Overview & Reviews

The Volkswagen Passat has long been a favorite among shoppers looking for a little more luxury and style in their midsize family sedan or wagon. For many folks, the Passat has traditionally filled the gap that exists between normal, humdrum family cars and the financially out-of-reach luxury brands. Displaying a classy, restrained style inside and out, the Volkswagen Passat gives the impression of quiet competence, which is borne out by its refined driving character. A quality cabin and competent handling, along with a supple ride, are typical Passat traits.

The latest Volkswagen Passat is the biggest Passat yet and is priced considerably lower than before to more closely compete with mainstream family sedans. There has been some cost-cutting to meet that lower price, though, which means the Passat may be a little less appealing to aspiring German luxury car owners. Still, we think it has retained enough of its premium feel to make a case for itself as a gateway vehicle. As for used Passats, both second- and third-generation models are very good picks.

Current Volkswagen Passat
Available in a quintet of trim levels (S, Wolfsburg, SE, Sport and SEL), the current Volkswagen Passat boasts many of the qualities that have drawn folks to German cars in the first place. The well-controlled, buttoned-down ride quality is one, while its restrained exterior styling is another. The cabin, though not quite as special as that of VW's CC or the old Passat, is still one of the nicer environments to be found in the class. It's also one of the most spacious, with plenty of rear seat legroom and a large trunk.

The base Passat "1.8T" engine is a peppy yet fuel-efficient 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 170 horsepower. It is one of the more appealing engines in the midsize sedan segment, yet the Passat TDI's diesel engine is nevertheless worth strong consideration. Although a tad louder and with more low-end power than the 1.8T, the driving experience is similar enough that its 34 mpg combined fuel economy comes without a drivability penalty. Its highway fuel economy is actually better than what some midsize hybrid sedans can achieve. For those seeking more power, a 280-hp 3.6-liter V6 is also available.

On the move, the Passat is an engaging sedan to drive thanks to its well-sorted suspension tuning, precise steering feel and strong brakes. The car also manages to earn high marks for ride comfort, which is ultimately more important considering the fact that most buyers will be far more concerned with schlepping kids to school or co-workers to lunch than taking a spirited drive along winding back roads.

In total, the Volkswagen Passat is a midsize sedan that's worthy of consideration alongside the stalwart class leaders from America and Japan. While it still mostly looks and feels like a German car, it now has the generous space and attractive pricing expected of an American one.

Used Volkswagen Passat Models
The Volkswagen Passat was completely redesigned for 2012. It is larger and less expensive than the car it replaced, putting it more in line with American expectations for the midsize sedan class. Since that debut, there have been just a couple of notable changes. Specifically, these Passats came standard with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine good for 170 hp. It was sufficiently powerful and efficient, but loud and unrefined, making one of the other engines a more appealing used car choice. It was phased out midway through the 2014 model year in favor of the current 1.8T engine. The current Sport trim level and the Car-Net telematics system were also unavailable.

The previous, third-generation Passat was produced from 2006-'10 in sedan and wagon body styles. It was larger than the car it replaced and Volkswagen made an effort to move it upscale, increasing feature content and price. Perhaps as a result, this Passat wasn't as popular as previous versions, but generous passenger space, a high-quality cabin and strong engines should make it a good used car pick.

The standard engine for this third-generation Passat was a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produced 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission was standard and a six-speed automatic was optional. From 2006-'08 a narrow-angle V6 known as the VR6 was optional. This engine pumped out 280 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque, and it could be had with all-wheel drive in the 3.6 4Motion trim. An automatic transmission was standard for the V6.

There were initially four trim levels -- Value Edition, 2.0T, 3.6 and 3.6 4Motion. Even though the lower trims had steel wheels, other desirable features like a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auxiliary audio jack and high-quality leatherette vinyl upholstery were standard. The upper trims could be had with luxury features like adaptive xenon headlights, automatic dual-zone climate control and 12-way power front seats.

The short-lived Wolfsburg trim level in 2007 added some extra luxuries and visual distinction to the 2.0T model. For the 2008 model year, the trim levels were renamed Turbo, Komfort, Lux and VR6. For the final two years, Volkswagen dropped the V6, reduced the Passat to just a single (Komfort) trim level and discontinued most of the car's upscale features. A new hard-drive-based navigation system did become available, however.

Overall, our road tests of the time had good things to say about this generation of Volkswagen Passat, from the high quality of its fit and finish to the engaging yet fuel-efficient performance of the turbocharged engine. Tuned more for ride comfort than clipping apexes on a twisty road, the Passat's suspension nonetheless struck a happy balance between a plush ride and athletic handling dynamics.

The second-generation VW Passat was available from 1998-2005. It was a little smaller than the third-generation Passat but was very popular thanks to its tasteful styling, peppy performance and solid Germanic feel. Based on a stretched version of the Audi A4 platform of its day, this Passat offered an unusually upscale feel. From the way the doors shut to the way the car absorbed bumps without drama and confidently carved its way along a winding road, this Passat was one midsize sedan or wagon that was actually desirable. This certainly had an effect on our editors; both the sedan and wagon were Edmunds.com Editors Most Wanted award winners for five straight years, from 2000-'04.

