2022 Volkswagen Passat
There was once a time when the mid-size family sedan was sure bet for the consumer. Since they have moved on to SUVs, only a few sedans remain in the market.
The Volkswagen Passat used to be one of those sedans. Last year, production ended at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant after 11 model years. We remember it for giving families loads of space, plenty of performance and exceptional fuel economy.
We got a chance to revisit one of our favorite sedans in its class. Not just to say “good-bye,” but to give you some consumer advice if you are looking to own one.
For 2020, Volkswagen refreshed their Passat sedan with a sleeker and softer profile than the outgoing model. The front end looks like the one seen on the current Jetta with a larger, deeper grille going into the bumper. The roofline has been softened and given a faster profile retaining the three side glass design. The rear end also looks like the Jetta, with a deeper license plate area and sleeker taillights.
This design continued through to our 2022 SE tester. A set of 18-inch alloy wheels finish up the look. Overall, this design is contemporary without going overboard on the details.
For the most part, the Passat’s cabin never really changed over the past 11 model years. The instrument cluster features analog instrumentation with a center digital information screen. The center stack features a 6.5-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration and automatic climate control. All of the controls were tactile and logical – no haptic touch was integrated onto Passat unlike newer Volkswagen models.
The Passat offers supportive comfort for five passengers. There are some bolstering on the leatherette front seats of our SE tester. Rear seat room was simply the best in class. Leg room is beyond generous, but the headroom sort of shrunk a tad from previous versions of the Passat.
You also get 15.9 cubic feet of trunk space, that expands with the rear seats folded down. The trunk lid is of a good size, but bulk items need to negotiate the “drop down” in the opening off the bumper.
The last Passat models came with a 174-horsepower 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged engine. It still offered solid cruising performance. The driveline of the Passat includes a smooth shifting six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, that sends power to the front wheels. Overall, we observed a fuel economy average of 30.1 MPG.
The ride quality is superb. The Passat offers a comfortable highway cruising ride and around town. While it provided ample traction, we wished they equipped this Passat with better tires than specified. Overall handling and cornering are also very good, with plenty of control through the maneuvers.
It helps to have a really good steering system with a nice turning radius to help keep the Passat under control. On-center feel is a bit on the soft side and wheel feel is just fine. The brakes are very sold overall with good pedal feel. Stops in both normal and panic situations are shot and linear.
Pricing for the 2022 Volkswagen Passat started at $27,295. Our SE tester came with a sticker price of $28,290. Volkswagen also offered the 2022 Passat in an SEL R-Line and Limited Edition models.
When the Passat was in production, it garnered aplenty of competition. Competitors included the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy, Kia K5, and Chevrolet Malibu.
If you are actually looking for a new 2022 Passat, you may have run out of luck. Since production ended, Volkswagen sold their final units. You might get lucky finding one, if you search our listings. You may get a good lease return or former fleet unit through the brand’s Certified Pre-Owned vehicle program. Passats from the past several years were known for being reliable and well-engineered.
When you do find one, expect a Volkswagen Passat to give you a good run for the money. Not to mention a lot of comfort for your family and great fuel economy to boot.
Therefore, this is not “good-bye.” Maybe, you get a good buy instead?
Story Credits: CarSoup Editors
