VW Passat Estate 1.4 TSi GTE (Electric/hybrid) DSG

Personally I would be doubtful that a 1.4TSI would make much headway powering a Passat solo let alone towing but I put my hands up and admit I have no practical experience. Presumably the cars weight will be higher than a conventional TSI due its hybrid nature.

Is this model Passat actually certified for towing?  A number of hybrids aren't.

It's kerb weight is higher than diesel equivalent & max towing is 1600kg.  I think that there is only this & Outlander PHEV that are able to tow in hybrids.

Hybrids generally make poor tow cars and are heavy on fuel when towing. The electric power works for only a short time and is very economical if you do lots of short journeys, but on longer ones you are basically just using the conventional engine and a 1400 cc engine is likely to struggle with all but the lightest of caravans. I have no experience of the Passat but the Outlander has a reputation for being heavy on fuel when towing.

If people checked they would see that the 1.4 petrol engine in the GTE has a claimed hp of arround 150 I would of thought it might just about move a caravan. 

If people checked they would see that the 1.4 petrol engine in the GTE has a claimed hp of arround 150 I would of thought it might just about move a caravan. 

It may have 150bhp but the torque is quite low at 184 lb foot so maybe not as good as a tow car.

184lb/ft isn't  exactly low. .... just maybe not as much as others

My last tow car was a 2 Ltr SAAB 9-5 with 150 BHP and similar torque to the VW due to the turbo......obviously adequate for any roads.

Those figures are very much industry standard for 2 Ltrs so the much more advanced VW should at least be reasonable.

My first tow car was a petrol with 75 BHP and towed 1000Kg perfectly well all over Europe this was before all the mountain passes were bypassed.

My 3500 Kg Motorhome manages all of Europe easily with 84 BHP.

Good Luck

I think people live in the past to a certain extent. And the output from engines today Petrol and Diesel are vastly different from those 20 or 30 years ago. 

If the OP had asked do you think that the Passat GTE is the best tow car money can buy?  Perhaps the answer would be different, what he did ask was for experiences and I don't think any of us actually have towed with this car and He asked would it be able tow his caravan and answer in my opinion is yes probably. Obviously a diesel push out huge amount of torque might be better.  But then again maybe he doesn't want the tax and pollution implications.