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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  Needed help... - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By ezra - October 10 - 2:00 am

  Now that this well built but bland wagon has been retired, (17" Yokos) lowered (Eibach) and tuned (BMC, Wittenhauer) it is a well made, comfortable, practical and fun sports wagon.

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  perfect car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By guney - October 10 - 2:00 am

  its great car for its price

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  great car for the money - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Huddy2u - October 9 - 7:40 pm

  I have owned a Passat for past 8 yrs. The new 2006 model has been great. It is a head turning and even teenagers say "Nice car!" The gas mileage has been awesome, I have to drive 21 miles one way to work and I get between 30- 33 mpg. My Passat gets about 550 miles per tank. I havent had any issues with this Passat, only routine maintenance. the only thing I dont like about the car is you cant drive with driver side window down. The wind blows so hard through this window I cant stand it. I have tried to adjust other windows and sunroof and nothing works. I dont know for newer models but for 2006 this is a problem for me. But overall I would recommend this car to anyone.

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  Interior- with color clothing- faded on the seats - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mary - October 9 - 9:28 am

  Please beware of tan interior with color clothing. Have been back twice to have seats, head rest, and arm rest replaced. Very upset how my new jeans changed the color on the drivers seat and my friends red jacket faded on my seat, arm rest and head rest only riding to work 30 miles one time. I am not the only person this has happened to.

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  Great Car - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By Tom - October 6 - 8:16 am

  The 2003 Volkswagen Passat rides and handles great. This one is a keeper.

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  Best fit for me - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By dirkh - October 5 - 10:00 am

  My favorite wagon is the Audi A4 1.8t (I used to drive the previous model). However looking at the passat, the GLS has all the options, important to me and it is 10k less than the Audi. If I wanted more options and 4wd I would definitely go for the Audi, but 10k is alot of money. The Passat drives great, has enough power and is very comfortable. Gas milage is great even with my drive style

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  Sad but true ...a lemon! - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By falsetto - October 5 - 10:00 am

  I loved the car...but if not driven every day, the battery went dead. Fun at the airport!! After three battery replacements, five weeks in the shop,seven false we found it reports. The slippery factory reps. offered me a new vehicle and gave me $18,000 for my 8 mo. old GLX! That cost me $11,000 to drive 28k miles...when it would start!

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  Love my car but I hate the repair bills! - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Dianna - October 4 - 9:02 pm

  I bought my car used in Feb of 2012 with 70K miles on it. I was happy to find a 3.6L AWD version. We paid $15.1K. This car is my 4th VW. Im a huge VW fan, and have only driven VW. The good things, I like about the car: AWD system-it grips well!, the ride is really comfortable-it makes a great trip car! Leather seats (I prefer it), 6 disc in dash CD player, cargo room is huge, roof rails (I bought a rack that attaches to them), Sport shifting option (taking off is fun!), rear seats can be made flat to haul stuff (which makes a lot of room!). The bad: the clear coat on both my fenders are peeling off, my passenger door lock doesnt always work-sometimes it locks and other times it doesnt. It will alarm if the door is opened at least!, the Leather is cheap-I already have a huge tear and 2 tiny tears in the drivers seat, The film around the window, emergency brake, and radio buttons are peeling off the plastic, the rear hatch does not open when I use the button-I have to pull on the hatch to open it. I have had to send the car in for 2 major repairs. One was because the rear alignment was way off because the car had been in an accident when the former owner had it. I dont blame VW for this, I knew it had been in an accident however I thought it was the front end of the car. I went through 2 tires before I took it to the dealership and they told me I had to repair a bent rear A arm ($700 repair). The rear alignment went from 3 degrees out of spec to 0.7 degrees. The other major repair was for a bad sensor. Over the 3 years I have the car, we have spent approximately $3K for repairs and such on the car. I thought about trading it in for a 2013 Tiguan but I only have $5K left to pay on the car and we just bought a house. Im hoping the car will last until the next model comes out however, I am doubting the quality of the newer version considering what I have had go wrong on this car (excluding the alignment issue). I currently have ~110K miles on the car (as of 7/15). I am hoping the new wagon model (coming out in 2017 in the US) will have better quality than this model and that my next check engine light will not be a major repair where I have to shell out at least $500 to get it repaired....

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  Money Pit - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By Never Again - September 28 - 3:30 pm

  The check engine / emissions light came on within months of the purchase (new) and hasnt been off for more than two weeks since then...and Ive owned the car for five years now. I have put about $7,000 into repairs for this car and still it leaks coolant and cant get the emissions light off. The plastic panel parts were cracked and ugly within months for no reason, the adhesive for the fabric around the windows melted in the AZ heat within two summers, and the plastic peels around the handles and looks really bad. This is with EXCELLENT care and maintenance / hand washing. I wont buy a VW again! And, I dont recommend VW to anyone else, either!

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  Nice car. - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By VWguy - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive enjoyed the Passat. It handles really well (4motion) and is very smooth, quiet, and is overall nice to drive. The weight of the car make it feel very safe and there are no "cheap" parts that I can imagine breaking. It has a luxurious feel without the huge price tag.