2006 Volkswagen Passat Reviews

Discerning Passat buyers went for the German comforts and dynamics — but well-versed owners know they have to keep topping up the engine oil.Having started out as the maker of the humble people’s car, Volkswagen is no longer a single-model brand. From its vast range of cars, there is a model to suit almost everyone. The Passat was the next step for those graduating from the Golf. The badge was affixed to many variants: sedan and wagon, diesel and petrol, fours and a V6, driven by the front or all four wheels.If a little bland at first glance, the Passat had smooth lines, sleek shape and well balanced proportions. The German penchant for efficiency over bling perhaps meant it had few trinkets.The cabin was typical VW, clean and clinical but with lots of grey trim.That said, there were plenty of features to please the discerning buyer: six-way powered driver’s seat, leather steering wheel, cruise control, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers and a six-CD audio.A turbo diesel opened the bidding, bringing decent performance and good economy, its turbo petrol counterpart had plenty of get up and go and the V6 was an out-and-out goer.All were mated to automatics, the petrol engine to a regular six-speeder and the others to the new six-speed dual-clutch transmission.The V6 came standard with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive, the other two were front-drive.On the road the Passat displayed fine road manners with balanced, responsive handling.There is a lot to like about the Passat, it’s well built and comfortable, lively yet refined.There are also a couple of issues that buyers need to be aware of.One is the oil consumption of VW engines. Not all — but those that do can consume a lot. In most engines, this usually results from high mileage and associated wear but VW engines often use oil right from new.Some owners have had major engine failures on their new cars simply because they didn’t bother to check the engine oil and it ultimately ran out. Always check the oil in your engine, especially if it’s a VW.Dealers seem unable to fix the problem, and owners who are unlucky enough to have an oil user have to put up with it for the car’s life.If you’ve settled on buying a Passat talk to the vendor about any oil consumption issues the car has had.The other abiding issue concerns the DSG dual-clutch transmission fitted to diesels and the V6.Thoroughly test drive your chosen car if it’s fitted with the DSG transmission, observing for anything that might suggest a problem.Again, talk to the vendor about the transmission and any problems they have had with it.While you’re at it ask to see the car’s service record and check its maintenance record.Mike Page: I’m very happy with my 2008 turbo diesel. It’s good around town and great on the highway with plenty of grunt when needed. It averages 5.5L/100km on the highway and between 6.9L and 7.5L around town. The biggest bugbear is the Clive Atkinson: I’ve owned Audis and BMWs and my V6 wagon is right up there with them for quality, dynamics and performance. The DSG works well but, leaving the lights, you’d think a car has bumped you. I fear for when the warranty runs out.Jon Hill: My 2010 petrol wagon is a dream to drive. It’s now done 200,000km and has used oil from day one. Now it’s a litre every 500km. Smoke pours out — I guess it’s the rings and only a rebuild will fix it. I’ve also replaced the water pump twice.The infamous dual-clutch issue was resolved by changing the software at about 120,000km. An independent service agent saved me heaps. The comfort level is terrific, fuel consumption is great — 6.0L highway. I’d like to keep it another 200,000km, but the oil consumption is ridiculous.It’s a good car that’s under-appreciated. Beware of the DSG niggles and high oil consumption.

Volkswagen Passat is a medium-large car aimed at those looking for a solid machine that should stand the test of time. Stylish it's not, but that's the way VW does its shapes, intending them to be timeless. There's an exception in the Passat range, see the upcoming notes on the model tagged the "CC". Passat shares

