Test Drive: 2012 VW Passat 2.5 Comfortline

2012 VW Passat 2.5L Comfortline. Click image to enlarge

More Volkswagen Passat reviews on Autos.ca Manufacturer’s web site Volkswagen Canada

Review and photos by Greg Wilson

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2012 Volkswagen Passat

Though it was designed and engineered in Germany, the all-new VW Passat was clearly designed with the needs of North American customers in mind. Now built in Chattanooga, Tennessee instead of Emden and Mosel, Germany, the 2012 Passat sedan (not the coupe-like CC) is bigger and roomier, with a wider cabin, limousine-like rear legroom, and a generously-sized trunk. And with a longer wheelbase and wider track, the new Passat offers a more comfortable highway ride.

VW’s choice of its 170-hp inline five-cylinder engine as the base powerplant instead of the previous 200-hp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder could be considered a downgrade – but in fact, VW’s five-cylinder is more comparable with its competitors’ base four-cylinder engines: it offers similar horsepower and torque to the Camry, Accord, Mazda6, Altima, and Fusion (but less than the new Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima) and uses Regular grade gasoline instead of Premium.

2012 VW Passat 2.5L Comfortline. Click image to enlarge

The new Passat is also more affordable: in Canada, the 2012 Passat’s base price has dropped by some $3,800 to just under $24,000 for Trendline models with the manual transmission. Popular mid-level Passat Comfortline models with automatic transmission now go for under $30,000 compared to over $32,000 for the previous Passat Comfortline sedan, last seen in 2010. The new pricing is also more in line with its competitors.

Volkswagen doesn’t offer a hybrid version of the new Passat, but they do offer the only diesel engine in this class: the venerable 140-hp four-cylinder TDI diesel engine which offers hybrid-like fuel economy numbers of 6.8 L/100 km city and 4.4 L/100 km highway. Top-of-the-line 2012 Passats can be ordered with the same 280-hp 3.6-litre V6 that was available in the previous model.

A five-speed manual transmission comes standard in the Passat 2.5 but a six-speed manual is available in the TDI. An optional six-speed automatic is available with the 2.5 engine, while VW’s six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is available with the TDI and standard with the V6.

For 2012, front-wheel drive is standard, but 4Motion all-wheel drive is not yet offered. As well, a Passat wagon bodystyle isn’t yet available.

The Passat sedan’s new styling is very similar to the Jetta, and from a distance you might mistake one for the other. The headlight and grille design in particular, follows a common styling theme seen in many other new VWs, including the Jetta, Golf, Eos, Tiguan and Touareg. Some might argue that the Passat’s simple, horizontal grille bars and covered headlights, horizontal body lines, and plain red tail lights are a tad boring, but simplicity of design does have its fans. The new Passat is not trendy and may well outlast the exaggerated sculpture of some of its competitors. Personally, I like the Passat’s understated elegance, both inside and out.

The simple horizontal design of the new Passat’s interior is similar to the Touareg’s. The upper dash and armrests are made of a high quality, soft-touch plastic, and the quality and fit of the dash materials is very good. Standard aluminum-look trim extends across the dash (optional carbon-fibre look or wood trim) while subtle use of chrome trim around the vents, centre stack and shift lever adds a classy touch. The two round backlit white-on-black gauges for the speedo and tachometer are easy to read and are separated by a digital information display which the driver can operate using steering wheel controls.

2012 VW Passat 2.5L Comfortline. Click image to enlarge

The centre stack includes a standard audio system with an LCD screen, or an optional touch-screen for audio, navigation and phone functions; standard single or optional dual-zone automatic climate control is operated by conventional dials and buttons below the touch-screen; and the centre tunnel includes an open storage bin with powerpoint for phones and a small bin under the armrest with iPod, auxiliary and 12-volt outlets. My only complaints with the Passat’s interior are that the fuel and coolant gauges are very small, and the centre screen can be hard to see when sunlight creates glare.

The standard upholstery in Passat Trendline models is a patterned black cloth, while Comfortline models offer black or grey perforated V-Tex leatherette, and Highline models come with black or grey “Vienna” leather. Our Passat 2.5L Comfortline model had the optional sport seats in grey leatherette which matched the colour of the lower dash and carpets. Thankfully, the black floormats kept the floor from looking soiled.

The front sport seats are wide and comfortable with good support: the driver’s seat has power height, power recline and power lumbar adjustments, while the front passenger seat has a manual recline and manual lumbar adjuster. A standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel helps drivers of various sizes find a good seating position.

The cabin feels wide and spacious, particularly at the rear where there is room to stretch out. The amount of legroom will surprise you. A folding centre armrest provides two cupholders and a storage compartment for the outboard passengers.

Entry and exit through the four large doors is easy and there is plenty of headroom. The trunk is fully lined, except for the trunklid, and the cargo volume of 430 litres (15.2 cu. ft.) is spacious, but about average in this class. With both split folding seats folded down, the pass-through opening is quite large but the seats don’t fold down perfectly flat.

Our test car had the 170-hp five-cylinder engine and optional six-speed automatic transmission with the “Tiptronic” manual shift function ($1,400). Our car also had the optional Sport Package which included 18-inch all-season tires and alloy wheels, carbon look interior trim, front sport seats, paddle shifters, and rear lip spoiler ($1,050). That’s a very reasonable price for all that stuff.

2012 VW Passat 2.5L Comfortline. Click image to enlarge

Though not the most powerful or most refined engine in its class, the inline five-cylinder develops sufficient power to provide quick acceleration when needed, thanks in large part to the six-speed automatic transmission which responds quickly and provides the revs needed to move ahead. In the transmission’s “S” mode, the driver can shift manually with the shift lever or optional paddles behind the steering wheel, but curiously, I found the transmission will shift automatically both up and down if the driver doesn’t.

In top gear, the engine turns over just 1,800 rpm at a steady 100 km/h, helping to reduce engine noise and improve fuel economy. With the automatic transmission, official fuel economy numbers are (L/100 km) 9.6 city/6.7 hwy, not quite as good as most of its four-cylinder competitors.

Like most Volkswagens, the Passat offers excellent driving dynamics: with a fully independent suspension (front McPherson struts/rear four-link) it handles very well and feels stable at high speeds, although it’s too big to be “nimble”. The ride is comfortable and the cabin is pretty quiet, except for some tire noise from the Hankook Optimo tires on our test car. The Passat’s unusually tight 11.1 m (36.4 ft) turning diameter makes parking a breeze. All in all, it’s an enjoyable car to drive.

Though an all-new engine with better fuel economy would have really made the new Passat stand out among other mid-size sedans, the 2012 Passat’s combination of understated styling, roomy cabin, big trunk, comfortable ride, nicely finished interior, and competitive price add up to big value in a family sedan that is now truly competitive in North America – unlike the last Passat.