On a fall day in New York that was not the finest for the VW Group, executive Michael Horn, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, stood strong and accepted responsibility for fixing emissions tests by manipulating equipment. Lenny Kravitz and the 2016 Passat still gave great performances, though, as the new model shone on stage with bolder and more aggressive styling. The 2016 Passat also features new interior upgrades with VW’s modular infotainment platform, MIB II, which has Apple CarPlay integration and touchscreen functionality. The Passat comes with two powertrain options including a 1.8L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 170 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque with an EPA rating of 38 mpg on the highway or a V-6 VR6 engine which makes 280 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The 1.8T with automatic transmission starts at $22,440 and the V6 starts at $36,835. The 2016 Passat now carries even more weight for VW but by the looks of it the 2016 model seems up to the task. I look forward to driving it and evaluating the handling and performance upgrades. For more information, visit www.vw.com.