VW Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel
The ADAC has been looking for a five-star rating in its EcoTest for years. Now, at long last it has happened. The first vehicle to receive the ADAC’s highest seal of quality is the VW Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel which has been awarded a total of 92 points in tests.This is a better rating than Toyota with its Toyota Prius (89 points, 4 EcoTest stars).
The amount of EcoTest stars awarded to a car is calculated by measuring the amount of pollutant emissions (Carbon Monoxide CO, Hydrocarbons HC, Nitrogen Oxides NOx and Particulate matter PM) as well as the greenhouse gas Carbon Dioxide CO2 emissions. The model not only received the maximum of 50 points for exhaust pollutant emissions but was also given 42 points for CO2 emissions (fuel consumption).
Practically speaking this means a consumption of 4,9 kg compressed natural gas (CNG) per 100 km i.e. a CO2 emission of 134 g/km in a realistic driving cycle. This puts the VW Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel way ahead of both the best diesel model (BMW 318d DPF: 141 g/km) and the petrol model (Toyota Avensis 1.8 Sol: 155 g/km) in the middle class range.
It has taken five years for the Toyota Prius to be beaten in Ecotest. The new ‘Front-Runner’ is now the VW Passat 1.4 TSI EcoFuel. Other manufacturers must take note, and aim even higher if they want to take this crown.