Volkswagen is reportedly putting an end to the Passat sedan when the current generation is at an end. The next Passat will come, but will probably only come on the market as a Variant.
The market for the traditional middle-class with-butt has been in decline for years. That made Volkswagen decide not to build a new Passat sedan anymore, reports Automotive News. This should not really come as a surprise for the European market, but also for the American market there would be no more Passat sedan. That while the traditional sedan is still quite popular there. In fact; The next Passat is reportedly discontinued in North America at all. Volkswagen is fully committed to SUVs for the American market.
In 2023, the next Passat should appear on the market here in Europe. Earlier it was announced that it will come, but that there was even doubt within Volkswagen for a long time whether there would be a sequel at all. Even though it seems that the Passat is only starting a new chapter as a Variant, it is not impossible that an alternative to the sedan will be in the form of a hatchback or liftback. Automotive News claims, however, that there will really only be a Variant. Time will tell.
Although the Passat has been available as a sedan since its inception in 1973, it would also be historically justified to market the Passat as a liftback instead. After all, the first generation Passat was also available as a liftback. The second generation also, but after that that body shape disappeared. Who knows, the Passat liftback may make a comeback, although it is important not to end up too much in the waters of the Arteon.