Passat is a medium-large German car that appeals to those who refuse to pay big dollars for a similar car from one of the more prestigious marques from the same country. Audi won’t thank us for saying so, but there are quite a few out of sight components that are shared by Passat and upmarket Audi vehicles.The Passat in all its formats offers better than average comfort thanks to well-shaped seats and suspension which is able to soak up just about anything thrown at it. Handling is good, with virtually neutral road behaviour at normal speeds, gradually changing to safe understeer if the big car is pushed hard.In the earlier days almost all Passat imports were four-door sedans but with the introduction of the 1998 model, five-door wagons were offered. Wagons have been a popular choice ever since as their squared off rear end makes for a practical load area.An interesting style called Passat CC was introduced in February 2009. Virtually a four-door coupe in the manner of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the sleek CC is just right for those who seldom use the back seat but want the convenience of rear doors. The back seat is reasonably comfortable and is certainly much better than that of the typical two-door coupe.Volkswagen went all cute with the marketing of the latest CC when it arrived in June 2012, dropping the Passat from its name and calling it simply the CC. Don’t forget to check out both names if you’re doing a search for the pretty coupe on used-car sites.Engine options show a fascinating variation, with four-, five-, six- and eight-cylinder layouts. The V5 and V6 use an interesting design with a narrow-angle V which enables it to run one cylinder head covering both cylinder banks.Though smaller engines aren’t always accepted by Australian buyers, even the four-cylinder Passats have enough performance for many buyers. Many of the later petrol – and all diesel – Volkswagen engines use a turbocharger to generate significantly extra torque.Volkswagen started a strong push on turbo-diesel engines in Australia in 2006 and these days the company often sells more diesel cars than petrol ones in Australia.A four-speed automatic was used in the pre-1998 model, followed by a five-speed unit with tiptronic. The forward ratios were increased to six with a DSG installation from 2006, and to seven forward ratios from early 2010.All-wheel drive isn't all that common in Australian Passats but gives better traction coming out of corners and on slippery surfaces and is worth considering if you are doing a lot of driving on unmade surfaces, or even on the snow and ice for which it was originally designed.For the revhead, Volkswagen imported the Passat R36 from June 2008. R36 has a 220 kilowatt engine, all-wheel drive and is sold in both sedan and wagon bodies.Volkswagen Group Australia has put a lot of work in recent years in getting its supply of spare parts up to international best practice. Prices are similar to those of other European imports in its class. Similarly, the dealer group has grown markedly in recent years and VW is represented in most population centres of significant size.Passat is a relatively complex machine in the modern manner, but a competent home mechanic should be able to do a fair bit of work on it. Always have a workshop manual on standby, and please leave safety items to professionals.Insurance is generally not expensive but make inquiries from a number of companies as there can be quite a difference in premiums.WHAT TO LOOK FORLook over the condition of the interior in case the Passat has had a hard life. It’s not common in a car like this, but can happen and rectification can be expensive.The engine should start within a second of the key being turned and should settle into a steady idle within seconds. If there is a flat spot in acceleration there could be fuel-injection problems.Check the insides of the front wheels for signs of severe brake dust build up, indicating hard driving. This is more likely on one of the sporting models, but Passats do seem to attract people who like to pedal along hard.Look over the body for signs of crash repairs, especially paint that doesn’t match and panels that don't fit exactly. Check the complete body, including hard to reach areas under the bonnet, in the boot and under the car.CAR BUYING TIPBefore settling on any car it makes sense to check on availability of spare parts and servicing in your home and work neighbourhoods. 

Being a prestige model the Passat was generously equipped with standard gear.

Well, welcome to the 21st century.VW's Passat wagon is a stylish, refined and extremely enjoyable way to pack up a family of five with luggage.Powered by the velvet-smooth, four-cylinder 2.0-litre FSI turbo, the Passat has all the legs necessary for long-distance travel and enough off-the-line punch to compete well in the city rat-race.It also returns reasonable fuel economy.For $44,990 (plus on-road costs) the Passat comes stacked with safety and comfort inclusions -- you have to respect a car that has an umbrella holder (complete with umbrella) built into the driver's door.There is also the added prestige ofa European badge.* Full picture galleries of the first four contenders online at carsguide.com.auWhat's your pick for 2006 Car of the Year?##carsguide.com.au