Engine choices included a 1.8-liter turbocharged four called the 1.8T that made up to 170 hp, a silken 190-hp V6 and a short-lived 270-hp eight-cylinder W8. Equipped with the W8, the Passat grew too heavy and expensive to have widespread appeal. During most of the car's run, VW offered 4Motion all-wheel drive as an option on V6 models (it was standard on W8 models). A frugal 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine called the TDI became available in 2004. For used-car shoppers, any Passat should be fine, but those built for 2002 and later are the best choices, as they received updated powertrains and beneficial chassis improvements.

The first-generation Volkswagen Passat (1990-'97) sold in North America isn't quite as desirable as its successor. Although space-efficient, this Passat's styling was boxy and a bit strange, especially during the first five years when it had a grille-less nose. The base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine was not a strong suit in these earlier Passats either, as it was described as rough in nature and was taxed with moving this midsize sedan. A few years after its debut, the Passat received more gusto under the hood in the form of the 2.8-liter, narrow-angle VR6.

User Reviews:

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  engine needs to be replaced - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By ron - June 4 - 3:46 pm

  hoped to keep the car a long time. now have paid $900 to have oil leaks in engine repaired. found out vw acknowledges engine problems but has not called for a recall. my mechanic advised to get rid of asap which I plan to do as soon as I can get the oil light to stop going off. have also replaced front axle, headlights, trunk hinge, coolant leak, dip stick replaced twice. car looks great, too bad all this has happened, but it is my last VW.

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  Excellent Value - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By peony - June 4 - 12:16 pm

  So far so good! My 2005 Volkswagen Passat GLX 4Motion has very nice handling for a non-sport wagon and is much quieter than my old Subaru Outback. It also has a smoother ride and a way higher level of interior comfort.

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  Dameeches review - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By dmitri Ivanov - May 31 - 10:00 am

  So far this vehicle is a great joy to drive. hld the road superbly. Steering is tight and direct make it feel as though you have total control over the car. The interior and exterior design is great but simply elegant w./ a sporty feel. Mechanically seems good - hope that the reliability is there, as it should be by all indications.

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  Awesome car for over 40s - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By David Light - May 31 - 6:20 am

  Reliable, fun functional and fast

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  Piece of Junk - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By KAS - May 28 - 12:03 pm

  Since I bought this car (6 months ago), I have spent almost $2,000 on service and repairs. Now it is burning oil at an alarming rate and overheating. I have had it looked at by three mechanics and none of them can figure why it is doing this. This is the worst car I have ever owned. I cant wait to get rid of it and buy a Honda.

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  Passat! Love it! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
  By sigjuliussen - May 27 - 12:01 pm

  Im 64" and over 300 lbs and the car fits great. Can stretch out my legs all the way. Drove 400 miles round trip to my cabin and with studs and snowy Alaska mountain conditions the car still go 41 mpg. 3 fill ups so far with all Anchorage city driving and twice it got over 30 mpg, and one time with lots of snowy cold days and still got 27.5 mpg. Cant wait ti see what it gets with summer tires and no snow (I have a few months to god lol) Car handles great in the snow and drives like a dream.

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  The perfect car for me - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Ogden guy - May 26 - 8:20 pm

  I bought this in late 1999 and it was just right. I didnt mind the 91 octane as I got 35-36 mph all the time. Did a lot of long distance interstate driving and have over 130,000 miles on it now. Have always done dealer service and only one bad experience and never went back to that dealer on Provo Utah. Had to replace a control arm and tires as a result. But other than that, it is a dream. Wish I could still buy a 1.8 5 speed turbo in the future. Somewhere out there around 225,000 miles I suspect.

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  Nice car to drive but... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Integraguy1995 - May 26 - 3:06 am

  Ive always driven Hondas and Toyotas and when my wife bought her Passat used with 95k, I was expecting a decent vehicle from VW as well. Boy was I wrong. "German engineering" in this case means that everything was engineered to fail at 100,000 miles. We paid $8,500 for this car two years ago and have put $6,000 into in repairs since. The timing belt and water pump were expected but when we had to replace the power steering rack, strut mounts, all four window regulators and had to fork over absurd money for German-made synthetic oil and filters to keep the turbo from blowing out, we were not pleased to say the least. Cant wait to get rid of this thing for a Honda or Toyota.

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  excellant car - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By flyboy 911 - May 25 - 2:00 am

  this car has been our best new car to date .

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  We Need More Diesels! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Drew - May 24 - 10:30 pm

  I was on the fence over which car to buy, the Camry, Accord, or the Passat. Diesel engine is what sold me, and the wagon option. This car will eventually go to one of my kids when they go to college; I expect it to run that long! Great highway car, will “get-up-‘n-go” and not hurt you at the pump over driving it hard. Dealers are offering KILLER deals right now.