Another sedan booted: 2022 Volkswagen Passat sedan dropped as prices increase for Mazda6, Skoda Octavia rival

Yet another sedan has been discontinued in Australia, leaving buyers with fewer booted options to choose from.

Volkswagen Australia has dropped the Passat sedan from its line-up, but it will continue to sell the Passat wagon range, offering buyers an alternative to other mid-size wagons like the Mazda6, Peugeot 508 and the related Skoda Octavia.

With the booted Passat gone from the line-up, that leaves Volkswagen without a sedan offering in Australia. It will instead make do with the Passat’s mechanically related, but pricier, Arteon sibling which is sold in five-door liftback and shooting brake wagon body styles.

A Volkswagen Group Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide the German brand was not concerned about losing feet sales with the discontinuation of the Passat sedan, confirming that the Proline variant would continue be offered to police organisations.

He said sedans made up a minority of Passat sales in Australia and that stock of the booted version could run out my mid-year.

The end of the line for the Passat sedan in Australia follows international reports that VW stopped manufacturing the sedan just before Christmas. It is no longer sold in markets like the UK, which now just offers the wagon.

Previous VW sedans sold in Australia include the Jetta and its Bora predecessor, and the Polo sedan (briefly), but the Passat is one of the longest running nameplates in the brand’s Australian history.

VW will continue to sell the police-spec Passat Proline to Australian law enforcement agencies.

VW Australia has just increased the price of the Passat for model year 2022 by between $900 and $1300, depending on the variant.

The sedan remains on the price list for now, with the entry-level 140TSI Business increasing by $1300 to $48,990 before on-road costs. The sedan is also available in 162TSI Elegance guise from $53,990.

The 162TSI Elegance and 206TSI R-Line wagons have gone up by $1100 each and now retail for $55,990 and $65,990 respectively.

The sporty 206TSI R-Line wagon will remain in the Passat line-up.

VW’s jacked-up Passat Alltrack has gone up by $900 for the 162TSI ($48,990) and $1100 for the Alltrack 162TSI Premium ($60,990).

The 140TSI Business is powered by a 140kW/320Nm version of VW’s 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, while the 162TSI grades use an uprated 162kW/350Nm version. The 206TSI R-Line pumps out 206kW/350Nm.

The Arteon uses the 140kW and 206kW engines, but the sleek liftback and shooting brake carry a price premium over the Passat sedan and wagon of several thousand dollars.

The current-generation B8 Passat went on sale in Australia in late 2015. A new version is expected in 2023 and reports suggest it will again be built on VW’s MQB platform, albeit with major upgrades and the addition of an all-electric version.

VW is also planning another all-electric sedan model based on the ID Vizzion concept from the 2018 Geneva motor show.

2022 Volkswagen Passat pricing before on-road costs