That car had cornering almost free of body roll, a willing 1.5-litre engine, carefree fuel economy, body-hugging driver's seat and consumed long distances better than many larger cars.It had only 55kW power and 116Nm torque, but in its day that was enough in a lightweight (well under one tonne) two-door. It had no power steering, manual window winders, 13in steel wheels and safety features were seat belts and damn good brakes. But, gee, it was fun to drive.Although 31 years may be a generation in human terms, the latest Passat is its sixth generation and, on Volkswagen's own admission, its biggest design leap.This latest, largest Passat weighs in at 1506kg (still 68kg under even a base Holden Commodore). And at $44,990 in the two-litre turbocharged petrol engine version as tested, it's about 10 times the price of the 1975 Passat TS.But just look at what's included now in this VW model: eight airbags (dual front, front and rear side, and front and rear head), active crash head restraints, electronic stability control, electromechanical (push-button) parking brake, dual-zone automatic airconditioning, traction control, ABS brakes, 17in alloy wheels, eight-speaker sound system with six-stack CD, a boot lid that raises at the press of a key fob, electrically heated mirrors which include turn indicators, six-way electric adjustment for the driver's seat, rain-sensing wipers and five-star ENCAP occupant protection rating in a crash.And that's just a small selection of the standard equipment that makes the modern Passat a pleasurable vehicle for relaxing progress.The Passat driven had the 2.0 FSI turbo petrol engine. This gives 147kW power at 5100-6000rpm and torque of 280Nm over a wide 1800-4700rpm. It translates to a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.8 seconds, says VW, and a potential top speed of 230km/h.It runs a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission that settles at 2300rpm at 110km/h when cruising.This is the same engine as found in the Volkswagen Golf GTi. In that GTi, it's a little cracker – eager, responsive, a hot unit. In the Passat, it could be a different engine – quiet, refined and only singing its presence when the accelerator is pressed hard. It's an ideal example of a good turbocharged engine in a family car: there's no startling evidence that it is a turbo. It pulls steadily from low revs. Quiet driving is rewarded with pleasing fuel economy. Sure, there's a lot more go at higher revs where the turbo allows strong performance if required, but it doesn't arrive with a marked leap.Passat can be had with other engine choices. The range starts at $42,990, with a two-litre turbocharged diesel giving 103kW power and a good 320Nm of torque at just 1750rpm. Or at $54,990, there's the 3.2-litre V6 petrol of 184kW and 330Nm torque. The V6 means also getting the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. The V6 is the super-luxury version with extras. The V6 and the diesel are mated to VW's excellent DSG six-speed transmission.Station wagons are $2000 more in each case.The glove box is barely medium-size but there are generous door pockets and some other fascia compartments. Rear leg room is good and head room fair.Cornering poise is there but hard driving can find understeer, inevitable when the engine weight is ahead of the front axle line in a front-wheel-drive car.Options include an electric sunroof at $1990, metallic paint $990, bi-xenon self-levelling headlamps $2290, leather trim $2990 (including heated front seats standard on the V6) and satellite navigation $2990.The car runs on premium unleaded petrol.You'll impress others with the smart key that requires just placing in a dashboard slot and pressing to start the engine. And the parking brake is also controlled by a push button on the dashboard. There's an auto-hold function that can be selected for the transmission: it prevents the car creeping forward when left in D after you've stopped in traffic.The boot is a real surprise, too: very long and with 565-litre capacity in the sedan, even with a full-size spare wheel under the floor where there's more stowage space.The Passat's not what it used to be. It's now a luxury European sedan at family-car prices.

