THERE are several things you will love about the new Volkswagen Passat 1.8TSI. But sound insulation isn't one of them.

As soon as it is on the move, the German equivalent of the Toyota Camry betrays an untraceable buffeting cabin noise - not unlike what you hear if one of the windows is not wound up properly.

You check, but all the windows are tightly shut. The tyres show no sign of uneven inflation. And an elephant isn't sitting on the roof, ears flapping in the wind.

It is not a major thing, and can probably be resolved without the intervention of a bomoh. But it so gets on your eardrums.

So you drive quickly, because the noise seems to fade with speed. Thankfully, the Passat's new 1.8-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine is a quick little beast.

It takes the Passat to 100kmh in nine seconds - more than a second quicker than the Passat 2.0 FSI, which it replaces. With forced induction, the 1.8-litre car has 10 more horses than the 2-litre version, although you will have to rev the engine to 5,000rpm to get them (the 2.0's 150bhp was attainable at 3,500rpm).

Once at cruising speeds, the Passat is quieter - except for the road noise. For a car in its segment (premium executive), it lets in just a tad too much road noise than expected.

You can probably also solve this malady by driving even faster (the car is good for at least 200kmh), but with the highways here as constricted as the arteries of someone with a BMI of 54, that is simply not feasible.

The Passat's peculiar disposition would not be relevant on a German autobahn, where the sound barrier is breached every now and then. But in Singapore, where folks love in-car conversation so much they regularly flout mobile phone laws to talk to their mothers-in-law while drifting, cabin quietness is a big virtue.

Which ironically, the Passat has, when it is idling. The car is Lexus-silent when you punch a button to fire it up.

And this is where we talk about things you love about the VW. The car is simply stacked with technology.

You get in and start it up without having to take the smart key out of your pocket. The parking brake is a button within easy reach on the dashboard - and it has a self-releasing mechanism that even Rolls-Royce does not have.

Another lovable thing about this button is that you don't have to remember whether to push or pull to activate it, unlike similar gadgets in other cars.

The car will also stay on a slope on its own without rolling back, like the better luxury models.

It has a self-dimming rear view mirror, to counter the dim wits who leave their high beams on. There is a host of courtesy lights in and outside the car, which add a nice extravagant touch to the car.

And despite its questionable noise insulation, the car is good to drive. Its speed-sensitive steering is extremely comforting when you are hurtling down a narrow windy stretch. Its body control is as Teutonic as they come. And its ride is firmer than the Camry's but not less comfy.

On the whole, it is pretty good value for money at below $120,000.

Test-drive one yourself. Maybe the test-car did have an elephant on its roof which I missed.

VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8TSI
Price: $116,000 with COE
Engine: 1,790cc 16-valve inline-4 direct injection turbo
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with quick shift
Power: 160bhp at 5,000rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 1,500rpm
0-100kmh: 9 seconds
Top speed: 215kmh
Fuel consumption: 11.3 litres/100km (city-highway)
Agent: Volkswagen Centre Singapore

Passat goes coupe

VOLKSWAGEN has unveiled the new Passat CC - a car that could compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLS 'four-door coupe'. The full four-seater has a large panoramic glass roof. Its boot lid blends into its rear window to give it a sporty stance and wide access.

The car is slightly longer and wider than the Passat sedan, but sits lower. It will be in Singapore by the third quarter of the year.