Overview & Reviews
The 2012 Volkswagen Passat has been fully redesigned. Highlights include a lower price, a roomier interior and a newly available turbodiesel engine.
- Roomy cabin
- Refined ride.
- Many upscale features come standard
- High-quality cabin
- Available fuel-efficient turbodiesel engine
- Rearview camera not offered.
- Lackadaisical throttle response
- Below-average braking distances
User Reviews:
Showing 11 through 20 of 83.00-
Avoid this car if your goal is to buy a reliable v - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By Scott Young - August 26 - 10:10 amI bought the 2012 diesel Passat for the fuel economy and range. During the summer months I get almost 50 mpg hwy and winter is less because of the diesel fuel additives. HOWEVER- I have 135,000 miles on a 2012 and so far have dumped more than $9000 in maintenance and repairs. Every 40K miles the DSG transmission service is $800 and that is the cheap part. At slightly over 100k miles the problems started and they were all emissions related (this car is complicated). First the Add Blue tank heater failed and the entire tank must be replaced ($1000) then the butterfly valve for burning off the particulate failed ($1000), Both cooling fans ($800) and two oxygen sensors ($1000), add to that VW changed from a timing chain to a timing belt in 2011 so at 130K timing belt, water pump rollers/bearings etc. ached service was $2200. My VW dealer was great but VW needs to address reliability on this model (wonder whats going to happen with the emissions scandal ??)
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Fun MPG hauler - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By fenders - June 6 - 1:42 pmWith an imminent 45 mile commute after years of public transport, sold my 300hp awd manual Subaru wagon to look for a comfortable, fuel-efficient auto-transmission cruiser that could haul baby stuff on weekends but still be fun to drive during the week. Really wanted a GTI but the cargo area was too small. Compared the Passat to other midsize sedans and it just had the right feature set and driving vibe for me. Didnt expect to end up with a diesel; its growing on me! I agree with another reviewer that youre rewarded by staying in the TDI torque sweet-spot. Getting advertised mileage in 1000 miles of mixed driving so far, hope to see even higher.
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Impressive car on multiple fronts - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By kscommuter - May 18 - 12:20 amPurchased this car in December of 2011 and have put 49K miles on it. It gets over 40 to 41 mpg and I typically drive 79 mph on my 180 mile daily commute (all highway miles). It will get upper 40s mpg if we lower the average speed to 65 to 70 mph. The ride and handling are very good. The car is nicely equipped for a base model, with a very solid feel and generous cabin and trunk spaces. The diesel engine is very responsive in combination with the manual transmission. The 10,000 mile service intervals for the oil change and basic service are great. I opt to use the shop my husband works at for this basic car maintenance versus paying a VW dealership the overpriced fee of $400.00+.
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Couldnt be happier! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By silo3 - February 1 - 6:51 amI love this car. After serious comparison shopping, no other car in the class came close in terms of interior size, instrument layout, and aggressive pricing. The car is well appointed, handles and rides nicely, and has a great service agreement. Many reviewers have said is that the styling is boring. Sorry, but I got mine in black/black and its anything but boring. Id call it "classic." And its a design that will stand up over time. In fact the 2012 Passat is an antidote to the excessive curves and swoops of the Japanese makes. Definitely put the 2012 Passat on your list if youre looking for a mid-priced sedan.
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Just got my Passat TDI SE - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By cracovia - December 8 - 5:29 amTwo days ago I picked my 2012 Passat TDI SE. Did not fancy more options than those that came with the standard options package. Did not care much for a motorized glass sunroof that one has to take if one wants a 6 speed GSD transmission, but accepted it after trying how it works on a demo car. The car is phenomenal. On the way to work (20 miles one way) twice in the row I got an average of 45 mpg. hitting in some places 50.8 (what the gage said anyway). The inetrior is as roomy as my old 2003 Infiniti I35 that I was parting with. Got as many or more features. Quiet, soft but sensible ride, good road adhesion and styling. If f you have to chose between this car and Camry or Accord buy TDI.
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Sporty family vehicle! - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By Dale123 - July 27 - 1:02 pmI am overall pleased with our 2012 Passat we purchased from Birmingham Luxury Motors in Hueytown, AL. The car handles great, has plenty of power and holds THREE car seats comfortably. This is the first Volkswagen Ive owned and Im very happy of my purchase. Im 6 5" and I have ample amount of room and the trunk space is a huge commodity.
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2yrs and counting - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By brndnmartin87@gmail.com - March 25 - 5:05 pmAfter 2yrs of driving my 2012 passat tdi i have no complaints, i love the fuel milage 31/50 Its not a luxury car, it does have some road noise which got quit a bit better when i replaced the factory hankook tires with michelin primacy tires. Over all Im quit pleased. My wife drives it mostly and loves it!
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56,500 Care Free Miles - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By Brian Reed - March 10 - 12:10 amI am the original owner of this 2012 Passat SE 2.5 6A and it is still the best car I have ever owned. Everything it does is effortless. I am a big guy with long legs and sit far away from the steering wheel and yet my friends, also tall, can fit comfortably behind me in the backseat. Long trips or commuting, both are easily handled with this car. Now, to be fair, I have had one repair after the warranty expired. It was a software update for $50. Thats it. That is the total amount I have spent on repairs. This car is rock-solid reliable. The 2.5L 5 cylinder is an underrated engine in my opinion. It makes good torque down low and thru the midrange making for good acceleration off the line as well as passing power, when needed. Also, the car climbs grades, long, tall grades like they were flat. That is when I use the manual mode of the transmission, shifting it from 6th gear into 5th and letting the cruise control pull the car over the grade. It started its life in Utah and traversed those passes with ease in snowy or dry conditions without drama. MPG - That always seems to be the knock on this engine but I havent seen that. The worst MPG I have ever seen from this car is 24. Most of the time, I get 30 combined with 34 - 36 mpg on road trips. The car only needs 87 octane and just hums along. At 75 mph, the tach barely turns at 2,200 rpm. Seriously, this car is the total package - comfortable, power, efficient.
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25,000 miles so far, so good - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By Scott Johnson - March 2 - 12:57 amJust today turned over to 25,000. We have really enjoyed this vehicle. Sluggish accelerator that does take some time to get accustomed to but plenty of pep if you hit it. No issues with the creature comforts so far and everyone comments on the amount of interior space for a small vehicle. Only issue has been a burned out rear tail light; easy enough to replace myself. At 25k miles the Hankook tires are holding up well.
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My first VW - 2012 Volkswagen Passat
By shandipassat12 - February 21 - 2:12 pmWith the new Passat, what grabbed me was the luxurious exterior style...without knowing any better, youd think it was an Audi A6, which the Passat shares the same frame with. The interior space is unbelievable paired with a HUGE trunk...best in both areas in the "Mid-Size Class." I like technology, well I got everything I need a lower trim on the Passat: Auto headlights, bluetooth, a Premium 8 touch-screen radio with SIRIUS (YAY!), dual climate control. The car is extemely user friendly and the dash layout is flush and simple...not complicated or a million buttons like Honda. The 2.5L engine is SMOOTH!! No hesitation in acceleration, jerking, all around THE BEST CAR IVE BOUGHT!