Other models command a premium but the diesel is an unusual entry point to the Passat range.That's goods news in these times of increasing fuel prices because it's going to drive your dollar further, a lot further. It's the same 2.0-litre turbocharged common rail unit found in Golf, Jetta and their Audi counterparts - and it's a ripper.Four cylinder, 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel delivers 103kW of power at 4000rpm and 320Nm of torque from a low 1750rpm.V6 and turbocharged four cylinder petrol variants are also available, but are more expensive.The high torque figure is significant because its the stuff that makes driving a breeze. Diesels deliver more torque than larger capacity petrol engines and at lower engine revs, which is a reason they use less fuel.Top speed is 206km/h and the TDI can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 9.8 seconds. That's brisk but slower on both counts than either petrol variant.Volkswagen's advanced six-speed DSG auto is standard, albeit without steering wheel change buttons. It employs two clutches for faster gear changes and is ideal for use with the diesel.Claimed fuel consumption for the diesel engine is 6.6L/100km. We got 7.2L during testing but didn't get a chance to empty the 70-litre tank.Our test car looks a million bucks, finished in black with gleaming chrome highlights. Optional beige leather upholstery is fitted, along with walnut wood inserts. We'd happily give the walnut a miss but the overall effect is certainly classy, a car that looks more expensive than it actually is.Given the car's increased size, fuel ef- ficiency and comprehensive equipment list, you'd be mad not to give it a look. More compact cars with fuel efficient engines are the way of the future.We think the Passat's 2.0-litre TDI engine is one the best around. But we have to admit that it feels a bit noisier and coarser that we remember. Maybe the opposition is just getting better?Not quite as nippy as the turbocharged petrol engined car that we drove recently, but still so much better in more important ways. Offers strong mid-range performance and easy high- way cruising.Suspension is firm as is the Euro norm. Drive is through the front wheels, with plenty of electronic gizmos to keep it attached to the road.Safety is uppermost. Passat gets a five-star Euro safety rating. It comes with ABS, eight airbags, active front head restraints and electronic stability control as standard.Standard equipment includes dual zone climate control, premium audio, 17in alloys including the spare, multi-function steering wheel and cruise control.VERDICT:Classy effort. TDI is a hands down winner with the way fuel prices are going. Priced from $42,990 it is a sophisticated car that offers state of the art technology in a practical easy to use package. 

Even pushing the extra weight of the larger, heavier Passat wagon, it still delivers plenty of punch - enough to make you wonder whether a V6 or even the diesel model is really warranted?We first saw the 2.0-litre TFSI engine with the debut of the new GTi hot hatch last year, followed recently by it sedan counterpart in the Jetta range.The turbocharged four engine produces 147kW of power between 5100rpm and 6600rpm and 280Nm of torque from a low 1800rpm.It's enough to propel the Passat, in both sedan and wagon forms, from 0-100km/h in a rapid-fire 7.8 seconds.Fuel consumption for the wagon meanwhile is a claimed 8.9L/100km from the 70-litre tank and it uses premium unleaded - the 98 grade good stuff is recommended.Vollkswagen has been hitting some home runs lately and it looks like Passat may be another one.The company describes the car as "the greatest evolutionary step since the series was first created."It's larger in every dimension than the previous model which we admit having had a bit of a soft spot for.Putting a rule over it the new car it's 62mm longer, 74mm wider and 10mm higher.Shopping it against smaller stablemate Jetta, there's not much separating the two cars in terms of style.Jetta is also quite roomy inside and could in fact be spacious enough for many people, especially since it's cheaper.Passat has a five-star safety rating and comes with eight airbags, active front crash head restraints and electronic stability control as standard.Our test car was the four cylinder wagon priced from $46,990, that's $2000 more than the entry level 2.0-litre diesel.You can't get a Jetta wagon so if it's a wagon you're after, it will have to be the Passat.In the four cylinder wagon the engine is hooked up to a six-speed sequential auto that allows the driver to change gear manually (V6 and diesel get the hi-tech, double clutch DSG box).From start the changes that have been introduced with the new model become quickly obvious.To start the car there is no ignition key as such. Instead you stick the remote control unit into a slot in the dash, pushing the thing home to turn the engine over.There's no fumbling for the handbrake either. To operate the handbrake it's just a matter of pushing a dash-mounted button to the right of the steering wheel.Our test car was finished in dark blue with gleaming chrome accents.The wagon is the same width but fractionally longer than the sedan at 4774mm but sits a good 45mm higher.The profile is raked and sporty, with a high waist line and side windows that narrow and plunge to a point at the front.Alloys wheels with low profile 235/45 rubber are standard as is a full-size alloy spare.Inside velour trim is standard but that is just fine by us because leather is cold to the touch in winter.The seats are firm but comfy and supportive, with good side bolstering.Rear legroom is generous and the wagon seats four adults comfortably, five at a pinch.As mentioned the car takes premium unleaded petrol and we averaged 11.7L/100km from the 70-litre fuel tank during testing. 

