Volkswagen's midsize sedan offers mostly average features, such as its 170 horsepower and mid-20s fuel economy, but its Fender audio system stands out among the segment.
Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Volkswagen is in the midst of redesigning its model lineup in an attempt to grab a bigger piece of the American pie. The Passat follows the Jetta in this redesign, getting new styling language and pricing structure to put it in competition with midsize sedan stalwarts such as the Toyota Camry.
Volkswagen's new grille is less showy than the previous generation's. Designers gave up the chrome goatee for a simple horizontal grille bookended by the headlights. This slightly angular look continues down the sides of the car and across the back.
Although Volkswagen offers a diesel and V-6 Passat, most will feature this 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. It makes a modest 170 horsepower, typical for its competitive set.
The controls on the right steering spoke control the car's instrument cluster display, which shows turn-by-turn directions, the phone status, trip data, and the current music selection.
The navigation system, standard in the SEL trim car, shows good resolution and easy-to-read maps. It includes traffic data, showing it onscreen in the traffic view.
