2020 VW Passat Review | Not Volkswagen’s Best Effort

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Does the refreshed Passat meet your expectations? It's very spacious and comfortable to drive. The headlights are great, but if you're looking at higher end type of features like comparable vehicles, this might disappoint. Mid and lower trims are good values and even on the top trip you'll find yourself paying less than some competitors. *Thanks for watching and have a great day!*

[@corkins9917]

Great review! I feel like most people hate the new Passat, I really like it and I’m considering getting one.

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Thank you! It's very comfortable and has a smooth ride..plus lots of space! I think some of the hate comes from it not necessarily having the "wow factor" i guess, not sure! Enjoy it if you get it!

[@morg4620]

@corkins99 I feel the same. Lot of hate on passat but I like it. It's a simple car with less electronics and it has what I love and miss from cars of today , that center handbrake.

[@joshua9073]

Good taste I like it too! But I bought a Tiguan

[@iDriveiWalk]

One of the best reviews of the Passat. Thank you

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Thank you!

[@MoNoK15]

This is really nice. It gives me Accord front end and Camry rear end look. The interior is Audi, but not as fine tuned. It's stylish 😎. Thanks for the fantastic review!!

[@Jerald2251]

great review it’s very nice, but the interior needs a update

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Jerald Matthews thanks Jerald! I agree!

[@joshua9073]

It just got one this year lol

[@dirkcurritzki9585]

the best passat review i have seen.

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Thank you!

[@ralphbernard3908]

I bought a new 2020 Passat SE about a month ago. I really like it. I'm not a big "whistles and bells" guy; maybe that's why. It's big and comfortable with a soft ride. The engine is smooth and has enough power for me. Mileage is better than the 2014 Jetta 1.8 TSI that I had! I like the backup camera, lane assist, blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. The lane assist sometimes tends to want to go either left or right but can be overridden. Headlights are good. Plenty of trunk space. Nice alloy wheels. Plus I got $6000 off the sticker price without a trade in! The color is Platinum Gray Metallic. I think it makes the car look classy.

[@ronaldboykin9755]

I love the Volkswagen Passat. I own a 2008 Kormfort model that has the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine! It has more than enough power for me at 200 horsepower but gas mileage isn't the greatest and it is recommended the uses of premium unleaded. I think Volkswagen is shooting itself in the foot with New Passat because they should offer the V6. Some customers want more power. I don't think many customers want to pay 40k for the Arteon model to get more power!

[@lrob5657]

The Passat is a super comfortable cruiser. It’s a classy, elegant ride with some nice German premium touches. I’ve always appreciated what the Passat offered and tried to accomplish in comparison to its competition. Also, you’re really getting a full size sedan for mid size money. The backseat and trunk is massive.

[@lextasy786]

I purchased one and I love it! Its loaded, like the R-Line only difference is the badge and the low profile tires thats all. Its very spacious for me who is 6’1” and even rear seats are comfy for tall passengers. Its got all the safety features and the trunk is huge. It gives me a great gas mileage as well. Only disappointing thing is, I noticed, it uses the high beams from the same low beams like most cars nowadays. It has an “optional” auto high beam when driving in dark roads, but just for look no bulb thats ☹️ not sure it doesn’t offer for US version. The windshield has a camera for that reason. I will try to find more info on it. Love the rear/ front headlights are all LEDs.

[@tigerfan8244]

I like this car. As you said, it’s not the sportiest or best looking sedan, but it does have an understated good look. Very Audi like. I like the R-Line trim best for the more aggressive styling. The interior is refreshingly simple, but I agree it could look a bit better. I’ve driven a few of the pre-refreshed models and was always decently impressed. These make a very compelling option especially if you grab one a year old. It’s a lot of car for the money.

[@PrimeAutotainment]

The R line definitely is attractive. A nice touch that fits in with the other trims. Agreed, I think it’s a little underrated in a lot of people’s minds, but for the typical sedan consumer..it fits the bill! Take care my friend!

[@tigerfan8244]

Prime Autotainment you do as well. Oh, there is another midsized sedan with an 18.5 gallon fuel tank....the Subaru Legacy/Outback.

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Tigerfan 82 that’s fantastic. I’m not a fan of the shrinking tanks nowadays lol

[@g__e__o]

I have been a VW fan all my life. I have even gotten a VW Polo (previous cars were a Mk IV and Mk VII + up!). But if I were in the US and if I had to buy a sedan I would go for the Hyundai Sonata or the Mazda 6.

[@stephenhendricks103]

Each of those alternatives are good vehicles. But sales of the Mazda6 have literally cratered in the US in 2020, down 35% in the first quarter to 4500 units. Despite its good looks it's in desperate need of a new generation. The new Sonata is also a promising alternative but in the current economic climate it's not clear how it will fare. Not a good time to having invested heavily in a new model.

[@jbm0866]

I may be alone in this, (and I totally understand) but to me it's comforting that an "old" car can still be bought brand new...or that was the case a couple years back now. We're rapidly headed to a world of spaceship style interiors with nothing but LCD screens in your field of view and swoopy "futuristic" shapes for the rest of the interior...so it's kind of calming to have analog gauges and square Germanic styling (fake wood included😂) in this car...yet you still have most of the modern safety/convenience features. Sure the last Passat isn't really competitive when compared side by side with it's competition, but I'm sure some buyers of the last '22 Passat got their car for $2-3k less than a comparably equipped Camry, Accord or Mazda 6. I'd say they got a fair bargain. This thing may not light up the tires, but even a light tune would bring the HP up to around 190 and torque near 250...and I think that's fine for a daily.

