Volkswagen showed off the updated Passat at the 2011 Detroit auto show, styling it with a more angular grille reflecting current VW design language. Along with a few gasoline options, VW will make a Passat TDI available, getting 43 mpg.
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.
The Passat gets a significant update for 2011, with styling reflecting Volkswagen's current design language and a new set of power-train options. As its midsize sedan, Volkswagen wants the Passat to offer a near luxury interior for a reasonable price.
Like last year's updated Jetta, the headlights and grille of the Passat form a single piece. But on the Passat, horizontal bars make the grille look more prominent. The car has a more upright, stately appearance, rather than the raked forward look of past years.
Volkswagen is offering the car with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine, a 2-liter diesel, or a 3.6-liter V-6. With the diesel, the Passat will get 43 mpg and a range of 800 miles. The V-6 version comes standard with Volkswagen's DSG dual clutch transmission.
Volkswagen did a nice job on the Passat's interior, using soft plastics and wood grain trim. One tech highlight of the car is a new audio system option designed by guitar maker Fender. Composed of nine speakers, including a subwoofer, and a 400-watt amp, this system is designed to deliver a unique Fender sound.
The steering wheel shows the same controls as in the 2011 Jetta. Buttons on the spokes feature a compact design and allow control over the audio and Bluetooth phone systems.
Volkswagen will offer two navigation options in the Passat. One, the flash-drive-based RNS 315, is also offered in the Jetta. It works well, but does not show traffic. The hard-drive-based RNS 510 version should be more feature-rich.
The transmission options for the new Passat depend on the engine. With the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, Volkswagen offers either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. With the diesel, the five-speed manual or six-speed DSG are available. The V-6 is limited to the DSG.
