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VW Passat Test Drive. Part one

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The new US Passat pretty much looks like a big Jetta.
Which is OK, I guess. Both cars seem to appeal more to the conservative crowd.
Like Hondas and Toyotas. Instead of more daring designed from Hyundai/Kia. Even the new Altima seems to be a bit more modern.
But I guess the VWs are also trying to look more upscale.
Which the Passat does.

My test car has the diesel engine. With DSG auto.

I remembered the Golf DTI I test drove a while ago being very quiet. The Passat TDI doesn’t seem as quiet, at least at idle.
And the DSG, although better in this than in the Beetle or GTI, is still not as smooth as a regular 6 speed auto. Especially when downshifting.

So far I have driven it in the city only where my average was a bit under the 30MPG advertised.
29 is still good for such a roomy car.

More very soon, as I am driving this car all week.

Conversation 7 comments

  3. I have a 2009 VW C 3.6 4motion and i love the car. It has its quirks but I love it. The interior is nice and it drives good. Also I haven't had hardly any problems. I took my car in once for service and I got a new Passat as a loaner and I was surprised how "cheap" it felt on the inside. The seats where cheap, the plastic was hard and sort of shiny, the head unit nav was small and it just had an overall feel of a rental car. I'm not sure why this car is so popular but I would never buy one. One thing i did notice was how much bigger it is compared to the previous Passat. The interior is huge.

  4. My brother got one of these in February. So far he loves it. It's nearly as bland as a Camry, and the interior is not as nice as you'd expect from VW. The fake woodgrain is a sin. But VWs and Audis have treated my family well over the years, and the Passat is a lot of car for the money. Which is why it's perfect for young families.

  5. Extensively test drove (as in had one for 3 consecutive days) when the newest (2010 Impala look-a-like) Passat was released and found it to be one of the dullest most cheaply-made of all the current mainstream mid-sizers available in the US.

    There's just nothing about this vehicle that I find remotely more appealing than either the Kia Optima or the Nissan.Altima especially not the dull-as-dirt exterior/interior design.

  6. I bought a 2012 Passat TDI SE two months ago. On my 30-mile commute to work, I average 41 miles per gallon. The car is not a performance sedan, but it has adequate torque, is comfortable, has a lot of interior room and offers a lot of value for roughly $30K.

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