[@FPH-yi8yl]

I'm buying one in late 2020 or early 2021. I've gone on two test drives and I really like it.

[@ralphbernard3908]

I bought one about a month ago. (SE trim) It is quiet and comfortable. I like it.

[@stephenhendricks103]

Obviously, the midsize sedan segment, a category that was once dubbed the "family" sedan has suffered as North American consumers have moved to crossovers. To counter the trend several brands have sought to capture buyers with coupe-like styling, overall "sportier" looks and feel, and lots of tech. But VW has learned that Americans who buy VW's want their vehicles bigger and cheaper than European consumers. And in a shrinking market VW has opted to double down on what were the major priorities in the earlier "family" sedan market segment. Thus, the Passat is a budget alternative, especially in its top trim SEL version, to the 4cylinder Camry and 1.5L Accord. At an MSRP at least $3500 less than the comparable XLE Camry, the Passat offers more ample trunk space and interior passenger space, especially in the all important back seat of a "family" sedan. And in terms of real world pricing the purchase price advantage of the Passat vs the Camry is likely to be more like $5000. It's also worth noting that Passat employs the highly regarded EA888 2.0L turbo engine employed in a variety of VW's includes the GLI, GTI, Golf R, Arteon, and Tiguan, and Atlas. It's a magnificent engine that in various tunes ranges up to 290 HP and 280 ft lbs of torque. The same engine in the higher state of tune in the VW Arteon provides 268 HP and 258 ft lbs of torque. The Passat version of the engine in its stock form provides 0-60 and quarter mile times of the Passat virtually identical to the 4 cylinder Camry. And while the Passat's version is a modest 175 HP, a 30 minute ECU tune at a price of about $800 improves its HP by at least 60 HP and equivalent improvement in torque. (Contrary to claims to the contrary, a Stage I tune does NOT invalidate a VW manufacturer warranty.) Is the American version of the Passat a superior choice compared to a Camry or Accord. On most checklists probably not. But is it a value leader with the virtues of a "family" sedan that rivals have largely abandoned? On that checklist, the Passat scores well.

[@cornerofthemoon]

i just got a 2020 Passat R-Line after checking out just about all of the mid sized sedan competition....... The Camry and Accord are technically superior but I don't really care for the styling of either model and by the time one upgrades to a Leather/Leatherette trim package they are extremely expensive. I loved the styling of the Nissan Altima and Subaru Legacy but I don't like CVT's. I also liked the Mazda 6, Kia Optima, and the new Hyundai Sonata but in the end the Passat had the best bang for the buck, especially with the "corona" deals and extended warranty VW is offering at the moment. Plus I dig its "baby Audi" vibe.

[@unklecorky2181]

what kind of extended warranty did you get with your Passat? I'm looking at Passats now

[@Signingoff1046]

VW can compete and be on the top like the rest of the other car brands that are out on the market but they really need to improve the interior design. I tried loving VW as I adore the exterior but the interior just keeps making me not buy one.

[@gene978]

88 degrees and you have long pants and a long sleeve shirt on? ? ? LOL The Night LED Lights are amazing. When I was your age Halogens were all the rage. These are like driving during the day at night This Passat is so lacking in terms of features compared to it’s competitors. If you did a Side by Side with the top level Sonata compared to the loaded Passat how many features do you think the passat is missing? Like night and day. LIke the Front end Design. That night shot looks very much like the color of the Impala I have. Love that Color. Fun Fact. When I was 4 years old we passed a red Mustang with an engine fire. For Over a decade I wanted nothing to do with Mustangs or red Color Cars. Hahaha.

[@PrimeAutotainment]

I can see that! Very pretty color indeed. That’s wild lol, I don’t blame you on that one haha

[@gagu112]

It’s amazing how low equipped it is compared to the Europe model. Here we have 10 inch navigation screen, digital cluster, side asist, lane asist, pedestrian asist, etc. And a lot more seats.

[@neil9658]

Yes but isn't a lot more expensive in Europe?

[@britexpat_l33t]

@@neil9658 Yes. The European Passat is a serious 3 series rival. In the US, this car is trash compared to it's European equivalent. However, this is pretty much the rule of thumb for all German cars in the US unless you're at the very top of the range. Also, where's my fucking Golf R in the US? Oh, right..it's no longer available for sale. No S3 hatch either. It is a JOKE. I miss living in Europe.

[@ELP1125]

"It does jerk you sometimes" Oh Volkswagen is so kinky 😂😂😂

[@neil9658]

What's better the Passat or Honda Accord?

[@PrimeAutotainment]

In my opinion, the Accord in almost every way

[@neil9658]

​@@PrimeAutotainment Does the Passat have the edge anywhere? Perhaps in ride comfort & seat comfort?

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Neil yep I think that’s the biggest benefit to the Passat. Very comfortable ride quality and better than the Accord. I can’t remember the seats compared to Accord but I know the Passat was comfy for me

[@LeoTheShortGuy]

Very excellent!!!

[@PrimeAutotainment]

Thanks Leo!

[@louievdub8821]

can you say ugly? whats with the ugly wheels vw is making these days plus whats with the fake exhaust

[@joshua9073]

Can you say handsome? What’s up with Volkswagen knocking wheel designs out of the park? I love the decorative chrome on the rear