[car fanatics]

Car Fanatics
Photo: Copyright 2012 Joe Fernandez / Car Fanatics Forum
June 28, 2012
By: Victor Mosqueda

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat was designed in Germany, but built at Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. The European spec Passat is much larger than the American version, due to the fact that Americans prefer large family sedans. The Passat, like the Jetta, is Volkswagen's attempt to shatter the perception that Volkswagen is merely a niche player in the American market for full-size sedans.

The 2012 Passat comes with a starting MSRP of just $20,590, and offers a wide range of engines: 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI Clean Diesel, 2.5-liter five-cylinder gas, or 3.6-liter VR6 engines. Our test car, an SEL Premium model starts at $32,950. How does it stack up against the competition, lets take a look.

Exterior

The key identifying feature of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat is the styling of the front end. Here the sedan displays the new horizontal brand face, with three-blade grille and headlights forming a single unit. Beyond the frond end, the exterior of the Passat is simple, yet elegant, a recurring theme within Volkswagen. Is the Passat a generic 4-door sedan? I tend to think so. With Americans purchasing so many blandly styled Japanese sedans, maybe Volkswagen didn't feel it was necessary to push the styling envelope on the 2012 Volkswagen Passat. All in all, the Passat is a generously-proportioned four-door sedan and the largest Passat ever. Nose to tail it measures 191.6 inches and features a stretched 110.4-inch wheelbase and 72.2-inch width, which allows such exceptional rear-seat space.

Interior

The cabin is luxurious on the SEL version, and is certainly a major upgrade when compared to the lower line models. The interior probably won't win any awards from Wards Automotive, but it does offer a very clean look. Although the interior doesn't evoke any emotion, it does do functionality very well. All the controls feel good to the touch, and are placed where you would expect to find them. The HVAC controls are of the three knob variety and easy to use. The various interfaces allow us to tap the car's stereo, climate control and navigation systems without scrolling through endless menus. While the center console bin is fairly deep, it's too narrow to offer any meaningful capacity. The storage bins on the doors are slight, and even the glovebox offers inadequate space.

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat was designed and specifically tailored for American tastes and American lifestyles. You would expect the cabin to deliver space, and plenty of it. That is not necessarily the case. The sedan offers 39.1 inches of rear legroom and Volkswagen says there is suppose to be room for five adults to really stretch out in comfort, but in reality, the backseat is suitable for two, not three; there is also limited in-cabin storage. This is mainly due to the tall hump on the floor behind the center console that makes it a pain in the butt for the unfortunate soul seated in the middle. On the upside, if there are just two people in the back, then things aren't so bad. You get the chance to use the rear seat's nice pull-down armrest, which features ample padding and a couple of cupholders.

The sedan offers 15.9 cubic feet of trunk space, one of the largest in the segment. The trunk's wide 'mouth' makes loading easy, and its flat floor provides lots of usable space. Outward visibility is good from most angles, which makes passing on the freeway and backing into parking spaces a stress-free endeavor.

Performance

The 3.6-liter VR6 produces an impressive 280 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, making the Passat a top-flight sport sedan, easily getting up to speed in the fast lane and providing enough off-the-line thrust to sweeten the driving experience. The EPA highway estimate is 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. The Premium model has a standard six-speed DSG, with smooth shifting transmission. The six-speed isn't slow to downshift, and makes the most of the engines power. The only downside is that 1st gear in the regular Drive mode is designed to short shift for fuel economy purposes, and if you try to accelerate quickly, there is a slight dead spot between 1st and 2nd gear changes. You can rectify this by dropping it into Sport mode, however, it allows first gear to wind up higher in the rev range and the Passat takes off quite nicely. Also, Sport mode holds each gear longer for improved acceleration. And if you choose to shift gears yourself, each tap of the paddles makes the transmission shift instantly with virtually no lag time, either up or down, and without the usual hesitation most cars exhibit. If you're looking for maximum fuel efficiency, you might want to consider the TDI version, which achieves an EPA rating of 31 city and 41 highway mpg.

Conclusion

Should you buy the 2012 Volkswagen Passat? My answer would be yes, if you're looking for a sedan that is fun to drive and with a lot of features. Targeted at American consumers with more size, the car's generous legroom makes it a great fit for those who frequently transfer taller passengers in back. And lastly, thanks to its low price, the Passat is also an excellent pick for consumers in this segment who prioritize value. On the other hand, if you want to comfortably seat five or are looking for a more aggressive looking sedan, you might want to look elsewhere.