Latest Volkswagen cars


Volkswagen Passat Wagon

Who says styling isn't important in a wagon?
If you ask me, the Passat looks as good, ifI can't say enough good things about the
not better, as a wagon than it does as aPassat's two-liter four-cylinder engine,
sedan (review here). What I like best,which develops a V6-like 200 horsepower. The
though, is that it doesn't give up anyengine has a turbocharger -- an
practicality, like the Dodge Magnum (review)exhaust-driven turbine that blows additional
does with its low roof. Its 35.8 cubic footair into the engine, allowing it to develop
load bay gives it more cargo space than amore power -- but there's virtually no delay
Nissan XTerra SUV. I also like the details,between stepping on the gas and getting full
such as the chrome-surrounded grille and thepower, a problem (called turbo lag) that
the LED taillights under clear lenses -- aaffects  many  turbocharged  cars.
slick-looking touch that does double-duty as
a safety enhancement (LEDs are brighter,The engine's snappy response is due in part
light up faster and use less energy thanto VW's FSI direct injection, a fuel
regular  bulbs).injection system that increases response and
fuel economy while decreasing emissions. The
The Passat is one of those cars that looksPassat had enough passing power to put many
good in some colors, great in others; sadlyV6s to shame and got great gas mileage; we
the Passat's paint palette is rather dull andscored 28.3 MPG in mixed driving and 31 MPG
conservative. My tester (larger photo) wason a long highway run. That's as good as my
painted Shadow Blue, a color that makes thewife's 4-cylinder Honda Accord wagon, which
Passat look handsome but not particularlydoesn't have anywhere near as much power as
upscale. I prefer Blue Graphite, a sharpthe Passat. When car fans praise German
grey-blue color that looks beautiful on theengineering, its engines like this that
Passat  wagon.they're talking about. Too bad the wagon
isn't available with a stick-shift; a 6-speed
Safety is a priority for the Passat:automatic  is  standard  fare.
Front-seat-mounted torso airbags, two-row
side curtain airbags, antilock brakes andRide and handling were top-notch. The Germans
electronic stability control come standard inaren't as obsessed with quiet as Japanese
all  versions.  Now  that's  attractive!automakers tend to be, which made the
Passat's quiet ride that much more of a
In the Driver's Seat: Good ergonomics,pleasant  surprise.
love-hate  navigation  system
Journey's End: A great car, but expensive for
Settling into the comfortable fake-leatherwhat  you  get
seats - real leather is optional on all
Passats save the entry-level Value Edition -VW makes three different versions of the
I found myself instantly at home. The PassatPassat: 2.0 (which I tested), 2.0 Value
is easy to see out of and most of theEdition, and 3.6 (with a 280 hp V6 that
controls are straightforward. Packing for ourborders on overkill - review here). The
road trip was easy; the kids had plenty ofnumbers denote engine size and trim level.
back-seat room and they liked the centerI'd be happy with the 2.0: Power windows
armrest (photo) with its extra storage spacelocks and mirrors, air conditioning, cruise
and cupholders. The cargo bay (photo)control, floor mats and CD player are all
swallowed all of our luggage with room leftstandard, as is all the safety equipment I
over  for  another  family's  worth of stuff.mentioned earlier. The Value Edition is $950
cheaper; it gives up power seats, alloy
I had a love-hate relationship with thewheels and some trim bits - no big deal - but
$1,800 navigation system. Love: Goodit isn't available with options like a
directions with next-turn info displayedsunroof, CD changer, heated seats and a
right on the dashboard (photo). Hate: Nonavigation system, all things I'd want.
touchscreen, it's infuriatingly slow toOptional amenities like dual-zone climate
program and the map display (photo) omitscontrol, wood interior trim (photo) and
many street names and natural landmarks. Therain-sensing wipers are exclusive to the 3.6,
Susquehanna River looks pretty big in realwhich  can  exceed  $40k  when  loaded. Ouch!
life, but it was missing from the Passat's
map.If I were shopping for a new car the Passat
wagon would definitely be on my short-list.
The nav system's screen doubles as a displayIt's strong on safety and I love the power
for the audio system which included optionaland economy of the 2.0T engine. But price is
satellite radio, a feature I reallya problem: The Subaru Legacy wagon is
appreciated on this trip. -- we were able tocheaper, and for $30K I could get an Audi A4
listen to the same station for the wholewagon with the same 2.0T engine, manual
ride, though dense tree cover occaisionallytransmission and more prestige (but less
blocked  the  satellite  signal.cargo room). I liked the Passat wagon; I'm
just not sure if I felt $30,000 worth of
On the Road: One of the best four-cylinderlike.
engines  I've  ever  driven



1 A B C D 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109