What are the differences between the Passat Government Procurement Edition and the Premium Edition?
4 Answers
The differences between the Passat Government Procurement Edition and the Premium Edition are: 1. Different powertrains: The Passat Government Procurement Edition is equipped with a 1.8L naturally aspirated engine, with a maximum power of 118kW and a maximum horsepower of 160PS; the Premium Edition is equipped with a 1.4T turbocharged engine, with a maximum power of 110kW and a maximum horsepower of 150PS. 2. Different curb weights: The Passat Government Procurement Edition has a curb weight of 1520kg; the Premium Edition has a curb weight of 1495kg. Both the Passat Government Procurement Edition and the Premium Edition have the same body dimensions: length 4872mm, width 1834mm, height 1484mm, and a wheelbase of 2803mm.
I've driven the government-procurement version of the old Passat at work and swapped a few times with my neighbor's Premium Luxury edition. The most noticeable difference is the seat material - the gov version uses basic fabric that makes my back ache on long drives, while the Premium has perforated leather with 8-way power adjustment. The gov model's center screen is just a tiny 6-inch display without even a backup camera (I nearly scraped a tree reversing last time), whereas the Premium gets a 9.2-inch screen with wireless CarPlay. The killer is cruise control - completely missing on the gov version, leaving my right foot numb on highways. Both have dual-zone auto AC, but the Premium adds rear vents. Even the tires differ - the gov version's 215-section tires feel sketchy in wet corners. For family use, those extra 20k yuan for the Premium are absolutely worth it.
Last time I accompanied my boss to look at cars, I finally understood the differences. The government procurement version has basically stripped out all the tech features, even the automatic headlights are removed, requiring manual switching at night. The Premium Luxury version comes with L2 autonomous driving, making highway driving much easier with automatic follow-up. The wipers are different too - the government version has basic rain sensing that struggles in heavy rain, while the Premium version features rain-sensing wipers that activate before water droplets even reach the sensor area. For parking sensors, the government version only has four rear sensors, whereas the Premium version has eight sensors front and rear with auto brake. The most disappointing part is the audio system - the government version only has four speakers making DJ music sound like radio quality, while the Premium version features Harman Kardon audio with bass boost that reveals even background music details. They even downgraded the door hinges - the government version doors close with a noticeably hollow sound.
With a decade of car repair experience, I've seen all kinds of Passats, and the chassis components of these two versions are completely different. The government procurement version uses regular suspension springs, making a loud clunk over speed bumps, while the Premium version features DCC dynamic suspension, gliding over potholes like riding an air cushion. Although both have 2.0T engines, the government version produces 186 horsepower, whereas the Premium version delivers 220 hp with dual injection technology. The cooling systems also differ - the government version tends to overheat with AC on in summer; last year I repaired three with boiling radiators. The transmission tuning gap is even wider, with noticeable gearshift jerks in the government version, especially the 2-3 upshift feeling like being kicked in the rear. Its smaller brake discs caused several rainy-day rear-end collisions I've witnessed. For durability, the Premium's aluminum suspension arms far outperform the government version's cast iron components in anti-aging.
