|
2008 Volkswagen Passat Review
Refined midsize sedan.
2008 Passat Review Summary & Specifications
The Volkswagen Passat is a sophisticated car with a high-quality cabin. It's roomy and comfortable. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine makes a good companion for the automatic transmission. The ride is smooth and comfortable and the chassis is well controlled at high speed. The available 4Motion all-wheel drive is an excellent option for bad weather. And the wagon makes for a highly practical car.New Car Test Drive correspondent Greg N. Brown reported from Hamburg, Germany; with editor Mitch McCullough reporting from Los Angeles.
|
|
| Vehicle Category | Midsize Cars |
| Editor | New Car Test Drive |
| Model Lineup | Volkswagen Passat 2.0T ($23,990), automatic ($25,065); 2.0T Wagon ($25,200), automatic ($26,275); Komfort sedan ($27,900); Komfort Wagon ($29,100); Lux sedan ($30,100); Lux Wagon ($31,300); VR6 sedan ($36,050), 4Motion ($38,000); VR6 Wagon 4Motion ($39,200) |
| Engines (standard) | 3.6-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Engines (optional) | 200-hp 2.0-liter dohc 16-valve turbocharged inline-4; 280-hp 3.6-liter dohc 24-valve V6 |
| Transmissions (standard) | 6-speed automatic w Tiptronic |
| Transmissions (optional) | 6-speed manual; 6-speed Tiptronic automatic |
| Safety Equipment (standard) | driver and passenger front airbags, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, three-point safety belts, emergency locking retractors, crash-active front headrests, safety belt power pretensioners for driver and front passenger, ABS, ESP, Brake Assist, tire-pressure monitor |
| Safety Equipment (optional) | rear-passenger side-impact airbags, Park Distance Control |
| Basic Warranty | 4 years/50,000 miles |
| Assembled In | Germany |
| Manufacturer Phone | 800-DRIVE-VW |
| Manufacturer URL | www.vw.com |
| Base Price MSRP | 23915 |
| Model Tested MSRP | Volkswagen Passat VR6 sedan ($35,990) |
| Standard Equipment | leather upholstery; air conditioning; theft deterrent system: Climatronic dual-zone automatic climate control; cruise control; electronic parking brake; manual tilt/telescoping three-spoke steering wheel with audio and Tiptronic controls; four cupholders; multi-function trip computer with digital compass; remote central locking; ambient interior lighting; dual front and rear reading lights; three auxiliary power outlets; illuminated glovebox; front center armrest with integrated storage box; rear center pass-through armrest with storage compartment; 12-way power front sport seats with heat; 3-way memory for driver's seat and outside mirrors; 60/40 split folding rear seat; 10-speaker Dynaudio premium stereo with in-dash six-disc CD changer, MP3, Sirius and auxiliary input jack; brushed aluminum interior trim; power windows with pinch protection; heated exterior side mirrors; remote trunk and fuel filler door releases; HomeLink; automatic bi-xenon headlights; rain-sensing wipers; self-dimming inside rearview mirror; Park Distance Control; heated washer nozzles |
| Destination Charge | 640 |
| Options as Tested (MSRP) | DVD navigation with glovebox-mounted six-disc CD changer ($1,800) |
| Gas Guzzler Tax | |
| Price as Tested | 38430 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Horse Power | 280 @ 6200 |
| Torque | 265 @ 2750 |
| Fuel Economy | 19/28 |
| Wheelbase | 106.7 |
| Length/Width/Height | 188.2/71.7/58.0 |
| Track Front/Rear | |
| Turning Radius | 35.8 |
| Seating Capacity | 5 |
| Front Head/Hip/Leg room | 38.4/NA/41.4 |
| Middle Head/Hip/Leg room | |
| Rear Head/Hip/Leg room | 37.8/NA/37.7 |
| Trunk Volume | 14.2 |
| Payload | |
| Towing Capacity | 3300 |
| Front Suspension | independent, MacPherson struts with lower wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shocks, anti-roll bar |
| Rear Suspension | independent, four-link, coil springs, hydraulic shocks, anti-roll bar |
| Ground Clearance | 5.2 |
| Curb Weight | 3576 |
| Stock Tires | 235/40HR18 |
| Brakes Front/Rear | vented disc/solid disc with ABS, Brake Assist |
| Fuel Capacity | 18.5 |
|
|