Test drive: 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI SE

We put the 40 mpg highway rated Volkswagen Passat TDI Clean Diesel to the test. Does it really perform as advertised? Full text review at www.TestDriven.TV

[@dieselmutt8865]

On an 800 mile road trip I took with my '13 Passat TDI I averaged just over 46 mpg. That with the cruise control set to 78 mph! Amazing economy for pushing it that hard.

[@mb013962]

The fuel economy is so underrated

[@TrailnTriggerTV]

Now we know why lol

[@ARTaken007]

this channel need more promotion, solid review

[@6806goats1]

Agreed so I subscribed. Will check out the rest of their reviews. There's only a handful of channels who provide a pro level review without odd narration. Good job.

[@divisioneight]

$30,000 for a 45 mpg large sedan with a sunroof and well-built to boot. A bargain considering what else is out there. You can even get it with a manual transmission for you purists.

[@coffeekhan]

Nice review! Keep up the good work!

[@JBRinjersey]

I had the 2013 which I turned in for a 2015 - both were and are great cars! Now that my Passat is going on 9 y/o I'm thinking of a new car but so far nothing can touch it in terms of the rear seat legroom. Even if I do get an A6 or Lexus I'll still keep my little Passat diesel for the long trips!

[@TwinMountain]

Mind you, that's an 18.5 gallon fuel tank so even at 40 highway you're going a LONG way before you need to get some diesel. He said he got 45 combined city and highway. That's something! I have a 2014 SEL TDI coming before the end of the month. Oh! Headroom. These cars could use more headroom. 2".

[@edmundcharles5278]

Good luck, I am sure that you'll love it!

[@edmundcharles5278]

Edmund Charles The VW diesels get far better mileage per gallon than the Mercedes. VW is also more affordable and cheaper to get repaired.

[@loriculberson7886]

How do you like your Passat?

[@TwinMountain]

I like the Passat SEL TDI. Normal driving around town with little highway, I get fuel every 500 miles or so. Comfortable. Plenty of room. Handles very well. Hard, European ride. It has it's weirdnesses though. For example, put it in reverse and you can take a nap before the backup camera kicks in. Same for the voice controlled Bluetooth connection to my IPhone. Other than that, I like it. You know, if new cars are going to be required by law to have backup cameras, which they are, the law should include a length of time for it to take for the camera to give you a rear view.

[@LegacyIvyTerascale]

all this car needs is all wheel drive , not some outdated "brown" to ruin the interior

[@Mr11ESSE111]

this american Passat dont have almost nothing common with european version .,infact this american looks like those for China market .

[@ES031]

Love this car.

[@Garibay102]

Does anybody have excessive wind noise complaints while on the freeway? We just bought 2015 but I'm kinda regretting not getting the wagon instead 😕

[@viyau]

I amaze all my friends when I tell them the average mileage I get. I’ve gotten as much as 48 miles per gallon!!!

[@jeromep3182]

Largest well technically not it’s smaller than the phaeton that car was huge

[@renedupre9137]

Very well presented with helpful information. Kudos!!! I'm getting one of these soonest.

[@jeromep3182]

Finally someone who calls it as it is , the Passat is a full size sedan not a midsized sedan

[@80srockerable]

I'm 6'0" & sat in a used '12 or '13 & I couldn't help but notice how my right knee contacts the center console like his does in the 3:10+ range.

[@6806goats1]

Yeah, it stopped me from buying the Passat. Waiting on other mfg to get onboard with diesel mid to full size cars but they need to stop going so large on the center console. Taurus-no go and a big issue on many of the cars I tested. Wound up leasing a 2013 Avalon (center console size marginal) until they figure things out but I may wind up buying it at the end of the lease. Just a fun car to drive even if it doesn't have the mpg of the Passat.

[@80srockerable]

Ya Taurus is like an aircraft cockpit. I'm driving '13 Outback which the seat comfort is the main reason I'm considering other options (a few other gripes). One doesn't learn these things until you've had a car a while.

[@edmundcharles5278]

Sometimes being large does have disadvantages. I feel sorry for those very large football players or tall basketball players who have the money to buy all those exotic Italian and German sports cars, but these cars are way too small for these large men to fit in comfortably. It's just a matter of logic that large people are more comfortable in larger, more spacious vehicles. Physical limitations are a major reason why fighter jet pilots and the original astronauts have to be of a medium height of 5'8 - 5'10.

[@mountainhobo]

80srockerable Unfortunately, few reviews comment on the center console problem in many cars today, perhaps because many of the reviewers are not particularly tall. I am 6'3", and those things drive me crazy. All you have there is a bunch of trapped air in plastic, but it prevents you from finding a comfortable driving position. It is form over substance, like so many other things today. Pity that German cars have succumbed to it, too.

[@scottlaplantelaplante990]

I will weigh in here. We purchased this vehicle approx 6 weeks ago, and have driven about 3000 miles. We did find a model with some contrasting colors for the interior, softening what I considered a bit overly bright interior with the lighter color dash - our dash is darker and seats are lighter with contrasting panels. This video review is spot-on with what we have found. I have experienced 45mpg average with 90%+ driving in commuting at highway speeds. The overall size of the vehicle and interior space was a pleasant surprise. This is the first true car I have purchased since the mid-80's, with SUV's and trucks being the norm for us. I do find that the side-view mirrors on the VW a bit small, but I am comparing to the half-ton trucks I have been driving...I need to adjust to cover blind spots. Performance has been better than expected. The DSG transmission is interesting - providing for ease of driving and good performance & mileage. I will be interested to see how this car operates when winter arrives and the snow flies here in the upper plains.

[@ahmedbayoumi1345]

Do you still have this car? I'm thinking of getting a used one 2014 with over 100, 000 Km in Canada. Is it still performing well with such Diesel TDI engine. I am pretty new to the Diesel world.

[@scottlaplantelaplante990]

@@ahmedbayoumi1345 I do not. The emissions testing "scandal" associated with the TDI would have required me to have the engine modified to get worse mileage and performance, so I decided to take advantage of the buy-back, and I traded it back to the dealer for a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Our family had and has been with 4WD most of the time, so I had to adjust to front-wheel drive in the winter (I have had front-wheel drive in a few vehicles in the past). I did like the car, as a car. Maintenance on the diesel, even basic maintenance, I left to the dealer service center, which was more expensive per visit than with gas.

[@D4LM4R]

Funny you said “Clean diesel”

[@carltoncorreia8309]

Nice job.

[@TestDrivenTV]

The #VW Passat TDI has proven popular in sales for the company. See why Test drive: 2014 Volkswagen Passat TDI SE

[@Bronco2Cj]

any reason why VW skimped out on the LED DRLs? HID? why is the Nav system non voice assist?

[@LS7chevy]

what is the city, hwy, and combined mpg with the ac on?

[@TestDrivenTV]

Our week of testing was combined 45 with the AC on.

[@ez-g3090]

I have noticed better fuel milage using the ac than not.

[@jaymann53]

its rated at 43 at highway and it's a midsize....please....

[@MikeJohnson-ut7lx]

What don't you believe. Midsize or the mileage?

[@tomeisenmenger6475]

The manual tranny is rated at 43 MPG. This review is of the DSG transmission model and the reviewer is correct stating a number of 40MPG highway. You are correct about the interior space - the Passat has 117.9 cf of space when the EPA interior space rating for "large" cars is >120.

[@TheDeathz98]

Jarrod Koel I get 45 so lol

[@jaymann53]

TheDeathz98 this post is so old omg....