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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  Maintenance! Total breakdown! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Jimmy - November 5 - 1:01 am

  I have had many problems....como. problems with this cars, recalls and minor stupid issues that should not happen at this mileage. Something about the pic valve makes your car idle rough and you must keep replacing it. The ignition coils always go out. Also biggest issue with this car is the timing belt. And not the timing belt itself, its components. They all mess up so you must make preventive maintenance!?!? Your car can be running fine, then all of a sudden lock up your engine. This is a main problem. Sadly my friend warned me about it and then said "I told you so" to my $5000 sudden expense. [non-permissible content removed] Passat. Only few models are worth it for vw.

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  Piece of junk with great seats! - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By cliffordsgal - October 25 - 6:19 am

  Leased the car brand new in the Fall of 2005. Yea, they used 2005 parts in this piece of junk 2006 VW Passat. The 2005 had more recalls though, FUNNY THING! Ive had nothing but problems since 31,000 miles. Parts breaking left and right. The hubs were toast at 60,000 miles. Really? I mean rusted through. The interior started to deteriorate at 20,000 miles and it was out of warranty by then because of the year. RUST began to show on the outside of the car at 40,000. The engine repeatedly seized in the winter time as early as 40,000 miles. In Europe they recalled this same vehicle for many many more issues than the US did and they were all built from the SAME PARTS! Yea, pretty sad.

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  VW stands for VERY WORST! - 2010 Volkswagen Passat
  By Joel M - August 23 - 5:00 pm

  I bought my 2010 VW Passat (2.0T TSI) used about 9 months ago. I did not buy it from a VW dealership, but did my homework and saw that all maintenance was consistent and up to date. It rode nice and and was okay for comfort and the body and engine looked to be in good shape. Blue Book value at the time was about $8200 and I picked it up for $8000. Within 3 months, I noticed a coolant leak. I took it to a VW mechanic (not the dealership) who told me the auxiliary water pump casing had cracked. There are two water pumps on this vehicle and both are plastic. So I had the water pump replaced at a cost of about $600. About 2 weeks later, I have another coolant leak. this time it is the main water pump. Another $600 out the door. The mechanic told me he has been seeing this problem with all VW TSI engines from the years 2009 - 2011. The problem, as he can figure, is that there is a seal between the pump and the block. The design VW has makes sure a piece of this seal is sticking up. When oil contacts this seal, it swells causing the water pump casing to crack. That was his thoughts, though Im not convinced it isnt just oil hitting the plastic that causes it to embrittle and fail. So now I have replaced both water pumps and think Im good to go. Not so. About two months later, I have another coolant leak and it is, again, the main water pump casing that cracked. This looked to be caused by a little oil that was slopped during an oil change. Thats all it took and Im repairing this car, again. At this point I posted it for sale online because I see it is a dog. The blue book has now dropped to about $6500. No takers for a couple months and then, you guessed it, another coolant leak. I had the car in for the 120,000 mile maintenance a week before and the mechanic inspected the water pumps and everything was good. So I take it back to him and yes, the water pump failed again. This time the source of the oil that caused the leak was a failed PCV valve. During the aforementioned maintenance, this was checked and found to be working fine. It was not part of the maintenance, but my mechanic checks a lot more just to verify common failures are monitored. In this case, the PCV valve, which coincidentally is another cheap plastic part, failed causing the interior pressure of the engine to build, blowing out pretty much every seal on the engine. Oil sprays out, coats the water pump, and the water pump casing splits, again. Now I am looking at basically a $3000+ fix. Needless to say, it is now being offered for sale as a parts car. VW has been contacted throughout this period and, not surprisingly, has not responded. My feeling is that VW talks a good story about customer care and loyalty, but they really dont want to hear about problems, they just want you to pay to fix them, over and over. This feeling isnt just that they ignored my complaints, but go to their website. Try and find a place where you can actually lodge a complaint. It doesnt exist. There is a link for feedback, but it is really geared around feedback for their website, not for their products. You can eventually dig around long enough to get someone that will tell you to email your complaints to vwcustomercare@vw.com. Do yourselves a favor...avoid ALL VW products.

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  2003 Volkswagen Passat - 2003 Volkswagen Passat
  By j wilson - March 30 - 6:37 am

  This car is a complete lemon. You fix one thing three things break. Repairs include 2 water pumps, vacuum system failure. Sludge in the motor. Very expensive parts. Turbocharger failure. Antenna broke. Seatbelt buckle broke which is hooked to airbag. Dont buy a Volkswagen. I have paid more in repairs than I paid for the car.

