Volkswagen has announced a slew of updates for 2016, including many we’ve already reported on, but some (like the promise of a facelifted Passat) that arrive as entirely new developments.

Volkswagen revealed a snazzier-looking, better-equipped version of the Passat Monday evening, which will start at $23,260 when it goes on sale as a 2016 model late this fall. The design features a new ...