2018 Volkswagen Passat Review: Comfortable and Composed With a Hint of Flair

Source: 2018 Volkswagen Passat Review: Comfortable and Composed With a Hint of Flair

Matching the streamlined theme of the cabin is the Volkswagen Passat’s optional no-fuss multimedia system. Although it seems a bit small in the expansive dashboard, the 6.3-inch touchscreen is responsive and the system is easy to use overall. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on this system, offering on-screen navigation and seamless integration. This system is standard on all models, except for the base trim, which gets a smaller 5-inch screen and isn’t compatible with smartphones.

One tiny Volkswagen crap: while I appreciate the tuning and volume controls next to the screen, using the tuning knob requires one too many steps. Simply turning does not change the station; You have to press it after making your selection, which seems unnecessary.

Plenty of space

There’s plenty of headroom and legroom in the back of the Volkswagen Passat for two adults in comfortable, lightly padded seats, but middle space isn’t really an option. It’s cramped, and legroom is crowded by a large hump in the center floor. As detailed in our car seat check, two child seats fit easily thanks to easily accessible lower locking anchors and plenty of room.

Compared to full-size four-door sedans, the Passat lags a bit behind the Impala and Avalon in terms of rear legroom, but it matches them in terms of rear headroom. Against the mid-sizers, it outperforms the Camry in rear legroom but falls behind the Accord.

It’s a similar story for the cargo area, where the Passat’s trunk is a bit smaller than its full-size sedan competition. Against the middle class, it offers a little less space than the Accord, but more than the Camry.

The rear seat folds 60/40 via levers in the trunk area for more storage, and there’s also a handy center hatch for carrying long items.

security

The 2018 Volkswagen Passat earned top marks in most of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s crash tests, but its marginal score in the new front-end test with small passenger-side overlap prevented it from earning the agency’s top honor.

In testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Passat received an overall five-star rating, the agency’s highest.

A reversing camera is standard on all models, as is an automatic post-collision braking system, which applies the brakes if a collision is detected by the airbag sensors and helps reduce the chance of a secondary collision. Volkswagen’s Intelligent Crash Response System is also standard; It turns off the fuel pump, unlocks the doors, and turns on the hazard lights when the car is involved in certain types of collisions.

For 2018, optional safety features are new and affordable for the base VW model: the Driver Assist Package ($495) bundles forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, as well as blind spot warning and reverse traffic warning systems – all standard on R-Line and higher trim levels. Adaptive cruise control is a new standard on mid-range R-Line models. A lane departure warning system and an automatic parking function are standard in the top equipment of the Volkswagen Passat SEL Premium.

value

The base price of the 2018 Volkswagen Passat starts at $23,845 — much less than big sedan competitors like the Chevrolet Impala ($28,770) and the Toyota Avalon (which starts high at $34,395 even though its base engine is a V -6 is). It even undercuts mid-size sedan competitors by a few hundred dollars; the 2018 Honda Accord starts at $24,460 and the 2018 Toyota Camry is $24,390; All prices include destination fees. VW also has the longest warranty of any brand: six years or 72,000 miles for bumper-to-bumper and powertrain, plus three years or 36,000 miles for roadside assistance.

In addition, the Passat also offers great added value with additional safety options. Base models are often short on safety features, and while many aren’t standard on the base Passat, they come at an affordable price.

The Passat doesn’t exactly deliver sophistication or excitement – and doesn’t score you any trend points – but it’s spacious, comfortable to drive and the Volkswagen Passat is a steal.

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