VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SEL PREMIUM FIGHTING TOUGH BATTLE IN SHRINKING SEGMENT

The midsize family sedan may be a dying breed with the public’s infatuation with crossovers and smaller SUVs at least putting it on life support, but, with the exception of Ford, apparently that doesn’t mean automakers are giving up on the genre.

In fact, of the seven vehicles U.S. News & World Report lists as the “most improved” cars of 2018, four are sedans, including traditional midsize leaders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

So maybe there’s a bit of hyperbole when it comes to calling it the “death” of the midsize sedan, but there is no doubt sedan sales are ailing a bit. Of the top 10 selling midsize sedans for 2018, nine showed a decline in sales through May.

This included my recent ride, Volkswagen’s venerable Passat.

Passat sales also were down for June with 3,793 sold for the month, a drop of 28 percent from the 5,267 that were old in June 2017. Year-to-date numbers were even worse. Through the first six months of 2018, VW sold 22,356 Passats, a drop of 36.4 percent from the 35,137 sold in the first six months of 2017.

In addition to the disenchantment with sedans in general, another factor in Passat’s decline could be that VW has made few changes, certainly nothing major, to the Passat’s looks in recent years.

It has tweaked the headlight/foglight treatments a bit and given the 2018 model a sexier rear end, but overall you might have a hard time distinguishing the new Passat from an older one.

This can lead to a false impression that the Passat doesn’t have anything going in its favor and results in the word “aging” appearing in several current reviews.

But its roomy, comfortable cabin, smooth ride, and large trunk give it the kind of attributes many are looking for when shopping in the segment. The dash has a nice, clean look about itAnd if you are seeking something sportier, the GT trim comes with more horsepower and a more aggressive appearance.

The Passat was designed with an American audience in mind, resulting in a more spacious passenger room and a good-size trunk, and the car itself is put together in the company’s assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

U.S. and Canadian sources account for nearly as much content (30 percent) as does that from Germany (36 percent), though both the engine and transmission come from the home country.

The 2018 Passat features two engine options: a new turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder with 174 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque and a 3.6-liter V6 rated at 280 hp and 258 lb.ft. of torque.

Both run on regular unleaded fuel, though peak power on the V6 is achieved with premium. Each gets a 6-speed automatic transmission with GT and top-of-the-line SEL Premium models getting paddle shifters for manual gear selection.

In fuel economy, the 4-banger is rated at 25 miles-per-gallon city, 36 highway while the V6 gets numbers of 19/28.

In addition to the GT and SEL models, the Passat comes in four other trims — S, R-Line, SE, and SE with Technology starting at just under $23,000. My ride for the week, the SEL Premium, carried a base price of $34,650. 

With a long laundry list of standard features that included navigation, 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, power tilting and sliding moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front and rear leather seats, rear-view camera, blind-spot monitor, lane-keeping assist, Bluetooth connectivity, and Fender premium audio, the only additional cost was the $850 destination and delivery fee for a total of $35,000.

The company also has improved the warranty. As with most other 2018 VW models sold in the U.S., the Passat comes with the People First Warranty, a six-year or 72,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty that can be transferred to subsequent owners throughout its duration.

What I liked about the 2018 Volkswagen Passat SEL Premium: It’s easy to get comfortable in this car. Controls for techno features are intuitive and simple to operate. The long list of standard features pretty much eliminates the need for costly options. And the trunk (15.9 cubic feet) is very spacious, especially for the segment.

What I didn’t like about the 2018 Volkswagen Passat SEL Premium: The navigation screen is on the small side, though to be fair it is very clear and easy to see at a glance. I’d like to see a bit better fuel mileage with the V6, but you’ve got to sacrifice something for the extra power.

Would I buy the 2018 Volkswagen Passat SEL Premium? Yes. The sedan segment may be shrinking, but this is a good alternative to a crossover or SUV.

2017 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8T R-LINE

A WINNER IN A SHRINKING SEGMENT

One can never be sure — there are always grammar nazis around ready to jump on you for the slightest misuse of a term — but I think I have this right.

One of the ironies in the automotive world today is that the better manufacturers are making sedans, the fewer the public seems to be interested in buying.

If that doesn't fit the exact definition of the term “ironic” or “irony,” please take your complaint elsewhere because that’s not the point here. Just reread the part of the second paragraph that starts with the words “… that the better,” which is the gist of today’s blog.

