Safety
The Passat has standard dual front, side and side curtain air bags, optional rear side air bags, ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution and assist, active front headrests and seatbelt pre-tensionners. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) awarded the car 5 out of 5 stars (a perfect result) for front passengers and 4 out of 5 stars (a good result) for rear passengers in lateral impacts. The NHTSA has not yet evaluated the car in a frontal impact. The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) have rated a "double best pick" in its category.
Conclusion
Although the new B6 Passat does not excite me as much as the previous B5 and B5.5 (2001), it still delivers the essentials. Quality and substance are two words that still properly describe the Passat. Every thing in the car works on an above average scale: the wipers, the heated seats and the onboard computer with its instant fuel consumption gau
ge.
If it was not for Volkswagen's blemished reliability record, the present and previous Passats should have been and should be able to take a larger portion of the very cut-throat mid-size car segment sales pie. The product in most facets is equal or superior to the major players. Let us hope, for Volkswagen, that consumers stop through their local VW dealer and take it for a spin.
Good stuff:
2.0T
Smooth 6A
Not so good stuff:
Some plastic trim pieces
Hub caps on a $30,000 car
Competitors:
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Mazda 6
 |
Conclusion
Although the new B6 Passat does not excite me as much as the previous B5 and B5.5 (2001), it still delivers the essentials. Quality and substance are two words that still properly describe the Passat. Every thing in the car works on an above average scale: the wipers, the heated seats and the onboard computer with its instant fuel consumption gau
ge. If it was not for Volkswagen's blemished reliability record, the present and previous Passats should have been and should be able to take a larger portion of the very cut-throat mid-size car segment sales pie. The product in most facets is equal or superior to the major players. Let us hope, for Volkswagen, that consumers stop through their local VW dealer and take it for a spin.
Good stuff:
2.0T
Smooth 6A
Not so good stuff:
Some plastic trim pieces
Hub caps on a $30,000 car
Competitors:
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Mazda 6
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