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After Passat's poor performance in the C-IASI of the China Insurance Research Institute, SAIC Volkswagen voluntarily applied to hit the C-NCAP again in the China Automobile Research Institute. Unexpectedly, only in the past two months, another "surprise" came. According to media reports, the guided price of the 2020 Passat rose by 1500 yuan to 2500 yuan.

The 2019 Passat on sale went on sale in October 2018 with a 280T TSI with 1.4T engine and 330TSI and 380TSI with 2.0T power, with a price range of 18.49-282900 yuan. The Passat tested by PICC in 2019 is exactly that year's model.

According to the price list of the 2020 SAIC-Volkswagen Passat obtained by the domestic media online car Market, the prices of the new 280TSI and 330TSI models have increased to varying degrees, by 1500 yuan to 2500 yuan, and the leading version of the 330TSI model has been cancelled. The price of the 380 TSI remains the same. The price of the adjusted 2020 Passat is 18.74-282900 yuan.

It is worth noting that, from the price of the 2020 Passat exposed, the 280TSI business version (minimum) of the collision test conducted by the China Insurance Research Institute has the greatest price increase in the new model, reaching 2500 yuan.

At present, the relevant configuration adjustments for the new Passat have not yet been announced, and the general annual models are mainly upgraded for configuration, with little change in appearance and interior, and the power system will not be adjusted. It is rare in the industry to increase prices immediately following changes in annual configuration, and the storm that angered consumers by launching new Lexus models and announcing price increases last year is still vivid.

In terms of power system parameters of Passat, the 280TSI model corresponds to 1.4T engine with a maximum power of 110kW and peak torque of 250Nm; the 330TSI model matches a 2.0T low-power engine with a maximum power of 137kW and peak torque of 320Nm; and the 380TSI model is equipped with a 2.0T high-power engine with a maximum power of 162kW and peak torque of 350Nm. The transmission is matched by a 7-speed double clutch gearbox.

According to official statistics, Passat sold 214000 vehicles in 2019, up 19.6 per cent from a year earlier, with December sales reaching 29000, up 74.1 per cent from a year earlier. In January 2020, Volkswagen Passat sales fell to 15818, down 4.1 per cent from a year earlier and 46.2 per cent lower than in December.

Due to the decline in Passat sales, SAIC-Volkswagen sales also plummeted in January, far exceeding the domestic passenger car average of-21.5%. SAIC-Volkswagen sold 113000 vehicles in January, down 40.5 per cent from a year earlier, according to the data. However, SAIC-Volkswagen ushered in the offline of 22 million cars on Feb. 28, becoming the first domestic passenger car company to accumulate production of 22 million vehicles, officials announced on Feb. 28.

The public opinion storm of Passat under the C-IASI of China Insurance Research has not been eliminated, once the new Passat is listed and sold at a higher price, it is bound to detonate public opinion again. However, when manufacturers know that the collision results are not satisfactory, they should make targeted improvements before launching new models. Perhaps the new model has made a number of structural safety optimizations, increasing the cost.

Looking back on Passat's collision performance in the C-IASI of China Insurance Research Institute, it was appalling in the 25% offset collision project, which led to the worst performance in the history of China Insurance Research. There are mainly the following problems.

1. The front part of the car does not absorb the collision energy well, and the firewall shrinks inward, which leads to the deformation of the cockpit and further erodes the living space.

2. The A-column can not resist the collision energy, it bends 90 degrees, and the A-column is almost broken from the middle, and its structure and strength are obviously unreasonable.

3. The steering wheel suddenly moved sharply to the side of the co-driver during the collision, and the airbag could not play a protective role at all. at the same time, the dummy hit the hard object twice, causing head injury.

As a result, the 2019 Passat got the lowest P score in the 25% offset crash rating on the front, and ranked bottom of all 45 models of the China Insurance Research C-IASI so far, with a score of 44 (the higher the worse), far exceeding the 24 points of the bottom-to-bottom SAIC Volkswagen Tuduguan L.

After the 2020 Passat goes on the market, whether its safety has been improved, whether the A-pillar has been strengthened by the original factory, and whether the airbag is not offset, these are the concerns of the majority of consumers. At present, it remains to be seen whether the new Passat has made targeted improvements.

It has to be said that the collision results of PICC Research have a great destructive effect on Passat's image and the reputation of the Volkswagen brand. As the incident spreads and ferments, it should shake a considerable number of consumers' inherent impression of the Volkswagen brand.

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