{"id":1735,"date":"2019-10-29T03:52:09","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T07:52:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/?p=1735"},"modified":"2025-03-06T16:25:55","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T21:25:55","slug":"2019-volkswagen-passat-wolfsburg-edition-road-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/2019-volkswagen-passat-wolfsburg-edition-road-test\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 Volkswagen Passat Wolfsburg Edition Road Test"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"2019
This is the final year for this generation of Passat, so it’s only available in one Wolfsburg Edition trim. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thank you Volkswagen. You\u2019ve made my job so much easier today. While researching the 2019 Passat for this review, I learned that it\u2019s only available in a single, solitary, one-size-fits-all trim line for this stopgap year, the Wolfsburg Edition getting very close to last year\u2019s top-tier Passat Highline (which replaced the Execline from 2016). This allows me to spend more time on other details such as styling, cabin quality, comfort, driving dynamics, etcetera. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed Passat (originally named Dasher in our market) has been with us since 1973, initially delivering an upscale Audi-inspired look in five-door hatchback and wagon body styles, the former replaced by a regular sport\/luxury sedan dubbed for its second B2 generation. The B3 redesign that arrived in 1988 finally applied the Euro nameplate to North American models, and while I really liked this third-gen Passat, particularly in its most potent VR6 trim, as well as the B4 that followed, my heart went out to the 270 hp 4.0-litre W8-powered AWD B5 version most earnestly. Earlier B5s were also the first Passats I tested as an automotive journalist newbie in the early 2000s, back when this German brand impressed me like no other. <\/span><\/p>\n

That was a time when Volkswagen was comparable to Audi for its performance and overall refinement, the amazing Bentley-based Phaeton luxury sedan arriving the following year with a choice of 335-horsepower V8 or 420-horsepower W12 behind its unassuming grille, not to mention $96,500 and $126,790 respective prices, while not long after that the brand\u2019s 309-hp Touareg V10 TDI was on the scene, putting out a shocking 553 lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen appeared to be vying for luxury brand status during those years, a strategy that kind of made sense in Europe where parent automaker VW AG also owned lesser brands Skoda and Seat to pull in entry-level buyers, but not here where the iconic Beetle manufacturer was known more for economy cars. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Still stylish after all these years. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By comparison, today\u2019s VW-branded cars and crossover SUVs still deliver some premium features not often available with every competitor, like cloth-covered roof pillars (albeit only the A pillars these days), full high-definition TFT primary gauge clusters, and the convenience of a rear seat centre pass-through for stowing long cargo (or better yet, 40\/20\/40 split-folding rear seats), soft pliable composite surfaces aren\u2019t as plentiful, switches, knobs and buttons can now be less dense and therefore cheaper feeling, and rear suspension systems aren\u2019t necessarily independent anymore (unlike most rivals that are now IRS-equipped, the latest Jetta has reverted to using a rear torsion beam setup). <\/span><\/p>\n

I think the Passat looks good though, particularly in my tester\u2019s attractive Tourmaline Blue Metallic. It\u2019s one of six exterior paints for 2019, which include white, black, grey and silver, plus a beautiful Fortana Red Metallic, all no-cost options, while sporty R-Line outer trim comes standard this year too. Additional standard features include automatic on\/off LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps, LED tail lights, and fabulous looking silver-painted twinned five-spoke 19-inch Salvador alloy wheels encircling 235\/40 all-seasons, and that\u2019s just on the outside. <\/span><\/p>\n

To my eyes the cabin looks even better due to VW\u2019s communications team choosing gorgeous Cornsilk Beige for my test car\u2019s interior (it can be had in black or grey as well, depending on the exterior colour chosen), the creamy colour offset by a contrasting black dash top, door uppers and carpets. VW has been producing this rich light beige and black interior motif for decades, including the horizontal ribbing on the leather seat upholstery. It looks sensational, complemented by sophisticated looking textured metal, brushed aluminum, chrome and piano black lacquer elsewhere. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Standard exterior features include LED headlights, 19-inch alloys and a sporty R-Line package. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Standard features include proximity keyless entry with pushbutton start\/stop, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel rim with shift paddles, a colour multi-information display\/trip computer, a leather-wrapped shift knob and handbrake lever, brushed stainless steel foot pedals, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heatable washer nozzles, two-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming centre mirror, a power sunroof, three-way heated front sport seats, an eight-way powered driver seat with two-way power lumbar, driver\u2019s side memory, heatable rear seats, front and back LED reading lamps, an Easy Open trunk, 60\/40-split rear seatbacks with a centre armrest and centre pass-through, plus more for $32,995. <\/span><\/p>\n

