Overview & Reviews

GLS model vanishes from radar as Volkswagen prepares for launch of all-new Passat in mid-1997.

• Huge interior with lots of leg room, superb seats, excellent road manners

• 2.8-liter V-6 responds sluggishly when harnessed to automatic transmission

User Reviews:

Showing 21 through 30 of 43.00

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  Update to Hope it lasts forever! - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By VW4Life - June 5 - 10:00 am

  Well, were headed towards 2011, and my trusty Passat now has 138,000 miles. This car STILL drives like the day I bought it over ten years and 100,000 miles ago. Im bored and want something newer, as the plastic trim pieces are falling off and the door handles / window regulators continue to be flaky. However, from an economic AND enjoyment standpoint, I simply cannot beat this car.

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  Gotta love the VR6 - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Rick in Texas - May 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car in June of 2001. It only had 15,000 miles on it and it still smelt new! I love it, power is very impressive with the help of a K&M Supercharged Airfilter (which was tough putting in). I have had ZERO problems with it except for the ABS light that has come on about 5 times for a few minutes then goes off. Very quick for what it is and on my last trip (365 miles) I got 26.6 miles to the gallon. In town I normally just get around 18 because I do drive it a bit hard. Wish I had the electric seats because there are way to many adjustments when someone else drives it. Love it!

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  I hated this car! - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Shushumommy - January 13 - 10:00 am

  I lasted less than a year in this car. I bought it used at 55,000 miles. Many things went wrong right off the bat, but the dealer encouraged me to hang in there with the car and made quite a few of the repairs on the house. Still, I did not trust the car or feel safe in it, and everytime a repair was needed I held my breath. I am turning this car in today and couldnt be happier.

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  Top of the line VW? - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Lori Cox - November 17 - 2:00 am

  Love driving the car, hate the design. You would think buying the top of the line VW would insure top of the line quality. Not so. All four door handles have broken (some more than once), power windows failing, and weve had several mechanical failures before 50000 miles. Dealers are inept and rude. Dealer parts and labor are astronomical. I will never buy a VW again.

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  Hate this VW Passat - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Hate my VW - November 17 - 2:00 am

  How can I describe the worst car experience of my life. We bought this car used in 99 with 60K miles on it. Admittedly, we have driven many many highway miles and the car now has 196K on it but everything, everything has broken. Weve replaced the brakes four times, two "super reliable Audi" transmissions (dont buy that sales feature), constant problems with door handles, constant front end problems, etc etc. We thought the car was cool and powerful- the best compromise for a growing family buying a station wagon. What we ended up with was a huge money pit that has not had the check engine light off for more than a week since we bought it.

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  Love this car - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By DSL - October 17 - 10:00 am

  I have been really happy with my 1997 Volkswagon Passat Wagon. The only feature that I dont like is the electronic locking system which freezes every winter. Otherwise, its a fun and good handling car.

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  Passat Piece of Junk - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Former Passat Driver - June 27 - 1:06 pm

  My 1997 Volkswagen Passat is a completely unexpected bad product from Germany! This is the biggest hunk of junk we have ever owned. We bought it with resonable miles on it. Shortly after owning it all the electronic issues began. VW mechanics removed entire dash to fix some of the problems which reset digital mileage. There goes the equity! I have had so many problems with this thing (I agree with all other comments made here..too many to list...). We thought many times about finding one of the hurricanes and leaving it in the heart of the storm. It has finally died and we will not be sad to say goodbye! Buyer beware...looking at the other years after this car, it doesnt look like Passat has fixed any issues with this car!

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  Ill miss my VW - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Disappointed VW fan - January 13 - 8:46 pm

  I bought my VW used and I was okay with having to replace the clutch almost immediately as well as having a rod in the trunk snap which made the trunk impossible to use until I found a mechanic willing to weld the rod back together. But after 9 months of VW ownership, Im calling it quits. I love VWs and will look for them in the future, but definitely with more skeptical eyes. Besides the normal repairs and somewhat non-normal repairs, I had an air flow sensor malfunction, and needed to replace the throttle valve because my Passat was driving itself. 3 weeks after those repairs, I either get to replace the heater core, fix a radiator problem, and replace the oxygen sensor or call it quits.

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  First car. - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By Phill - August 2 - 5:33 pm

  I am a new driver and this is the first car that I have bought. I didnt really pick this car, it was more seredipity that i found it. It was everything I was looking for, relativly cheap (under $4,000) spacious, and not an American car. At first it was great, then a couple of problems occured. Nothing too serious, a dead battery because of a broken relay, an alternator that stopped working. These are significant problems yes, but easly fixed and they are not harmful to the car or people inside of the car. Overall the car is very exciting, fast, and handles beautifully. Even with its problems it has been worth it. I couldnt have asked for anything more.

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  German for "Piece of Junk" - 1997 Volkswagen Passat
  By theronald - May 3 - 9:36 pm

  This car was really nice for about the first 3 years that we owned it. Ever since that point, it has had many nagging, expensive, and repetitive failures. (Among those too numerous to mention - Door Handles, Controller, O2 Sensors, Belt-tensioner) The Yellow light has been on more than it has been "off". Were it not for the fact that I was unemployed on & off for most of the past 4 years, we would have "dumped" it on some other poor sap. Have talked to several other GLX owners - most had same problems. Their highly-touted "German Engineers" should all be fired, and replaced by the guys from GM. (Ive never had to replace all 4 door handles on a Buick twice!)