| Who says styling isn't important in a wagon? If you ask | | | | I can't say enough good things about the Passat's |
| me, the Passat looks as good, if not better, as a | | | | two-liter four-cylinder engine, which develops a V6-like |
| wagon than it does as a sedan (review here). What I | | | | 200 horsepower. The engine has a turbocharger -- an |
| like best, though, is that it doesn't give up any | | | | exhaust-driven turbine that blows additional air into the |
| practicality, like the Dodge Magnum (review) does with | | | | engine, allowing it to develop more power -- but there's |
| its low roof. Its 35.8 cubic foot load bay gives it more | | | | virtually no delay between stepping on the gas and |
| cargo space than a Nissan XTerra SUV. I also like the | | | | getting full power, a problem (called turbo lag) that |
| details, such as the chrome-surrounded grille and the | | | | affects many turbocharged cars. |
| the LED taillights under clear lenses -- a slick-looking | | | | The engine's snappy response is due in part to VW's |
| touch that does double-duty as a safety enhancement | | | | FSI direct injection, a fuel injection system that |
| (LEDs are brighter, light up faster and use less energy | | | | increases response and fuel economy while |
| than regular bulbs). | | | | decreasing emissions. The Passat had enough passing |
| The Passat is one of those cars that looks good in | | | | power to put many V6s to shame and got great gas |
| some colors, great in others; sadly the Passat's paint | | | | mileage; we scored 28.3 MPG in mixed driving and 31 |
| palette is rather dull and conservative. My tester (larger | | | | MPG on a long highway run. That's as good as my |
| photo) was painted Shadow Blue, a color that makes | | | | wife's 4-cylinder Honda Accord wagon, which doesn't |
| the Passat look handsome but not particularly upscale. | | | | have anywhere near as much power as the Passat. |
| I prefer Blue Graphite, a sharp grey-blue color that | | | | When car fans praise German engineering, its engines |
| looks beautiful on the Passat wagon. | | | | like this that they're talking about. Too bad the wagon |
| Safety is a priority for the Passat: Front-seat-mounted | | | | isn't available with a stick-shift; a 6-speed automatic is |
| torso airbags, two-row side curtain airbags, antilock | | | | standard fare. |
| brakes and electronic stability control come standard in | | | | Ride and handling were top-notch. The Germans aren't |
| all versions. Now that's attractive! | | | | as obsessed with quiet as Japanese automakers tend |
| In the Driver's Seat: Good ergonomics, love-hate | | | | to be, which made the Passat's quiet ride that much |
| navigation system | | | | more of a pleasant surprise. |
| Settling into the comfortable fake-leather seats - real | | | | Journey's End: A great car, but expensive for what |
| leather is optional on all Passats save the entry-level | | | | you get |
| Value Edition - I found myself instantly at home. The | | | | VW makes three different versions of the Passat: 2.0 |
| Passat is easy to see out of and most of the controls | | | | (which I tested), 2.0 Value Edition, and 3.6 (with a 280 |
| are straightforward. Packing for our road trip was | | | | hp V6 that borders on overkill - review here). The |
| easy; the kids had plenty of back-seat room and they | | | | numbers denote engine size and trim level. I'd be happy |
| liked the center armrest (photo) with its extra storage | | | | with the 2.0: Power windows locks and mirrors, air |
| space and cupholders. The cargo bay (photo) | | | | conditioning, cruise control, floor mats and CD player |
| swallowed all of our luggage with room left over for | | | | are all standard, as is all the safety equipment I |
| another family's worth of stuff. | | | | mentioned earlier. The Value Edition is $950 cheaper; it |
| I had a love-hate relationship with the $1,800 navigation | | | | gives up power seats, alloy wheels and some trim bits |
| system. Love: Good directions with next-turn info | | | | - no big deal - but it isn't available with options like a |
| displayed right on the dashboard (photo). Hate: No | | | | sunroof, CD changer, heated seats and a navigation |
| touchscreen, it's infuriatingly slow to program and the | | | | system, all things I'd want. Optional amenities like |
| map display (photo) omits many street names and | | | | dual-zone climate control, wood interior trim (photo) and |
| natural landmarks. The Susquehanna River looks | | | | rain-sensing wipers are exclusive to the 3.6, which can |
| pretty big in real life, but it was missing from the | | | | exceed $40k when loaded. Ouch! |
| Passat's map. | | | | If I were shopping for a new car the Passat wagon |
| The nav system's screen doubles as a display for the | | | | would definitely be on my short-list. It's strong on safety |
| audio system which included optional satellite radio, a | | | | and I love the power and economy of the 2.0T engine. |
| feature I really appreciated on this trip. -- we were able | | | | But price is a problem: The Subaru Legacy wagon is |
| to listen to the same station for the whole ride, though | | | | cheaper, and for $30K I could get an Audi A4 wagon |
| dense tree cover occaisionally blocked the satellite | | | | with the same 2.0T engine, manual transmission and |
| signal. | | | | more prestige (but less cargo room). I liked the Passat |
| On the Road: One of the best four-cylinder engines | | | | wagon; I'm just not sure if I felt $30,000 worth of like. |
| I've ever driven | | | | |