Yes, we are headed into a country where crossovers and SUVs overrun our streets, if we haven’t gotten there already. The family sedan? Not so much.

Consider, the latest U.S. sales numbers show that last October seven of the top 10 selling family sedans — Honda Civic and Accord, Toyota Camry and Corolla, Nissan Sentra and Altima, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Elantra, and Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze — all showed declining numbers for the month over the same time period last year.

Same thing for year-to-date sales comparing 2017 to 2016. They are down anywhere from 2.3 to 22.6 percent for seven of the top 10.

To be fair here, sales of seven of the top-10 selling SUVs were also down for October, but only two of the top 10 were down for the year-to-date.

As a segment, passenger car sales were down 600,000 units over the same time a year ago, according to data compiled on the website goodarbadcar.net.

Analyzing the reasons for all this is something that is beyond my pay grade. I’m just here to say that, despite the declining sales numbers, it appears to me that the choices in the affordable sedan segment long dominated by the likes of the Toyota Camry and Corolla and Honda’s Civic and Accord are more varied than ever.

If you don’t like the Japanese imports, you have many other quality options for sensible, comfortable, and affordable family transportation.

I would include the 2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T R-Line high in that group.

The R-Line is one of four trim lines VW offers on the Passat for 2017. The German manufacturer — though the Passat comes out of the VW assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee — calls it the “most sporting variant” of the group with 19-inch wheels, unique rocker panels and grille, a different front bumper, and chrome-tipped exhaust among distinguishing marks.

Other standard equipment includes 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support (manual for the passenger), leatherette seat surfaces, leather-wrapped steering wheel, brake lever, and shift knob, R-line interior trim, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a rearview camera and blindspot monitoring system with rear traffic alert, a six-speaker sound system, and a 6.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system.

It also features VW’s Intelligent Crash Response System, which in the event of a crash unlocks all the doors in the car (making for quicker access by emergency responders), activates all the interior lights, and disengages the fuel pump (stopping the engine and reducing the risk of fire) and all high-voltage electronics.

Oh. And the ICRS also turns on the hazard lights to let others know where you are and that you are in trouble. (Three words here to you who turn on your hazard lights when driving in the rain: STOP DOING THAT!)

All that is included in the base MSRP of $24,795 including the $820 destination and delivery charge. That’s a small step up from the $23,260 asking price for the base 1.8T S and well under the $34,715 tag for the top of the line V6 SEL Premium model.

Often, an “R” designation on a car model denotes a vehicle with enhanced performance, but that’s not so much the case with the Passat R-Line. Handling is improved, but it comes with a 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine also found in the S, SE, and SEL trips. You can get a V6, which boosts the MSRP up to $30,115 for the SE w/Technology and $34,815 for the SEL Premium.

The 1.8T produces 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, the V6 280/258, respectively. Mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission, the 1.8T is rated at 23 miles-per-gallon city, 34 highway, and 27 combined, which a bit below average for its class, but the overall driving experience is enhanced when the sport mode setting is engaged, which makes up for that.

I just reminded myself that I wasn’t driving a sport sedan and was OK with the 1.8T experience.

The interior is a tad short of luxury class, but easy on the eyes. It is functional, comfortable, quiet and also roomy. Front legroom is over 42 inches, rear just over 39.

The infotainment system is easy to operate (thank you, VW, for providing knobs to adjust volume and surf the radio dial and knobs for the A/C). The touch screen is on the small side, but my test vehicle did not come with navigation so screen size really wasn’t an issue this time.

I’m not sure why VW went back to a pull-lever on the console for the parking brake after earlier models, like the 2007 Passat Wagon my wife drives, operated with the push of a button, but that’s not really a deal breaker. Think of it as exercise.

In short, the Passat 1.8T R-Line is a very capable sedan that provides a choice for the buyer who likes to think outside the box. If it doesn’t stand out from its competitors as exceptional, it does everything well and is a solid entrant in a competitive class.

What I liked about the 2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T R-Line: The cabin is very roomy, and it also has good trunk space for a midsize (15.9 cubic feet). 

What didn’t like about the 2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T R-Line: I’d like a little more kick when it comes to throttle response.

Would I buy the 2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T R-Line? Yes. My recommendation may be influenced by the good experience I have had with my wife’s Passat Wagon for nearly a decade, but the new sedan stands solidly on its own as well.

TRADE WIND? SAILING SHIP?  PASSAT  FOR THOSE WHO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX  

When it comes to getting creative with names for its models, you’ve got to hand it to Volkswagen.

