Initially when you first step into the Passat, you’re greeted with a nice, airy cabin. It’s not the flashiest looking interior, but it’s functional and the materials seem to have that European sturdiness to them. The doors shut with a satisfying clunk, the interior doesn’t squeak or rattle, and even the door locks have this punctual, solid thunk to them. The outward visibility is just fine as well. The windshield is within very close proximity to the driver’s seat, and the front hood slopes down completely out of sight. It all provides you with a crystal clear view of the road in front of you. I also appreciate the unique touches of this interior, like the rectangular shaped rearview mirror. That one minor detail seems to make this interior feel more unique compared to your usual Japanese or American competitors. The Passat’s interior isn’t particularly luxurious like the current Accord or Camry, but it’s not really bland either. The overall aesthetic of the interior gives off the impression of a solid A to B family car.
When I first started driving, I immediately took note of the steering feel. At parking lot speeds, the steering feels quite heavy and solid. I would almost say that it reminds me of a budget BMW in the way that the steering initially responds. It’s obviously not the same as a BMW, but the steering in the Passat has just a touch of that heavy/dense feel that you would typically only find in a higher end German car. I would even go as far to say that the steering doesn’t even feel electrically assisted. It captures the rawness and connectedness of a hydraulic power steering system really well.
While I liked the steering initially, it wore off a little when I got the Passat out on the road. I like the precision and the quick response, but it doesn’t feel quite as connected or well matched to the front tires as a Jetta or a Golf would feel. It tracks with pavement indents and road imperfections just a little too extensively, which makes the steering feel unrefined at times. It feels decently hefty on center, but the steering starts to feel a little loose and disconnected once you start going around some corners. You get decent road feel for being a modern, midsize family sedan, however there were times when I felt like the steering was transmitting unnecessary vibrations and it seemed to get little sloppy over road imperfections and/or uneven pavement lines. It felt as if I was feeling parts of the road that I didn’t want to feel in certain situations. To summarize, I like the chunkiness and the more connected feedback from the steering. It’s better in those aspects compared to most other family sedans, and even some of the less expensive VW models. I don’t totally like the slight ponderousness or the lack of refinement on rough road surfaces.
The 2.5 liter 5 cylinder engine is a really unique engine. It’s quiet, but it also has a unique, baritone type sound to it. It feels a little slow to start off initially, but once that torque kicks in, the power band smooths out and the Passat takes off nicely. The torque is still there in the lower RPM range, however the Passat still takes a second or two to get moving upon starting off in first gear. Once you’re up and moving, the 5 cylinder feels seamless, and you don’t really need to downshift in order to get a nice feeling of torque and passing power. It’s a fun engine to wring out, and it gives you the confidence to do whatever you need to do. It’s a shame VW discontinued this engine, because it really separated the Passat from the rest of the competition. You won’t dare ever see a 5 cylinder Camry or Accord on the market.
The accelerator pedal is a floor hinged design. It feels stiff and requires a little extra legwork to get the engine going. The softer off-the-line torque feels slightly exaggerated by the accelerator’s slower response. I didn’t really like it at first, but once I got used to it I actually really enjoyed the throttle response in this car. It feels linear and progressive, and it relays what the engine is doing really well. It’s very easy to control where you want your RPMs to be at and modulate the perfect amount of power and acceleration that you need. It feels refreshing compared to other cars that focus more on immediate response, rather than predictability and control.
The 6-speed automatic reminds me of a Mazda automatic transmission. It feels tuned well towards driver inputs, and it is very smooth shifting with no jerkiness or lack of refinement whatsoever. The upshifts don’t feel particularly quick like they would feel in a dual clutch automatic, however the transmission keeps you in the engine’s sweet spot and it doesn’t seem to disrupt engine’s torque curve under acceleration. Even when you’re just babying the accelerator and keeping the RPMs low, each gear gives you a satisfying amount of seamless power from the engine. Downshifts don’t feel lightning quick, but the transmission still does a decent job at delivering crisp downshifts with relatively light throttle inputs.
One thing I didn’t like about the automatic is the fact that it wouldn’t downshift at all for me in certain scenarios. Possibly something to do with how the gear ratios were designed, but whenever I was in 3rd gear at around 25-35 mph, the transmission would just ride out third gear even with my foot all the way to the floor. I drove two different Passats with the same powertrains, and both vehicles did the same thing, so I don’t think it’s an isolated issue. I wasn’t a huge deal, but it just felt a little unusual. If that sounds like a big deal to you, then you might want to go with the DSG or the manual transmission offerings in the Passat. Other than that, the transmission worked flawlessly.
The handling of this car performs fine. It feels light for a midsize sedan, but it has a certain kind of European solidity that some of the competing vehicles don’t quite have. I don’t think the Passat handles as well as the new Camry or the Mazda 6, but it’s good enough to be class competitive. There is some body lean, but the car still remains decently composed around turns. You can drive just as fast on a twisty road as you would in a Mazda 6 or the new Camry and come out of it just fine, just don’t expect the level of playfulness or engagement that you would find in some of the other entires. It does wallow a little bit over rough pavement, and the chassis definitely has limitations. It won’t always feel quite as eager or connected as some of the other entries, but most of the time the handling is just fine. The Passat rolls pretty quickly, and it feels airy yet sturdy and balanced as well. I think the steering could provide just a little more communication through the turns, and you aren’t really fooled into thinking you’re driving something smaller or sportier, but overall the Passat is a pleasant car to zip around in. I think the drivability on the highway is a little better than most other entries as well.
The brakes feel pretty smooth, although I found that the response was definitely on the mushy side. The brakes feel very soft, and the pedal transmits some unwanted vibrations and harshness. The bite feels vague and the stopping power doesn’t really kick in until about a quarter to half way into the pedal travel. Braking power and stopping distance feel easy to modulate, but it’s just not the sharpest or the most refined braking experience. When you let off the brake, the pedal also takes about a second to return back to its stationary position, but I suppose that is just a normal characteristic of this car. Not a big deal, but something I noted during the test drive. The Camry, Mazda 6, and Honda Accord will give you a more refined and linear braking feel.
Ride quality is about average for the class. The Passat feels cushy enough to feel comfortable and stiff enough to feel competitive in the handling department. Unlike some other entries in this class, the Passat doesn’t really feel jarring over rough road surfaces. However, the steering and chassis definitely feel somewhat unrefined when you’re driving on bumpy roads, as the actual handling of the vehicle seems to be affected too much by sloppy pavement. As I mentioned above, the steering can get a little ungainly over rough roads, and the handling starts to get a little floaty. That said, the actual ride quality doesn’t seem to be affected that much by bumps and/or potholes. Road and wind noise are average as well. You’ll definitely be hearing wind and tire noise, but its never overly loud or intruding.
Overall, the Passat feels and drives fine. It delivers a different kind of feel that you don’t quite get from the other midsize entries. With a unique engine, competitive handling, seamless torque, excellent visibility, and clean looks, the Passat presents itself as a really good value. Following the diesel scandal, these things from the 2012-2014 model year range are an extremely good bargain on the used car market. Most of these used Passats can be found with very low mileage as well. If you’re looking for a solid pre-owned family sedan and want to save a couple bucks, the Passat makes an excellent case for itself. I would highly recommend this car if you don’t care about having the flashiest interior or the most competitive handling. The Passat still rides well, handles well, accelerates with smooth authority, and the rear seat legroom is best in class. It’s an all around solid and practical vehicle.