Middle Class Acts: Can VW's Passat satisfy the mainstream without pandering to it? We bring along two 10Besters to find out.BY MICHAEL AUSTIN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN ROE August 2011
Volkswagen has big plans for the United States. Big, as in 800,000-sales-by-2018 big, which is more than three times what it sold here in 2010. First came the Jetta, price-cut for the American market, universally unloved in the C/D office, and selling like hotcakes to the car-buying public. The new Passat takes the Jetta approach a step further, not just reconstituted for our bland, ketchup-loving palates but specifically built for and in America.
VW set pricing low, at a suggested $20,765 to start, $7180 less than the 2010 Passat. But we’re hardly interested in the Walmart model, with its anemic 2.5-liter inline-five making a meager 170 horsepower. And the Passat TDI, as the only affordable mid-size diesel on the market, is quite literally in a class of one. That leaves the Passat 3.6, fitted with a 280-hp, single-head narrow-vee six-cylinder and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The powertrain is pure VW, the perfect foil for determining whether the rest of the car is true to the brand that brought us the GTI. A Passat 3.6 in SE trim starts at $29,765. Our particular car, a $33,720 as-tested SEL model, includes amenities such as keyless ignition, remote start, leather seats, a 6.5-inch navigation screen, power passenger seat, wood inlays, and extra chrome interior trim.
Whether the Passat is a worthy VW may be something only a die-hard few care about; how it compares with the competition is much more significant. So we invited comparable versions of the two family sedans on the Car and Driver 10Best list: the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata. In EX-L V-6 form with a $2200 navigation option, the $32,600 Accord checks every factory-equipped option box.
The Sonata, introduced last year as a 2011 model, is similarly loaded in 2.0T Limited guise, albeit with the lowest price in the group, at $31,285. Running changes for 2012 Sonatas include a panoramic sunroof; a bigger, seven-inch touch screen; and a 1-mpg bump in EPA highway fuel economy to a best-in-test 34.
If the Passat can hold its own against two of the best in the family-car segment, it stands to reason that Volkswagen’s ambitions could be realistic. There’s only one way to find out.
2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Limited - Comparison Tests
Third Place: Middle Class Acts
Highs: Good value, attractive inside and out, buttoned-down chassis.
Lows: Compromised rear seat, disconnected steering, droning engine note.
The Verdict: A worthy effort in need of some polish.
Full write up on Sonata;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t_limited_page_2
2011 Honda Accord EX-L V6 - Comparison Tests
Second Place: Middle Class Acts
Highs: Well-tuned suspension, natural driving position, comfortable rear seat.Lows: Interior is plagued with buttons, excessive front-seat lumbar support.
The Verdict: Aging gracefully, but aging nonetheless.
For the full write up on the Accord;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2011_honda_accord_ex-l_v6_page_3
2012 Volkswagen Passat 3.6 SEL - Comparison Tests
First Place: Middle Class Acts
Highs: Cushy ride, smooth engine and transmission, high-class interior.Lows: Lots of body roll, non-centered steering wheel, full-time stability control.
The Verdict: VW aims wide and hits the mark
For the rest of the Passat write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/2012_vw_passat_3.6_vs._2011_honda_accord_v6_2012_hyundai_sonata_2.0t-comparison_tests/2012_volkswagen_passat_3.6_sel_page_4