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  Worst vehicle Ive ever had - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By Smitty - March 3 - 8:25 pm

  The NAV is not user friendly. When you enter the car, the media plays whatever it wants to even if your apps arent open. The display changes from whatever setting youve selected to show that youre making a call and to whom youre calling; so if you had it set on the speed you have to change it back after starting or ending the call. As soon as the a/c was out of warranty the compressor went out. I have had it replaced less than a week and its gone out again. Besides the fact that my TDI has no value because of the lies the company told, the car is a piece of crap.

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  NEVER buy a Volkswagen. - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By Cody - March 2 - 4:35 am

  I purchased my 2006 VW Passat 2.0T for about $25K from the dealership. It now has106k miles. The scheduled maintenance was always done on time, including the pricey synthetic oil changes every 3k miles. After taking the necessary actions to have the car regularly serviced(in hopes of having the car last) At 85K miles I needed to replace the front axel. ($1200) At 100K miles my car started shifting funny. I brought it to the dealership to take a look. I was told I needed to replace the transmission. They quoted me $6000. After this shocking quote I brought the car to a reputable transmission shop. I was told the same thing, I needed a new transmission. This quote was less at $4.5K. Thats right, with 106k miles I needed to replace the transmission! In my opinion a transmission should not need to be replaced with 100K miles. The black rubber coating on the buttons is pealing, the sunroof is leaking, and the engine is misfiring. I would highly suggest to anyone looking to purchase a VW not to. They are stylish and affordable but the cars do not last.

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  DO NOT PURCHASE THIS CAR - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By xoirishlollyxo - January 6 - 11:00 pm

  Since purchasing this car three years ago I have had nothing but problems. I had to replace the clutch @ 110k, the automatic locks stopped working and worst of all-it started to flood and no one can figure where out its coming from! So poorly designed they have the comfort control module under the drivers feet, obviously where water can get into if the car is leaking. Water has gotten into the comfort control and has effected the entire performance of the car and it stopped starting. I had to pay $2k to have the module completely redone and found out the passats have a problem with leaking through the sunroof! These repairs should have been covered as it is obviously a manufacture defect!

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  Disapointed in Volkswagen as a first time customer - 2016 Volkswagen Passat
  By Patrick Hay - December 31 - 3:08 pm

  I purchase a 2016 R-Line Passat within the first week was back for alignment and not 4 weeks after owning found spots on hood and the dealer wants to keep a 4 week old car for a week and a half to repaint the hood. The biggest disappointment is the misleading pricing by VW and complete lack or support and knowledge of the car wanted to have Remote Start installed relatively common and listed as option on VW sit for $246 MSRPP. Dealer wanted to charge $1200 saying multiple parts needed to be replaced. I found VW published document that stated that was not needed the document was attained from a VW site and was copyright protected by VW. VW denied that it was their document and incorrect. After a month trying to track this down Dealer finally admitted the VON check was coming up incorrect in the system not reflecting the lighting package. Now the car has been at the dealer for 2 days they cant get the remote starter installed and now need to get a part that is going to have to come from Germany and take 15 days to arrive. I have Contacted customer care and have been told for week they will get back to me next business day and they have not provided anything of substance. Terrible experience as first time VW customer the support is horrible!

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  Brand New Car- Towed to Dealer After 1 Day - 2015 Volkswagen Passat
  By stranded2015 - September 28 - 10:41 am

  I have owned this car for 36 hours and have spent several of those hours dealing with VW customer service. They were most unhelpful. The car has a host of issues and had to get towed to the dealer. It appears to have a starter or ignition problem, a blown speaker, and a faulty door hinge. VW has clearly not resolved their quality control issues. Stay far away from VW products.

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  Lemon, Lemon, Lemon - 2007 Volkswagen Passat
  By Robert - January 14 - 3:03 pm

  I was very pleased with the Passat at first. That is until I found a small dent upon delivery, it broke down due to a loose ground strap, the Dynaudio stereo has a problem with losing the lower bass, a constant morris-code rattle at the driver side pillar, the hesitive fuel peddle response, and of course the poor service from every dealer Ive been to. They never seem to be able to fix anything right the first time. Im going to sell this waste of money the first chance I get. That is unless VW and their sorry excuse for mechanics can fix these tivial issues.