The Passat was the only car tested in left-hand-drive form. Like all manufacturers, Volkswagen is responsible for ensuring that occupant safety provided by left- and right-hand-drive models is similar. Euro NCAP has no reason to believe that this is not so for the Passat. In the frontal test, the car was lined up so that the driver's side directly hit the deformable barrier, as did all other cars in this test programme. The Passat met coming 1998 side-impact legislation for new models. It performed well in the frontal impact, too, although stiff structures in the lower facia area posed a hazard to the driver's knees, thighs and pelvis.
Front impact
The driver's screen pillar was pushed backwards by 68mm (2.7in). The passenger compartment retained its structural integrity and remained stable. The driver's door was found to have opened during the test and could be pulled further open as normal. The passenger's door could be opened normally. The steering wheel was pushed backwards by 85mm (3.3in) and upwards by 15mm (0.6in). There was some footwell intrusion: the brake pedal was pushed rearwards by 91mm (3.6in).
Protection for the driver's head was down-rated to 'adequate' because of instability of the contact on the airbag. Neck protection was good, however, and the restraint system kept the driver's chest away from the steering wheel. Forces transmitted by the seat belt to the chest were within acceptable limits, there was no detectable contact between the driver and the steering wheel, and the passenger compartment remained structurally stable, all of which contributed to good chest protection. The driver's left knee struck the oddments bin. Protection for his knee, thigh and pelvis was down-rated: if that knee had been in a slightly different position horizontally at impact, it could have hit the steering column bracket. A slightly different position vertically could have led to contact with the steering lock and adjuster. If the knee had penetrated further, the lock and adjuster could also have caused more damage. The driver's right knee hit a flexible plastic surround beneath the steering column. This then compressed the cladding around the column until it 'bottomed' out against the column itself. Protection of the knee, thigh and pelvis was down-rated because a slightly higher knee position would have led to contact with the steering lock and adjuster bracket. If that knee had penetrated slightly further, the column mounting bracket could have been hit. The column mount bolts and the column adjuster lever could have produced localised damage to the knee. Protection for the left lower leg was rated as 'poor' and for the right lower leg, 'weak'. There was limited intrusion into the footwell, and protection for the feet and ankles was rated as 'good'.
Protection for the passenger was generally good, although forces transmitted by the seat belt presented a risk of chest injury. His left knee, thigh and pelvis were also at some risk of injury. Results obtained from the dummy were not modified on the basis of damage to the car.
Side impact
The new Passat performed well in the side-impact test generally, meeting the legislation applicable to new models from next year, but protection for the driver's abdomen was rated only as 'weak'. Head protection was 'good', though protection for his chest and pelvis was assessed as 'adequate'.
Pedestrian
Child head impact
Four of the six test locations met proposed legislation: above a support bracket for the coolant reservoir, above the rear of the engine cover and above a bonnet strengthener and a crease-line. One point performed better than the group average, one worse.
Upper leg impact
None of the three tests met proposed legislation. Two of the tests on the bonnet leading edge were better than average; one was worse.
Adult head impact
None of the tests met proposed legislation. Five points were better than average: these included a point over the bonnet strengthener, one above the brake fluid reservoir and one at the windscreen wiper spindle.
Leg impact
None of the three tests met the requirements. None of the tests on the bumper was better than average: all three were worse.