That seems like a reasonably good deal already, but it gets better due to a $2,000 no-haggle discount that comes as a parting gift of sorts. Find out about this discount and any other rebates right here at CarCostCanada<\/a>, and while you\u2019re learning more you can also access dealer invoice pricing, which will make it as easy as possible to meet your budget requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n

I should also go into some detail about the Passat\u2019s infotainment system, which measures 6.33 inches and even includes proximity sensing, which means a row of digitized buttons rise up from the bottom of the touchscreen when your fingers get near. While the display is relatively small compared to most competitors\u2019 top-line systems, it process info quickly, includes tablet-style tap, swipe and pinch gesture functions, which are especially useful when using the route guidance-system\u2019s map, and even includes MirrorLink smartphone integration, along with the usual Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Bluetooth is also standard, of course, with audio streaming for listening to music or podcasts from your personal device, while additional standard infotainment features include voice activation, an SD card slot, and one of the worst backup camera systems I\u2019ve used in a long time. Why? Much of the display\u2019s top section was cut off in a semicircular due to a wide-angle lens that was probably trying to provide more visibility, but it actually made things a lot worse, plus VW didn\u2019t include active guidelines either. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
The two-tone interior motif is truly elegant. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The six-speaker Fender premium audio system is good enough for this class, however, with nice deep bass from its subwoofer, while satellite radio stations came in clearly, the inclusion of a CD player will be appreciated by many, and the single USB audio\/charging port made me grateful VW wasn\u2019t still trying to promote Apple, although I\u2019m hoping the next-generation has a few more. Speaking of new, the I hopped into the latest 2020 GTI after giving the Passat keys back and am now hopeful that its considerably larger touchscreen, along with its superb resolution and excellent depth of contrast and colour make it into the 2020 Passat, or something similar. <\/span><\/p>\n

Moving downward on the centre stack, past the HVAC interface that incidentally suffered from loose rotating dials, there\u2019s a lidded compartment for stowing and charging a smartphone. It has a rubberized base, like usual, but oddly it wasn\u2019t big enough for my average-sized phone, which kind of made me glad VW hadn\u2019t installed a wireless charging pad. It did include the just noted USB-A port and as well as an auxiliary connection next to an old-school 12-volt plug, so you should be able to charge multiple devices at any given time (with the help of an aftermarket USB adapter). <\/span><\/p>\n

Close by, to each side of the shift lever, is a row of \u201cbuttons\u201d, or at least they all look like buttons. One deactivated the front and rear parking sonar, while another turned on the semi-autonomous self-parking system, but the other four were merely dummy buttons that made the car look as if it was missing some key features. I noticed it was devoid of a heatable steering wheel, something I appreciate on cold winter mornings, a problem made worse when the flat-bottom leather-wrapped sport steering wheel in question is so incredibly good. The front seats weren\u2019t ventilated either, a function I\u2019m getting more and more used to finding in top-line competitors\u2019 trims. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
Classic but effective, these analogue gauges aren’t nearly as flashy as the new Jetta’s digital cockpit. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Passat\u2019s standard menu of safety enhancements impresses, however, with items like automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic warning, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, driver assistance, park distance control and park assist adding enough high technology to the driving experience as to almost forget about those missing buttons. Better yet, the way these systems chose not to intervene until absolutely necessary had me liking the Passat even more. No one likes over-sensitive technology, especially with respect to safety equipment capable of taking over the wheel, and fortunately the Passat\u2019s were hardly noticeable throughout my test week. It was only when I tried to exit the highway without using my turn signal that the side-assist system fixated on the white line, pulling me back into my lane. I quickly turned my blinker on and was able to move over, and no doubt could have forced it over if I\u2019d wanted to, but VW gets high marks for making advanced driver assistance systems that are only there when absolutely necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n

Previously in this review I mentioned that Volkswagen\u2019s cabin materials aren\u2019t as high in quality now as they used to be, so I should probably go into some more detail about how this affects the Passat. For the most part it\u2019s equal to most competitors, but this makes the car seem less than ok being that it was much better than average years ago. Right up until this US-made seventh-generation model arrived nine years ago, the Passat provided a much greater percentage of premium-level soft padded surfaces than any rival, but now it\u2019s noticeably below average. It\u2019s as if VW AG, the parent company, didn\u2019t want its namesake brand stealing any sales from Audi, so therefore purposely made the Passat\u2019s interior worse than it needed to be, just to be sure. To be clear, some parts are extremely good, like the soft composites used for the dash top and door uppers, but the lower dash panels and glove box lid, plus the centre stack sides and lower door panels are made from lower grade hard plastics, and upstaged by most competitors. This leaves some areas better than average and others not quite measuring up, and depending on whether you see your glass half full or half empty, you\u2019ll either be thrilled with all that\u2019s good or left feeling flat about the car\u2019s weaknesses. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
A bit small, but the Passat’s infotainment system is quite good. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I felt much the same about the Passat\u2019s sole 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. Its 174 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque comes close to matching most rivals\u2019 base powerplants, but it\u2019s hardly a base model despite the aforementioned discount. Last year\u2019s 3.6-litre V6 upgrade provided an option for those wanting more, but no such luck for this year\u2019s performance fans. Fortunately its modest torque figure feels stronger than it looks, probably due to arriving at its maximum at only 1,500 rpm, so takeoff is fairly energetic off the line and there\u2019s ample passing power for most manoeuvres, but a model that once offered 4Motion all-wheel drive now solely gets driven by those up front, and the transmission that sends the engines output to the front wheels only has six forward speeds, which might have been a big deal fifteen years ago, but doesn\u2019t sound all that advanced when put up against today\u2019s eight- and nine-speed automatics. <\/span><\/p>\n

