The glory days of the Volkswagen Passat are long gone as the surge in crossovers and SUVs has severely affected demand for the midsize sedan. It will be discontinued in the US after 2023 and it is widely believed that the MQB-based European model is also on the deathbed. In the meantime, China is preparing to revamp its local version of the current generation Passat.

Those who are not quite ready to get on the EV train will be happy to hear that VW has confirmed that there will be a next-generation Passat equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain with 100 kilometers of electric will be reach. The Peeps from Wolfsburg did not provide further details about the B9 generation, but a new report from Auto Express wants to shed light on the rival Opel Insignia.

According to the British magazine, VW is actually killing the Passat sedan. The revamped model is expected to be shipped as a wagon only, although the report says it could turn into a hatchback. Perhaps the better term would be liftback in the same vein as the Arteon, which is expected to pass after just a generation.

It is believed that the Passat B9 will have a longer wheelbase than today’s model to give Skoda Superb more legroom and cargo space. The car is expected to keep the MQB platform and continue to feature a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with all-wheel drive for the high-end versions. It is unclear whether a gasoline engine will be offered on its own or only as part of a PHEV setup. There will be no all-electric Passat as this role has been assigned to the production version of the ID. Space Vizzion.

Although not mentioned in the report, VW has already confirmed that the new Passat 2023 will come from the plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, rather than the Emden plant in Germany, where the current generation model is manufactured. It will be built next to the next Superb and by (allegedly) If the Passat sedan is canceled, there will be less competition between the two.

The VW group no longer has to worry about arch rival Mondeo for long, as Ford is phasing out its medium-sized sedan and car duo in March 2022. On the other hand, Stellantis will likely work out a replacement for today’s Opel / Vauxhall Insignia. One that logic tells us will be mechanically related to the beautiful Peugeot 508.