Volkswagen has increased the standard equipment offering across the Passat range for 2018, with the fleet- specific SE Business gaining the most kit.

LED headlights are now standard on the SE Business, GT and Alltrack trims and the Passat R-Line now features Premium LED headlights.

Heated seats have also been added to the SE Business, R-Line and Alltrack variants as standard.

Every new Passat now comes with Volkswagen’s App-Connect system as standard too. App-Connect enables the driver or a passenger to link their smartphone to the car via a USB cable. The screen of the phone is then ‘mirrored’ onto the Passat’s infotainment touchscreen.

This enables the user to play music and playlists on the move. The car will also read out text messages and allow the user to dictate a reply.

SE Business models now feature three-zone climate control - this means the driver and front passenger can set the temperature for their area of the car, plus there are separate controls for the rear passengers too.

Another update for the Passat SE Business is the addition of a colour multi-function display trip computer.

In total the Passat SE Business gains £1,955 worth of extra equipment. This contrasts to a small price increase to this trim of £550.

R-Line models have a similarly high total customer benefit of £1,315, and on Passat Alltrack models the specification adjusted saving is £1,000. The Passat GT enhancements result in a customer saving of £705.

The price of the base-model Passat S hasn’t changed, and so it continues to start at £22,025.

Every Passat model includes Volkswagen’s latest generation Composition Media infotainment system with an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen. This features Bluetooth, DAB, a CD player and an SD card reader.

Highlights of the SE Business include satellite navigation, Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Assist, parking sensors and electrically adjustable and foldable door mirrors.

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