2021 Volkswagen Passat - MPG Test | Real-world Highway Range

The Passat might not lead its class in many aspects, but for an affordable, simple highway cruiser, its hard to beat this autobahn baby. There are advantages to not having 250 hp in your commuter car, and one of those is excellent fuel economy.
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Intro music by Skyler Benn.
This video was filmed with in-ear, binaural microphones, so if you listen with headphones, it will sound like you're sitting in the driver's seat!
#vw #passat #mpg

[@AG-33-]

I have this car. It’s got 27k miles now. It’s a very nice highway cruiser. 174hp seems a little underrated. It is smooth and comfortable and quiet. Only issue I’ve had is intermittent stereo not turning on. The lane keep assist will fight you heavily. I turn it off to save the haste. It does well in the snowy weather we get in Colorado. I am sad VW discontinued the car in the US. Honestly, this is one of my favorite cars I’ve had. Plenty room for a car seat and you look like the cool dad at the school pickup line when the little ones hop in. I driver from Denver to Lincoln Nebraska on one tank and had 80 miles left to E. Hope that helps y’all if you’re considering buying one.

[@pelicanlover69]

I agree about the lane assist. I start the car and turn it off. I have a 2022 Limited. With the 18" wheels I am getting a little less mileage. I traded a 2020 Jetta R for the Passat. I got 45-46 mpg on the highway for trips over 40 miles with the Jetta.

[@DJonathanHayes76]

I just bought a used 21 Passat today, so far great mpgs.

[@macalvarezLA]

Whats your mpg?

[@garfylunds7301]

Thank You for the excellent test. I can concur on the 40 mpg on the highway. I do find that I actually get a little better mpg when not using the cruise. I recently got 42.2 mpg on a trip from Dallas Tx. to Jackson Ms. holding around 75 mph. Pretty amazing for an almost full size sedan. And the comfort is very acceptable for long highway trips.

[@Poe-007]

Mississippi in the house

[@Costa_del_Artlepool]

40 mpg at 70mph is pretty damn good, especially US gallons

[@SlyLikesSpace]

Awesome video, now I know what the MPG is! Thank you!

[@mfkhometheater7742]

Excellent video and test! Exactly the information I was looking for! Thanks!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Charlie, Congratulations are due, you are turning these mpg tests into an art form ;-) In regard to your (possibly rhetorical) question - Who needs a Hybrid? Depending on the track record of the Hybrid manufacturer, there is still a fortune to be saved in fuel costs and routine maintenance bills over the 250,000+ mile lifespan certain Hybrids routinely achieve. Having said that, I still wait for your test of an ordinary 4 cylinder Camry as a certain magazine claimed 45 mpg in their 75 mph Highway testing.

[@DailyMotor]

Hahaha, thanks! This is a good point, but do you think there's a possible false correlation with hybrids and reliability considering most hybrids are Japanese? Have the Ford hybrids held up well? What about the older hybrid VWs? I'm not as familiar. Fun fact, I think I may have done the fuel economy test on that certain Camry :D We're still trying to get one here, but mfcts don't love to give out base cars.

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@DailyMotor I was trying not to say Toyota Hybrids but now you forced me. Everyone else is still experimenting with Hybrids but Toyota has nailed it over 20+ years. My interest in the regular Camry is due to the fact that it got substantially better mpg than the Corolla (45 vs 40) doing the same Car & Driver 200 mile loop.

[@stuffandjunkandthings364]

I had a 2019, and the fuel economy was amazing. I drive with a pretty light foot, and averaged 35 combined, and often got over 43 on the highway. It's funny you should mention the Sonata N line, because I now drive one, and am seriously considering trading it in on a final year Passat. Gonna go sit in one today, to see if it really was that much more comfortable (I'm 6'9", and me and the sunroof have been having an argument about space lol), or if it's "rose colored glasses" on my part.

[@modelaircraft6576]

I love my Passat is the only car I will stick with. But I also feel your love for the Passat

[@beezytalkingshit9319]

I'm 6'3 and I was wondering how I would fit in the Passat. Did you end up getting one when you went to test drive it?

[@pelicanlover69]

Bought a 2022 Passat limited 60 days ago with 19000 miles. I get 24 mpg in town, but any trip over 35 miles I get 37.4 mpg. Had 2 Jetts prior to this car, took about 2 weeks to get use to the different handling, but loving it.

[@MeKo]

That's what my brother gets with his 2013 TDI, 42-44 mpg on the way from Boston to NYC. I am looking into getting 2021 Passat S. With 17" and much basic features should do better I guess.

[@MrWigpeeler]

Have a rental 2021 and mileage is excellent. The fuelling tube seems tricky though, the standard station nozzle doesn’t go far in at any angle.

[@nithishjvj8736]

6 speed AT and still just 2000rpm at 120kph

[@ralphbernard3908]

Great test. My 2020 Passat has gotten up to 43 mpg on the highway. I suspect that, due to your results, it might be slightly lower, say 41 mpg. Still, it's considerably better than Volkswagen's 34 mpg highway claim. Well into hybrid territory! Who needs a smaller less comfortable hybrid? or expensive Electric?

[@fastjoe1560]

I use on of these and I get 520 to 540 per tank and that's with idling for long periods and sitting in traffic. I I'm also in high altitude. The only issue is the electronic throttle gets weird during long hot days of driving, but with normal driving most people wouldn't even notice I assume

[@gagers6620]

Great test! For real world range I would subtract about 60 miles from that total range because I'm assuming that is complete tank size, and most people wouldn't drive on empty. Hence why my Element can only go about 230 miles while in reality the tank can do probably 300 or more, but why risk it :(

[@richardmoore609]

60 miles is a little much, maybe if your gas stations are more spaced out but I have no worries about letting my range hit 20 miles.

[@liamstyles2565]

Man I be living in the edge and fueling up at 8 miles 😅

[@DangerDucking]

I bought a 2021 VW Passat in July and got 18.4mpg mostly city driving on my initial refuel...(300 miles, 16.3gallons). So looks like the range is wild between city and highway. I'll test again but it's not promising (only other thing may be the "full" tank from dealer was not actually full).

[@garfylunds7301]

It is all about how you use your foot on that gas pedal. Soft and slow when starting off from a dead stop and slowly push more as the gears shift up. I usually start with very little gas and start slowly giving it more pedal as I feel it shift into 3rd gear. I consistently get 28 to 32 mpg around town.

[@ksorsomeplace]

What are the aspects that you are measuring on either leading or not leading in its class?

[@flightgamer7849]

If we already just bought a Tesla online and are awaiting delivery, can I email you our referral code somewhere so you can get credit? Not sure how it works. Thx.

[@HunterTTP]

Hi DM team, would you go for a Model 3 SR+ or a Hyundai Sonata Limited?

[@DailyMotor]

Personally? Model 3. But for many people, the Sonata is probably the better buy right now.

[@user-tt5qp2mw2f]

What fuel type does your R-line take?

[@superset5]

unleaded

[@sockmonkey3D]

What type of gas did you use on this test?

[@edwingiron09]

Regular

[@edwingiron09]

That's impressive