Passat

Road Test Review – 2020 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 T SEL – Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy

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The Volkswagen Passat has been in a very interesting plain of existence over the past few years. Once seen as a step up from the smaller Jetta sedan, the Passat has slowly been left in the background as SUVs and alternative fueled vehicles become more important for Volkswagen’s bottom line. That prompted Volkswagen to reveal that the Passat will be axed in 2023. With the future of the Passat looking bleak, we wanted to get behind the wheel one last time to not only say goodbye, but to also find out if the 2020 Passat still has the chops to …

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2019 VW Passat GT V6 – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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It seems like the de-facto performance engine for reasonably priced cars these days is the 2.0-liter, turbo, 4-cylinder. From Audi A4, BMW 3, to Honda Accord and Kia Optima, the moderately-sized, turbo motor strikes as the perfect combination of power and economy. But what about 6-cylinders? For a long time the 6 was the engine, that sweet spot between big muscular V8’s and wheezy fours. Now, it’s a premium item – out of the reach of most buyers – especially if you want that engine wrapped in some sexy European sheet metal. VW to the rescue Yes, the brand that …

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2017 VW Passat 1.8T – Road Test Review – By Tim Esterdahl

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Review: 2017 VW Passat – 5 Things We Loved About It Volkswagen gets a lot of grief from people due to the diesel-emissions scandal and narrow views of them being only a diesel-engine focused company, but lost in this hatred is the fact they do build some pretty great non-diesel cars. For example, a week behind the wheel of the 2017 VW Passat reveals it is pretty dang good with lots of smart engineering. Here is what we loved about it. Before we get to the things we loved, we should back up and say our test model was a …

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2018 VW Passat SE 2.0T w/ Technology – Road Test Review

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The USA-made and optimized Passat is now in its second generation on American roads.  The refresh for 2016 brought optional LEDs that are Audi-tastic, new infotainment tech and a few other tweaks. For 2018, Passat gains an all-new 2.0T engine as standard versus the 1.8-liter turbo from the previous four-cylinder models.  The extra pony count is pretty modest – just four extra for a total of 174. As ever, VW’s turbo models punch above their stats when it comes to real-world pace.  This motor is no different – and cuts the sprint time to 60-mph down to one of the …

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2018 Hyundai Sonata 2_9

2018 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L Limited – Road Test Review

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Not everyone drives their car like an escaped felon. More accurately, the vast majority of midsize sedan shoppers have little to no interest in 0-60-mph times, lateral grip or brake feel. These concerns are just totally alien to their transportation needs. Your average midsize sedan buyer wants tons of cabin space, low monthly payments and easy-to-operate tech features. So why drive like a madman? We took a relaxed, more realistic, approach to this Sonata Limited review.  The video is thick with minutes and minutes of walk-arounds inside and out; back seat and front.  Totally sedate throttle inputs – enjoying the …

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2017 VW Passat 1.8T R-Line – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Hankering for a sporty European performance sedan, but stunned by the high prices? Never fear – we’ve found a sweet sedan that ticks all the right boxes and even surprised us with its sensible pricing: the 2017 VW Passat. Now you have to be a smart shopper, or you could get carried away and end up dropping a fair amount of loot on some maxed-out model. You have to know the magic word. The magic word is R-Line. VW actually serves up 6 different models, but the R-Line gives you a nice dollop of sporty goodness in its second-to-lowest priced …

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2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T SEL Premium – Road Test Review – By Lyndon Johnson

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  In Europe, they make fun of the Volkswagen Passat Americans drive. Their suspension and materials are superior, they argue. OK, fine. Relish that superiority, Europe. That doesn’t change the fact the ‘Merican Passat remains one of the best all-around midsize family sedans in ‘Merica. Family values I spent a week with a 2017 VW Passat and pretty much fell in love with its practicality and handsome good looks — but mostly its practicality. Some people have criticized this generation of the Passat for being too understated. It takes on Volkswagen’s corporate low-and-wide styling, so the grille and headlights aren’t …

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2016 Volkswagen Passat CC 2.0T R-Line – Road Test Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

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Volkswagen brought out the CC model in 2009, and it was an immediate hit styling-wise, as it separated itself from the more upright and boxy Passat that it was based on. And since that first model, the styling hasn’t changed much, which is a good thing, since it is still a striking timeless look.  The long arc of the roofline gives the CC a low, long, sleek look that reminds one of a Mercedes CLS, or Audi A-7.  Like the lines on a true coupe, the frameless doors make interesting visuals, like a four-door-coupe.  And there is enough chrome around …

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2016 Volkswagen Passat USA 29

2016 Volkswagen Passat USA Shows Boss New R-Line, Tech Updates at NYC Reveal

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Clearly not the greatest time to roll out a new vehicle, but the 2016 Passat is welcome anyway. These are the premium and sexy upgrades we have wished for to set the Passat apart from normal Camrys in the mid-size sedan segment. Available LED head and taillamps are suitably Audi-esque in their execution quality. And even with carry-over panels, the larger wheels and fresh nose is a bit eye-catching. This nose is new from the A-pillar forward, but might take a VW fan to recognize over the current US PAssat nose. Crucially, the vehicle now looks its size — a …

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VW Diesels Face Massive EPA Fraud Allegation – TDI Stop Sale Notice Is Days Away

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Very unsettling news today that casts a dark shadow on Volkswagen TDI “Clean Diesel” engines sold in the United States since 2008. The EPA’s legal “notice of violation” to Volkswagen of America is deathly serious. And, as we predict below, will lead to TDI models being pulled from US showrooms almost immediately — as soon as this coming week. Unlike recall notices to fix even serious safety issues, a willful violation of the Clean Air Act would incur significantly higher monetary damages than a typical recall. Even the Takata airbag scandal is not this alarming. Max fines per vehicle sold …

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Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car 18-tile

Update1 – Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car Pushes 900HP from 7.4-Liter V8!

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Updated with High-Res Photos. Thanks Fred!   450 cubic inches. 7.37 Liters. That is the size of Tanner’s new V8 Formula Drift car from Rockstar Energy and Nitto Tire. Juiced with nitrous, this engine puts out a stunning 900-horsepower. Those dimensions feel familiar and might show some NASCAR roots for the hottest VW Passat of all time. Unburstable engines are an asset in the delicate but brutal world of drift driving, with its stump-pulling torque just a side benefit of all that displacement. Check out the teaser video below to hear it in action!  Tanner Foust VW Passat Formula Drift Car …

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European-Market 2015 Volkswagen Passat Is Luxury Sedan For Contract Killers on a Budget

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Updated 10.9.14 We had some seriously scathing things to say about this new 2015 Passat for European markets when it debuted the other month online. Overall, the new Passat is not nearly as dull and lifeless as it seemed in VW’s initial renderings. In real life, the detail in the new design is pretty fresh up front and in back. A new-to-VW LED style is seen in both the head and taillamps, and is the most successful part of the design. Overall, the wagon is far more appealing in its quest to bring some of the low-roof / long-hood look …

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PARIS DEBUTS – 2016 Volkswagen Passat GTE Plug-In Hybrid To Arrive in Europe October 2015

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Okay folks, lets brace ourselves for perhaps three dozen amazing new car reveals in Paris! We will try to focus on whether the car is a concept or a production model – and detail production cars’ arrival timeframes and markets in which it will be sold! To that end, the 2015 VW Passat GTE is an all-new production car for the European markets, with first arrivals in October 2015 to showrooms. It is the first plug-in VW hybrid and will be offered as the normal sedan or the practical estate shape. The Passat GTE powertrain is very promising for the …

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