German car fans aren’t pedantic, they’re precise. Or so they insist. Either way, should you accidentally refer to this car as being equipped with a “V6” engine within earshot of somebody wearing a T-shirt with a neon picture of a slammed Corrado on it, expect to get an earful about what a VR6 is. Built from a Passat that was intended to take

Vehicle Type Mid-Size Sedan History/Description The Volkswagen Passat entered its so-called B7 generation as a 2012 model year vehicle, focusing on fuel efficiency, safety, comfort and value in a handsome and comfortable package that provided affordable access to a taste of the motoring high-life. The top-dog sedan in the VW model range,

Volkswagen sure could use a little good news right about now. Here’s some: The refreshed 2016 Passat 1.8 TSI is a very nice car. Tested here is the next-to-top Highline trim with an all-in price of $33,795. With the improvements and upgrades bestowed upon this already roomy and fine-mannered front-drive sedan, we could consider the Highline as back

Evolutionary it may be, but there’s no mistaking that Volkswagen is really trying to follow the styling ethos started by last year’s Jetta when it comes to the new 2020 Passat. Like its smaller sibling, the Passat sleeker than previous, with an all-new fascia featuring a redesigned grille and LED headlights – these can be spec’ed to swivel for a

Such is the level of competition in the mid-size sedan segment that it's possible to build a thoroughly competent automobile, unleash it on the market, and cause barely a ripple. This is especially true in Canada, where smaller cars have long called the tune and affordable family four-doors are increasingly displaced by crossovers and SUVs of vario

Canadians love SUVs and crossovers, but there’s still a lot to be said for the sedan. They can be as roomy inside as their height-enhanced cousins, while their lower centre of gravity can provide more predictable handling, especially if you have to make a quick emergency maneuver. It does just about everything right, which is exactly what a f

As I was driving my V6-powered Volkswagen Passat tester one day – might’ve been a Wednesday, not sure – a strange thought came over me. Even though I grew up driving Passats, I was genuinely surprised by just how classy everything felt inside my tester. I’m a big fan of car chase movies. I’m talking die-hard: a movie doesn’t have to be

The writing is on the wall– er, make that headstones, for these two mid-size sedans. Ford has recently issued a death sentence to pretty well everything in their lineup that doesn’t have a pony badge or an SUV classification, and the Passat’s grave has already been dug by the swoopier (albeit pricier) Arteon sport sedan. Last year the mid-siz

Volkswagen has just hit a massive milestone with the Passat. The company says that the car is the biggest-selling mid-range car ever, hitting 30 million units on April 3rd. The first Passat launched back in 1973. Since then, the car has seen quite a few generations. Just how many is tough to say because the Passat has had some different names in

Day 1 I do realize that most consumers are shopping categories and not class of vehicle, but it did strike me as interesting that this week's tester is within a few hundred dollars less than last week's Buick Encore. On the surface my Passat TDI Highline is similarly equipped, is much larger and offers a fuel efficient TDI engine. It is missin

So you're shopping for a late model used car and you're an enthusiast. That means your buying priorities list goes something like 1) manual transmission 2) eight cylinders. But you've got a family, or you haul cargo or people or a dog around and you need more space than a Mustang or a Camaro can provide. So you are looking for an eight-cylinder man

The 2020 Volkswagen Passat is a smooth operator, blending competitive performance and fuel economy with a decent array of features and modern, inoffensive styling. There’s plenty to like about the midsize sedan, but not quite enough to put me onto Team Passat . Styling: 6.5/10 Although Volkswagen’s R-Line styling package gives the new Pass

Welcome to Depreciation Appreciation, a regular column where we dig up an instance of how depreciation can make for an extraordinary used car deal. Today, we’re looking at one of the most modest large sedans on the road. The Volkswagen Passat is a vehicle highly worthy of consideration by the used car shopper who wants a fuel-efficient car that

January 1, 2020 is a significant date for all the usual reasons we humans look forward to flipping the calendar over to a new year. The first day of 2020 is even more auspicious because it’s also the start of a new decade, which will, no doubt, prompt even more reflection and self examination than usual – not to mention raising this all-important q

The mid-size family sedan may not have the market wind of SUVs these days, nor end up, in wallpaper form, as heart-fluttering reminders on many people’s home screens; rather, it’s their overall value that have kept them a mainstay of the automotive marketplace for generations now. Luxury cars may cost double our $40k budget, but don’t offer a