Volkswagen makes stylish and efficient cars. Ever since the introduction of its very first model to the rollout of the 2022 Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen has been popular among drivers everywhere. Volkswagen has, in recent times, become a leader in environmentally-friendly automotive production through an impressive lineup of electric vehicles as part of its Way to Zero campaign to make the company carbon-neutral. Volkswagen is not, however, focusing its environmental efforts on electric vehicles alone, but while it still produces gasoline vehicles, it is dedicated to making those models as fuel-efficient as possible. The company is dedicated to keeping our common home safe for everyone.
But it’s not just our common home they want to keep safe; it’s the people who inhabit our common home that they want to keep safe. Volkswagen has produced a number of innovative safety features to make sure that their vehicles are able to withstand all manner of driving environments and even collisions. This combination of environmental efficiency and safety is a good one, which appeals to many drivers, and a prime example of Volkswagen’s dedication to efficiency and safety is the 2022 Volkswagen Passat. While it may look from the outside to be nothing more than a nicer-than-average midsize sedan (though inside, it bears the true fashion of a Volkswagen), the Passat features very impressive engineering and safety technology. With the presence of the TSI engine combined with its safety-oriented body and technology, the Passat is a solid midsize sedan. So, let’s learn a little more.
The Efficient TSI Gasoline Engine
Volkswagen may be one of the most environmentally-cognizant automotive companies in the industry. Already having one of the most impressive lineups of electric vehicles, Volkswagen is dedicated to becoming a carbon-neutral company by way of its Way to Zero campaign. But, the success of this campaign does not come merely in the production of electric vehicles, because while Volkswagen continues to produce gasoline-fueled vehicles, it seeks to do so in a way that reduces carbon emissions and is as environmentally friendly as possible. From this desire, is born the Turbocharged Stratified Injection (TSI) engine. This feat of automotive engineering is housed within the 2022 Passat.
In essence, the TSI engine strives to derive greater performance from less fuel, higher torque from lower revs, and overall greater efficiency. The TSI engine accomplishes this by combining direct injection with turbocharging. For those who do not know, turbocharging works by compressing more air into the cylinders of the engine. This compression allows for more fuel to be added into the engine than its size would otherwise allow, allowing the engine to be smaller and the efficiency of the engine to be higher.
Turbocharging is further combined with direct fuel injection, which Volkswagen has developed to increase combustion efficiency by increasing the pressure at which fuel is shot into each cylinder. Direct injection technology, combined with the engine’s increased low-end torque, eliminates turbo lag and allows the Passat to consume much less fuel than it would with a traditional engine. The Volkswagen TSI engine also features an intercooler, which reduces the temperature of inflowing air, thus allowing more air to enter the engine and reducing the possibility of engine knocking.
All of this, as you may have assumed, serves to provide the Passat with an excellent fuel economy. Efficiency really is the keyword with the TSI engine. Because of its high efficiency, the engine is able to be more compact, displacing just 2.0 liters. But, smaller does not mean lesser because the performance capabilities are huge. The big idea behind the TSI engine is to decrease size and increase efficiency without in any way decreasing performance. The Passat still offers 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, so the TSI engine does not make it a lesser-performing vehicle by any means.
Seeing as midsize sedans are usually used as commuter vehicles, the Passat’s smaller engine serves the vehicle and its purposes well while still working to reduce carbon emissions. However, in addition to keeping the environment safe, Volkswagen is also dedicated to keeping drivers safe. From that desire, then, is born a slew of safety features.
Safety Features of the 2022 Passat
The Passat is well-designed, both structurally and technologically, to keep drivers safe. Automotive safety technology has greatly increased and improved over the past couple of decades, and Volkswagen is certainly not slacking in that regard. The Passat is home to many safety features, all of which are worth mentioning. But, in the spirit of Volkswagen-style efficiency, there are three safety features which I would like to discuss: the Safety Cage, Post-Collision Braking, and Stability-Enhancing Systems.
The Safety Cage
The safety cage is, essentially, the skeleton of the Passat. The vehicle is designed with an ingenious structure that possesses both front and rear crumple zones, which absorb the crash energy if a collision occurs. Past the crumple zones, the safety cage is a rigid structure that distributes the force of the collision away from the driver and passengers. Of course, the goal is never to get into a car accident; but, the unfortunate truth is that they are going to occur. The automotive industry has grown increasingly aware of this unfortunate fact and is now producing vehicles built to handle the distinct possibility of an accident.
The Passat’s safety cage is an excellent example of how Volkswagen is working to keep drivers safe through technology and engineering that may not be evident by looking at the vehicle but is embedding it into its structure. Yes, fear not! The safety cage does not in any way diminish the appearance of the vehicle’s exterior; it still appears as a stylish midsize sedan; it is just a safer midsize sedan. Of course, I need not remind you that the presence of the safety cage does not excuse you from driving safely – that’s still in your hands.
Post-Collision Braking
Speaking of accidents, when they occur, the impact does not always stop the vehicle. A moving vehicle after a collision can easily turn an already bad situation into a disaster, and Volkswagen is working to prevent this from happening. The automatic post-collision braking system applies the brakes and stops the vehicle following an impact to make sure that matters don’t get any worse than they already have.
Stability-Enhancing Systems
The Passat hosts six stability-enhancing systems. Two of the most notable systems among these are Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution (EBD) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). EBD comes into play during hard-braking events by maintaining appropriate stopping power. ESC lives up to the name “stability-enhancing” by adjusting the engine throttle and selectively applying the brakes to keep you in control of the vehicle. While systems like this are not necessarily uncommon among vehicles today, it is excellent to have features like this combined with the safe construction and remarkable efficiency of the 2022 Passat. Sometimes vehicle efficiency comes at the cost of vehicle safety, but Volkswagen strives to marry those two things with the Passat.
A Modern Option for the Modern Driver
Just because an electric vehicle may not be realistic for you does not mean that you can’t be environmentally conscious when purchasing a car. Aside from caring for the environment, your personal finances will be better off because greater fuel efficiency means less fuel purchased. The TSI engine protects both the environment and your wallet while allowing for a better overall driving experience. Aside from the innovative engineering, the Passat is well-constructed to keep you safe throughout your whole drive.
I think, though, that the biggest draw to the 2022 Passat is that it provides an eco-friendly vehicle for those who may not be ready to jump into the electric car market quite yet. Hopefully, as electric vehicles are further refined, they will become more readily available and affordable. Still, in the meantime, the Passat offers an eco-friendly alternative that is both affordable and familiar with its direct-injection engine. With all of this in mind, let’s hear it for low emissions and safety!