The 2020 Passat will remedy the latter problem with an eight-speed of its own, but no AWD or manual transmission for that matter, two features enthusiasts would love to see, but the current model\u2019s paddle shifters got everything out of the engine it had to give, just like the future one will make the most of even more available torque, resulting in a really enjoyable car to drive. <\/span><\/p>\n

I appreciated the extra control, because this mid-size family hauler can dance with more grace than most four-door sedans in this class, even at high speeds. Of course its suspension is fully independent, with struts up front and a multi-link setup in back, plus a stabilizer bar at each end, and it\u2019s all very well sorted for a bit more grip at the limit and better balance than the segment average. It will understeer when pushed too far, which is a good thing in this category, and its ride should keep all aboard happy, despite being slightly firmer than average. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
These horizontally ribbed leather seats make the Passat look downright ritzy. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fuel-efficiency is quite good at 9.3 L\/100km city, 6.5 highway and 8.1 combined, no doubt why Volkswagen chose the four-cylinder for this model\u2019s sole power unit in place of the V6. Such practicality in mind, you won\u2019t need to worry about anything that might go wrong with the Passat for a year longer than most rivals thanks to an almost comprehensive four-year or 80,000 km warranty, although it\u2019s powertrain warranty is shorter than average by a year or 20,000 km. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019re being pragmatic, the Passat\u2019s front seats and surrounding area is amply roomy for big folks, while the driver\u2019s seat is comfortable, but like the suspension it\u2019s a bit firmer than most in this class. It features two-way powered lumbar support that just so happened to ideally match up to the small of my back, while its lower cushion stretched forward enough to support nicely below the knees. <\/span><\/p>\n

The rear seating compartment is roomier still, and plenty comfortable, while a 450-litre (15.9 cubic-foot) trunk should be more than adequate for most owners\u2019 needs, especially when considering its 60\/40 split-folding rear seatbacks have the advantage of a centre pass-through for loading in longer items like skis. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"2019
The rear seating area is amply roomy and quite comfortable, plus there’s a centre pass-through above the armrest. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These are some of the 2019 Passat\u2019s worthy attributes that I hope are carried forward into the new model, but in the same breath I\u2019m also wishing Volkswagen steps up with more competitive interior quality so that it at least matches the refinement of this segment\u2019s sales leaders. After all, it\u2019s the slowest selling mid-size four-door sedan in Canada by a long shot, so arriving in today\u2019s highly competitive marketplace with a lukewarm update wouldn\u2019t be the best of ideas. Let\u2019s hope they get it right. Until then, the 2019 Passat does some things very well and others not so much, but it\u2019s currently priced right and the deal could be made even sweeter by finding out its dealer invoice price here on CarCostCanada<\/a> before talking to your local Volkswagen retailer. <\/span><\/p>\n

Story and photo credits: Trevor Hofmann <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thank you Volkswagen. You\u2019ve made my job so much easier today. While researching the 2019 Passat for this review, I learned that it\u2019s only available in a single, solitary, one-size-fits-all trim line for this stopgap year, the Wolfsburg Edition getting very close to last year\u2019s top-tier Passat Highline (which replaced the Execline from 2016). This […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1737,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-container-style":"default","site-container-layout":"default","site-sidebar-layout":"default","disable-article-header":"default","disable-site-header":"default","disable-site-footer":"default","disable-content-area-spacing":"default","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[31,145,68,39,106,36,37,322,79,78,38,62,320,321,323],"class_list":["post-1735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-carcostcanada","tag-31","tag-4-door","tag-family","tag-four-door","tag-fuel-economy","tag-mid-size","tag-midsize","tag-passat","tag-review","tag-road-test","tag-sedan","tag-sport","tag-volkswagen","tag-vw","tag-wolfsburg-edition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1735"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1753,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1735\/revisions\/1753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/articles.carcostcanada.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}