Named after the trade winds,
the Passat was Volkswagen's first wind-themed car, preceding the Golf (Gulf
Stream)
and Scirocco – a hot breeze that originates in the Sahara and occasionally
crosses the Mediterranean to scald Europe.
Initially sold as the Dasher
in North America starting in 1974, then the Quantum, it finally reverted
to its Gott-given
nameplate in 1990.
Marketed as Volkswagen's family-size
car, VW borrowed bits from its corporate parts bin shared with Audi's A4
and A6 models to lend the redesigned 1998 Passat an air of sportiness and
sophistication.
Not to mention power: the earlier cars were easy to pass.
CONFIGURATION Compared to the previous-generation
Passat, the 1998 model was about 10 cm longer, slightly wider and taller,
and almost 8 cm longer in wheelbase to yield an even more spacious cabin.
But what really turned heads
was the car's fresh look, abandoning the crease-and-fold styling of the
old sedan for the
arched-roof profile inspired by the firm's iconic New Beetle.
As before, the B5-generation
Passat came in four-door sedan and station wagon configurations.
What was distinctive was the auto maker's desire to coddle the driver and
passengers in rich-looking materials
and premium appointments.
Air-con, seat-mounted front
side airbags, telescoping steering wheel, antilock braking and low-speed
traction control were standard.
The blue-lit instrumentation was a real crowd pleaser.
Buyers could choose from a number of powerplants over the years.
Introduced first was Audi's turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder, good for 150 hp and 155 lb.-ft. of torque.
This engine packed five valves
per cylinder, three of them intake valves, with the middle one opening ahead
of the outer two
to create a swirl, boosting combustion efficiency.
Also available was Audi's DOHC, 2.8-litre V6, also a five-valver. It made 190 hp and 206 lb.-ft. of thrust.
A five-speed manual transmission
was standard; a Porsche-designed five-speed Tiptronic automatic was optional
with
either engine.
After a 10-year hiatus, VW revived
the option of all-wheel drive for its premium North American sedan and wagon
in 2000
(the last "Syncro" was the unlamented Vanagon).
The Passat's 4Motion system
was permanently engaged, splitting power 50/50 front-to-rear under normal
operating conditions
and varying the split to one-third/two-thirds at either end at any time.
The setup came bundled only with the V6 and automatic transmission.
The Passat was refreshed for
2001.5 (VW likes to be precise about these things). Torsional rigidity was
improved by
10 per cent, window airbags became standard and a new front fascia with
chrome accents added bling.
Under the hood, the base 1.8T engine was massaged to provide 20 additional horses.
For 2002, the W8 sedan and wagon
were introduced with an innovative 270 hp eight-cylinder engine, composed
of
two narrow V4 cylinder banks melded together. Buyers also got a six-speed
manual, plus a firmer suspension
and 17-inch tires.
VW finally made its 2.0-litre
TDI turbodiesel engine available in its big sedan in 2004, pumping out 134
hp and
a stump-pulling 247 lb.-ft. of torque.
The redesigned 2006 Passats rolled into showrooms in late 2005.
ON THE ROADThe V6-equipped Passat, tethered
to the quick-acting autobox, could accelerate to 96 km/h in 8.6 seconds
– mid-pack performance among popular family sedans.
The portly AWD wagon took 9.4
seconds, while the lighter 1.8T version could sprint to highway velocity
in 7.5 seconds
(with the manual stick).
The Passat shone in dynamic refinement.
Test pilots raved about the
on-centre feel of the steering and the balanced chassis, still supple enough
to soak up uneven
surfaces without complaint.
Torque steer was nonexistent, thanks to the Audi-sourced multilink front suspension.
AWD models felt sure-footed in the worst driving conditions, due to a low centre of gravity.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED"The VW has that solid, definite feel when driving," photographer Martin Lipman wrote of his '05 Passat TDI.
He added: "The torque and the rigidity make for a great work car that doesn't loosen up over time."
Assembled in Emden, Germany,
the Passat is as Teutonic as a car can be, promising superior build quality
and granite-like
durability.
However, Volkswagen has been known to trail in J.D. Power's dependability surveys.
"This car was fine until, at 58,000 km, I had to spend $1,000 on the front end," complained the owner of an '01 model.
"It now has 93,000 km on it, and I have spent over $7,000 in repairs in the past two years."
The 1.8-litre turbo engine may
be troublesome, with an oil sludge condition for which VW extended its powertrain
warranty
to eight years.
However, certain dealers reportedly are sticky about honouring it, demanding oil-change receipts over the cars' lifetime.
Other problems with some 1.8Ts can include ignition coil failure, oil and fluid leaks and bad catalytic converters and sensors.
The V6 Passats are considerably
better, although some owners noted premature timing belt failures, faulty
emission controls
and wonky electrics.
All models may also suffer from a/c leaks, short-lived ball joints and tie-rods, rapidly worn rear brakes and blown lights.
Keep in mind that, along with
the driving positives, maintaining a German car requires a certain commitment
of money and time
(waiting for parts to arrive).
