VW's new factory should deliver considerable cost savings, and the company promises a base Passat price of about $20,000. Indeed a larger vehicle, it measures 191.7 inches bumper to bumper, on a wheelbase of 110.4 inches.
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| 2012 Passat |
That's about four inches longer the old Passat. The front seats in the base car have multiple adjustments, with standard lumbar control. While VW hasn't published interior dimensions, most of the Passat's extra length and longer wheelbase translate to a noticeable increase in rear seating space. The 2012 Passat will be offered with two different gasoline engines. High-line Passats can be equipped with VW's compact, 3.6-liter VR6 six-cylinder engine (280 hp, 258 lb.-ft.), matched with the company's 6-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic. VW expects an EPA rating of 28 mpg Highway with the VR6.
The mileage king in the new Passat range will be powered by the only diesel engine available in its class. The Passat will be offered in three trim levels (S, SE, and SEL) with 16 equipment packages. The base car will come standard with automatic climate control, power windows, cruise control, outside temperature display with frost warning, single-CD audio with an external input jack and Bluetooth connectivity.
Volkswagen will also introduce a premium audio system developed with and branded by the Fender guitar and amplifier company. The 2012 Passat will be available across the U.S. by late fall 2011. With the Jetta upsized and repositioned, it's now the Passat's turn.
German-engineered is a key phrase for the 2012 Passat, the company's first American-made vehicle since 1985. Issuing forth from a billion-dollar factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this Passat grows longer and wider, and reverts to some stalwart engines and suspension designs, so that it can be manufactured more simply, and more inexpensively--which should help VW bring the base price for the big new sedan down to about $20,000.
The Passat's certainly gained status in some important ways. Want a base Passat TDI with cloth seats, satellite radio and a USB port? We'd have no problems recommending a base Hyundai Sonata automatic for roughly $22,000, but the Passat's grumbly five-cylinder and its second-tier gas mileage make the TDI the better choice--and that means a base price of about $25,000 instead.
Though the 2010 Passat’s high price put it out of reach for a lot of midsize car buyers, Volkswagen completely revamped the Passat for 2012. Test drivers like the VW Passat’s available powertrains and say it maintains Volkswagen’s reputation of building cars that are fun to drive. Although the Sonata doesn’t offer a fuel-efficient diesel engine option like the Passat, its base four-cylinder engine gets higher fuel economy ratings than the Passat’s base five-cylinder.
Volkswagen completely redesigned the Passat for the 2012 model year. The 2012 Passat receives a $7,000 price decrease compared with the 2010 model. Test drivers like the fact that the Passat has three engines and four transmissions to choose from. The Passat’s multiple combinations should satisfy most drivers. Overall, the Passat drives like a German-engineered car, and its optional fuel-efficient diesel engine is a rare offering in the class.
The 2012 Volkswagen Passat has three engine choices and four transmission options. Fuel-conscious shoppers will like that Volkswagen offers a diesel version of the Passat. The mid-level engine is a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder turbodiesel engine that produces 140 horsepower. This diesel engine gets an EPA-estimated 30/40 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission and 31/43 with a manual.
