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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  Money pit - 2001 Volkswagen Passat
  By learnedmylesson - March 19 - 5:06 pm

  This was my first "new" car. Had been driving a 93 Buick LeSabre with 100k+ miles that never gave me a problem. Bought the wagon in May 07 for $10,900 w/ 62k miles and spent $4,815.04 in 2008 on repairs ($391 so far in 09). Ive lost track of all the issues Ive had. Every time I go to the mechanic I ask "what am I doing wrong" the answer is always "its not you its the car, its a VW." To name a few: Catalytic converter, 3 recalls, front pipe leak, and after a day of heavy rain the electrical unit died.

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  Coundnt Passat it up - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By ADV-1 - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Great car. I have owned 11 VWs. I am getting between 31-34 mpg. The turbo gives a great kick but has a lag you have to get used to. The 1.8T has all the power I need on the highway. I run it on regular fuel and dont find a difference in performance

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  nice but troubled - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By peterdh2000 - March 13 - 10:00 am

  beautiful car, unreliable at best. replaced instrument panel 2x, headlight switch 2x, dimmer switch, climatronic, radio didnt work for 1 month, died after sitting for 1 week from bad battery, both headlights burned out at the same time, broken ashtray, bad mpg on 91 octane. great in snow, classy and smart looking, but with serious issues. thought a german- built would be better, but sorely mistaken. plus, dealer bordered on incompetent, took at least 2x to fix any problem, then tried to tell us 3 weeks before loaner car available. nice try, we got an enterprise that same day. after 20+ visits, service advisor acted like it was first problem.

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  I Love the Car, but... - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Mike - March 13 - 7:30 am

  I love my wifes Passat, but when anything goes wrong its an absolute nightmare. Weve had three or four problems with the car requiring dealer service, and every time theres been a two week wait in order to get the car looked at. Right now it wont start, and the dealer said "Well, theres other cars in front of you so itll be at least a week." That is absolutely unacceptable. When the starter went out on my Ford I was back on the road the next day. Not only do you have to pay out your rear end for VW service, you have to go out of your way to do it. Its enough to keep me from ever buying another VW.

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  Lack of Quality - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By NA - March 10 - 12:50 pm

  I bought my 1997 Volkswagen Passat new in 1997 after having good luck with a 1989 Golf. However, the Passat has been of poor quality and I will never purchase another VW. Problems include the door handles, power windows and front end (tie rods, bearings). I get nervous when the "check engine light" is not on (faulty air pump, does not impact drving). It is a great handling car, it is roomy and I like the VR6 engine with the 5-speed manual transmission. I am at 135,000 miles and the next major repair will force me into a Honda or Toyota dealership.

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  German Engineering - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By mb - March 10 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my VW Passat TDI in March of 1997 after reviewing several articles on the TDI engine. Hard to believe you can get that great fuel mileage in a mid-size vehicle. No American made auto can do that. I have almost 150,000 miles on it now and it still runs great. I like going almost 900 miles before I have to fill up again. I change the oil every 5,000 miles and the timing belt every 60,000.

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  German Engineering - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By MB - March 10 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my VW Passat TDI in March of 1997 after reviewing several articles on the TDI engine. Hard to believe you can get that great fuel mileage in a mid-size vehicle. No American made auto can do that. I have almost 150,000 miles on it now and it still runs great. I like going almost 900 miles before I have to fill up again. I change the oil every 5,000 miles and the timing belt every 60,000.

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  Just a Bit Better - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By checito27 - March 10 - 2:00 am

  I love my car, but it could be just a bit better. I bought this car b/c of the way it drives, but consider this: For the same price I paid for my car ($22,807) I couldve bought a Honda Accord w/leather seats, alloy wheels, and a six disc in dash Cd changer. I bought the base model GL. Besides the way it drives, and how cool it looks, it has the little things that the accord didnt: On the trunk and hood, there are spring loaded supports, very nice, on the honda its cheapo hinges. Also, I get an extra pair of airbags (curtain). I chose substance over the luxuries of leather seats and alloy wheels, thats what it comes down to.

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  Sweet.......... - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Maria - March 9 - 6:50 am

  I am absolutely in agreeance with all who have commented on how great this car really is. I have it for about a week now and everytime I get in it I feel like never getting out. My boyfriend & I were in it yesterday and we set up the Sirius radio. While listening, we reclined our seats and actually fell asleep!!! Guess you can call that comfort.

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  somone who likes their passat - 2002 Volkswagen Passat
  By vdub4life - March 6 - 5:40 pm

  I bought my passat in 05. i have always like volkswagens but if your are going to buy one you must get the previous service records. this car hs been great very fun to drive and great in the snow. traction control, abs and, 6 air bags. very safe. synthetic oil is expensive but cleaner and better and premium gas burns cleaner and is better for the car. i have had no problems or dislikes. if you take car of it it takes car of you. o yea if you use nicer bulbs, they last longer dont buy the cheapest its not always the beat deal