoted at 66L, it is not, it is at least 70L and a range of over 750kms touring which I've done more than once on ski trips.
Driving modes are good, ECO is weird with free wheeling and takes a bit of getting used to but combined with adaptive cruise is probably bearable it although I think it makes not much difference to economy and you are always on the brakes when in town as no engine braking. Comfort setting is great for the crap roads we have over here around town when not going quick. Mostly use normal as its the best compromise but if on a really windy road will go to Sport as it makes the car handle a bit quicker and flatter as this is still a biggish car compared to the VRS and you do notice it although ride quality is better everywhere as are NVH levels. Sport also makes the exhaust sound better when changing gears up and down which is the reason for the flaps on the outer two exhaust pipes, yes this has 4 like a Golf R does.
LEDs are excellent colour wise for long night journeys and very bright especially when straight back at you on reflective signs but possibly don't have quite as far a range as Xenons but definitely more light as a wall otherwise. To adjust the LEDs height, you use a large Allen key turning anti clockwise on the Top (not side) white adjuster on each unit. Try turning 90 degs at a time and go for a drive to see then add more if necessary. VW stuffed doing mine twice so badly they hardly went 20m in front of the car on dipped! So I sorted myself as they are aimed too short set stranded compared to normal lights so I've spent a bit of time getting right.
Heated Seats are good and the memory function on those combined with the keys, radio/infotainment and mirrors is nice to have too.
Keyless entry and not having to ever touch the park brake when stopping or starting due to auto hold, which I thought was just over kill, is actually on an auto really useful too.

Other thing I'll answer is why this over 206 Superb for me. Love Skodas and happily would have bought Superb instead but:
Adaptive cruise controls in VW on steering wheel are much better to use than stalk in Skoda, you will use it a lot, esp in traffic jams because it is the ducks nuts let alone the car steering itself!
Steering wheel is nicer in VW IMO as well
Inner rooflining in Skoda is light brown, this is dark like VRS was which I prefer.
Seats on this go much lower, have more adjustments and are more comfortable, massaging function too.
This has a better dashboard,
Superb does not have the progressive steering which is a major difference after having it in VRS, I would not want to give this up.
VW's LEDs lights are better overall than Xenons are.
Superb is bigger but i didn't need it and I wonder if VW handles slightly better as a result as it felt like it to me?
VW was cheaper price overall as got an ex demo so price wasn't an issue, $5k NZD diff otherwise in favour of Skoda.
Skoda did have better Audio though(Canton with Sub), umbrellas, and the silly ambient lighting stripes over here but I didn't care.

It's quite quick too but very dependent on how much you push on the accelerator as the DSG is pretty orientated towards fuel economy. I've never had a car that is so reliant on accelerator position as to how if reacts gearbox wise if that makes sense. The DSG S setting is there as are the paddles too but once you know how the throttle position impacts the gears its just as easy to use D as performance isn't far off going feral in sport which just revs for Africa and is bit annoying. Another tip is to go back into Drive quickly from a manual selected gear you just pull back the gear selector or hold down the right paddle.

Hope this helps with some questions. Happy to answer anything as these are great cars.

[Janko]

Thanks Snala for a good writeup of your experience.Does the 206 have autodimming headlights?

[snala]

Thanks Snala for a good writeup of your experience.Does the 206 have autodimming headlights?

If you mean auto on/off due to light yes, but mine does not have the auto high beam assist i.e controls the high beam when it detects oncoming traffic etc.