Overview & Reviews

For 2003, a base GL sedan and wagon are available. Think of the GL as a GLS 1.8T for buyers who don't require any extras like alloy wheels, leather upholstery, seat heaters or a sunroof. Meanwhile, alloy wheels and sunroof are now standard on GLS models. The 4Motion all-wheel-drive system will not be offered on GLS V6 models, forcing interested buyers to cross the 30-grand line; however, VW has made stability control (ESP) optional on all Passats (except the W8, which has this standard). Also this year, you'll be able to get W8 sedans and wagons with a six-speed manual transmission and a sport package that includes a firmer suspension and the requisite 17-inch wheels. Lastly, the standard stereo head unit gets backlighting for the buttons.

• Fun to drive, excellent value in GL or GLS trim, roomy interior with upscale feel, outstanding build and materials quality, available all-wheel drive.

User Reviews:

Showing 121 through 130 of 588.00

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  Two years flawless - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jay-Seattle - January 24 - 6:10 pm

  I convinced my wife we should buy new and I am glad I did. Ive been very happy with this car and have had no problems with it. It still drives like the day I drove it off the lot. If you can find a used one for a good price--go ahead and grab it. This car is a nice mix of a lot of things. Its like a small SUV (good space), handles like a fine european sport sedan, and get good (not great) gas milage. Hard to beat it!

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  Pleasant Surprise - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By DougSmithsr - January 1 - 10:00 am

  Purchased for my wife for mothers day after passing up a BMW 325, she liked the Passats looks more. Go figure! Anyway I proceeded purchasing the Passat with the 1.8L Turbo, with Tiptronic Auto/Manual shifter and fitted it with Black leather, Sunroof, and stereo package. To my amazement after managing to pry the keys from my wifes hands from time to time I just love this car. Handling is on par with some of the finest sports cars that I have ever driven, and the turbo lag is almost non-existent and mid range power is awsome, we had a 626 mazda with a v6 and this Passat will completley smoke our old car and leave it standing.

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  Passat: Best Bang for your Buck by Far. - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By clayton - January 1 - 10:00 am

  Brilliant! 2 many "pluses" to list here. Just go drive each of the cars U are considering & maybe one car a level above in price range. The Passats performance, styling (except for the pitiful cloth interior), and features compare more closely to the Lexus/Infinity/Entry-level Benz level, than the Camry/Accord/626 group. The only real stand-out disappointment (on the 2002) is the cloth materials & tones, which are amazingly poor (ugly lint magnets). Whoever came up with those tones/materials should be run out of town. If this guy worked for a defense contractor, our our $30 million fighter jets would have vinyl floor mats in the cockpit.

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  2003 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW OWNER - January 1 - 1:50 am

  This car is exceptionally fun to drive, considering its engine is only 1.8 liters. It is fast and averages an all around 26 mpg. Mine has a 5-speed standard transmission. This is a premium automobile at a big discount!

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  Still love this car after 2 years - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jane - December 27 - 12:56 am

  This car is a great value. If you have the opportunity to buy it used, go for it. Ive had this car for 2 years, over 30k miles and it still runs like a new car. It handles like a sporty car and has a luxurious interior. I have black exterior with beige leather interior - very nice looking. I thought the light interior color would be hard to keep clean, but the leather has held up great so far. No cracking or anything, it still looks new. With regard to reliability, Ive not had a single problem with it.

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  You have to test drive this car!!!! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By c74 - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car wasnt even on my list of possibilities, but someone convinced me to test drive one and I fell in love. The beige leather interior with the wood trim is gorgeous; it truly feels like a luxury automobile. And it has a sporty feel to it (for a 4-dr sedan), I love just driving around in it. I noticed that its also a real head turner (unlike the Camry or Accord) And, if you get a darker color for the exterior, the chrome accents stand out a lot more, its just a really sharp looking car.

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  I love it! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By JetsetTX - November 24 - 2:00 am

  Love it! Nissan tried to copy the Passat and failed. Drove the Mazda6 , a nice car, and the Passat before choosing the VW. The 6 is nice, the Passat is much more well equipped than the Mazda 6i. I wanted ABS, not standard on the Mazda. Cant get it without every package, which adds over $4000 to the cost. VW introduced the GL, I drove it and decided this is the car I wanted. The car the others failed trying to copy. Its fun, roomy, gets great gas mileage. Better interior than the Altima, Mazda, and Accord. The best car in its class.

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  One of my favorites - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By wg_h66 - October 26 - 5:10 pm

  Purchased mine used 07. Overall a very fun and satisfying car to own. The fuel efficiency really wasnt that great and it is premium only, so it can be expensive. The only issue I had with it was due to the cabin pollen filter not being maintained properly. Two days of heavy rain and the passenger side floor was filled causing computer damage. (I had no idea going in that this was an issue). If you are reading these reviews before purchase then you will have a very dependable car.

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  Max bang for the buck - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By W.D.White - October 25 - 10:00 am

  This is an all around great car at a price that adds a real feeling of triumph for us value addicts.

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  Excellent car- great buy! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By mihirmaniar - October 25 - 10:00 am

  My Maxima was totalled in an accident. We were looking for a V6 family-sedan under $30K. Our shortlist was Passat, Acura TL and Maxima. We test-drove many cars- older 528i, A6. Weve previously owned Mazdas, Nissan, Toyotas. We did a lot of research on the web- Edmunds is awesome! After a couple weeks, we converged on the Passat GLX and absolutely love it! The exterior/interior is eye-catching and the handling is far superior than the Japanese cars. I am hoping the Passat will last me as long as the Japanese cars- theyve increased the warranty to 4years now which is great. German cars feel stiffer than the Japanese cars, and make you stick to the road.