Feature

The 2012 VW Passat

What the critics say about VW's new $19,995 Passat.

Automobile
The all-new, upsized Passat is made in the USA—designed for Yankee tastes and manufactured in Tennessee in a move calculated to help it become a major seller in the lucrative midsize-auto market. Accordingly, it’s “the dollars, not the drivers,” that have dictated the vehicle’s styling and engineering. Still a fine car, this Passat offers “respectable fuel economy, generous space, a great ride, and a fair value.” Alas, all the fahrvergnügen is gone. With this car, Volkswagen “has traded soul for sales.”

MotorWeek.com 
Most everyone but longtime VW devotees will welcome the car’s move toward the mainstream. The longer wheelbase provides a smooth ride and greater legroom, the overall look is conservative but classy, and, if you opt for the 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine, the elongated Passat is actually “a joy to drive.”

TheDetroitBureau.com
Whatever driving enthusiasts may think of it, this car is going to win VW a lot of new customers. Shoppers for midsize sedans like a good value, and the “pleasantly competent” and nicely appointed new Passat is actually priced significantly lower than the smaller model it replaces. Given its plain wrapper, “this isn’t a car that will turn heads.” Then again, “no one will be embarrassed to park it in the driveway.”

Recommended

6 picture-perfect homes with great views
House
Feature

6 picture-perfect homes with great views

The Check-In: Flight bans in France and traveling along the Artichoke Trail
Planes release smoke in the colors of the French flag
Feature

The Check-In: Flight bans in France and traveling along the Artichoke Trail

The Week contest: Dog accomplice
Dog in the driver seat of a vehicle.
Feature

The Week contest: Dog accomplice

6 efficient homes for the eco-conscious
House
Feature

6 efficient homes for the eco-conscious

Most Popular

Disney hits back against DeSantis
Entranceway to Walt Disney World.
Feature

Disney hits back against DeSantis

Censoring ideas and rewriting history
Copies of banned books from various states and school systems.
Briefing

Censoring ideas and rewriting history

What the shifting religious landscape means for American politics
Ballot box
Talking point

What the shifting religious landscape means for American politics