Possibly no other automaker in the world (though I’m not familiar with makes from China) comes up with as many names that evoke a what-in-the-world-does-that-mean? reaction as the game German manufacturer.

Over the years, we have seen the likes of Routan, Corrado, Scirocco, Eos, Jetta, Phaeton, Tiguan, and Tourag roll off its assembly lines.

What Teutonic taskmaster came up with those labels? And how?

Plus there are Beetle, Fox, Golf, and Rabbit, the latter two having swapped names depending on the year and market. At least we know what those are.

But Passatt?

Perhaps it has been around long enough and is popular enough that you may know that the name “Passat” comes from German for “trade wind.” It’s also a sailing ship, and “Passat Nunatak” also is a glacial island in Antarctica. At least that’s what a cursory search on the Internet reveals, and everybody knows the Internet doesn’t lie, right?

I’m just guessing here but I would think that VW had “trade wind” or “sailing ship” in mind when it named its midsize family sedan Passat, not the frozen island at the bottom of the world.

Whichever, the Passat has something to offer buyers who like to think outside the box from the traditional sedan offerings from Toyota, Honda, Chevy, and Ford.

It seats five passengers comfortably enough, giving those in the backseat up to 39.1 inches of legroom, has enough oomph (280 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque with the 3.6-liter V6 under the hood and using premium fuel) to satisfy daily driving requirements while delivering decent fuel economy (23 miles-per-gallon combined with the V6), and produces a quiet, smooth ride with minimum road noise.

Even the 1.8-liter turbo 4-cylinder power plant under the hood of the 2017 Passat SEL Premium model that served me for a week offered decent acceleration. It’s rated at 170 hp at 6200 rpm and 184 lb.ft. of torque at a low 1500 rpm while producing fuel economy of 25 mpg city, 38 highway (a number approaching hybrid status), and 29 combined on regular fuel.

Unless you are looking for a sportier performance, the 4-banger seems quite suitable.

Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with power going to the front wheels.

The interior of the Passat I would describe as “functional.” It doesn’t have the panache of German luxury models from Audi, BMW, or Mercedes-Benz, but there is a “European” feel about it. The quality of the materials is excellent.

The 2017 VW Passat is offered in four trim levels starting with the S and continuing with the R-Line, SE, and top-of-the-line SEL Premium, dropping the SEL line. Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking are now standard across the line.

The SEL Premium model for my drive also included as standard equipment 18-inch alloy wheels (over 16s), power sunroof, dual zone climate control, park distance control with rearview camera, blind spot monitoring with traffic alert, keyless entry with push-button start, Fender premium sound system, satellite radio, VW Car-Net connectivity with navigation and Smart phone integration, lane departure warning, fog lights, and LED automatic headlights, daytime running lights and taillights.

All that is included in the MSRP of $35,090 (including $820 destination and delivery), making option packages virtually unnecessary.

What I liked about the 2017 VW Passat 1.8T SEL Premium: It was very comfortable to drive and offers a lot of niceties in the base MSRP. The backseat is roomy and the trunk capacity is a generous 15.9 cubic feet and arranged in an easy-to-load configuration.

What I didn’t like about the 2017 VW Passat 1.8T SEL Premium: The navigation screen is on the small side (6.3 inches) and responses to voice commands vary in time.

Would I buy the 2017 VW Passat 1.8T SEL Premium: In a manner of speaking I already have since several years ago we bought a VW Passat wagon and have really liked it. Of course, there is a major difference in a sedan and wagon (no longer offered as a Passat), but one of the things we appreciate is the German engineering.

By the way, here are explanations for those weird VW model names as garnered from a couple of sources Internet (you can Google it yourself if you want):

   Routan: A minivan with the name derived from “route” and “an,” the latter following the company policy for its European vans Touran and Sharan.

   Corrado: A hatchback from the early 1990s with a name based on the Spanish word for “jet stream” or typhoon. Or maybe it’s based on the Spanish word “Correra,” to run or the runner. Seems to be some doubt there.

   Scirocco: From a hurricane-force wind that originates in the Sahara.

   Eos: The Greek goddess of the dawn.

   Jetta: German for “jet stream.”

   Phaeton: Named after the Greek god of the sun.

   Tiguan: A combination of  “tiger” and “leguan,” the German words for tiger and iguana.

   Tourag: A nomadic people in the Sahara.

   Of course, Volkswagen itself is German for “the people’s car.” But you probably knew that.