Probably not.What if the parking brake was an electronic brake operated by a button on the dashboard to the right of the steering wheel?Even less likely.However, the new Volkswagen Passat has an electronic parking brake that, if you have the time and the natural reactions, acts as a panic brake, bringing the car to a neck-jolting stop in a surprisingly short distance.If only you could learn to use it in an emergency situation.Rather than one of the "unexpected pleasures" the car is being marketed on, it is more of an "unnecessary pleasure" for the use of motoring journalists on road tests.It is hard to see it being used very often in everyday motoring.However, that little added extra should not detract from what is a rewarding car to drive and look at, despite famed British motoring broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson labelling it the most boring car in the world.Probably not my pick of the VW fleet, but certainly a good fun car to drive.In an Australian first, the model's entry vehicle is a diesel.The Passat fleet consists of the two-litre TDI (turbo diesel injection) sedan at $42,990, a two-litre petrol turbo FSI sedan at $44,990 and the 3.2-litre V6 FSI at $54,990 with the three wagon variants costing an extra $2000.VW Group Australia marketing general manager Peter Dierks expects with this new Passat to double last year's 441 sales."We can see a big chance for Passat because the market is going away from large local cars, but is now looking for fuel economy, safety and driving fun," he said."We expect to get VW customers upgrading to a slightly larger car from Golf or Bora (now replaced by Jetta)."If you are used to the rather spartan interior of these models, you will enjoy the slightly classier cabin of the Passat.Unfortunately, the trim is five different shades of grey,But there are plenty of standard "unexpected pleasures": rain-sensing wipers that actually work, a low tyre pressure indicator that actually works, auto headlights, electric handbrake, six-way powered driver's seat, cruise control, leather steering wheel, a six-CD changer and even an umbrella recess in the door which includes an outlet for the wet brolly to drain.The V6 comes standard with 4Motion, front fog lights, leather upholstery and heated front seats which are a bit firm and too flat.Outside, there is plenty of chrome, smooth and uncluttered lines and integrated blinkers in the mirrors. OK Mr Clarkson, it is a little boring, but then so are most German cars and even a host of Japanese sedans that have adopted a similar silhouette.The worst part is the podgy and featureless rear end which uses the VW emblem as the boot handle.Where the Passat shines is on the road.All Passats have automatic transmission, with the V6 getting the super-swift and seamless six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox.This alone, makes the V6 Passat a delight and should sway any manual gearbox devotees.It features a handy pushbutton auto hold function which prevents the car rolling forward or backward once stopped.Handling is neutral with plenty of feel through the feet and fingertips, the car reacting swiftly to throttle and steering input without any nervousness.In fact, a quick sprint across some lose gravel showed this is a car ready for the worst of roads, if it weren't for the wide, low-profile tyres.At least there is a full-sized alloy spare under the cargo floor in case you get a puncture west of nowhere.There is a little hesitation off idle, then it lurches into hyperdrive as revs rise rapidly.This makes it a little difficult to drive smoothly, especially at traffic lights.Safety features include use of high-tensile steel in crucial parts of the body for a 5-star NCAP crash rating, eight airbags, cornering headlights, ABS, brake assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, a brake disc cleaner to wipe off excess water, traction control and active front headrests.The options list is extensive and, compared with German luxury opposition, reasonably priced. For example, sat nav is $2990 and sunroof $1990.Colours are limited to three shades of grey, plus black, white and blue, while interior choice is black cloth or black or beige leather.Very conservative.The first front-wheel-drive Passat was launched in 1973 and sold in Australia in 1974, winning Wheels Car of the Year award.While the new Passat is a great car, it is probably not an award winner.