2005 Volkswagen Passat TDI wagon Test Drive

Volkswagen shows us why the turbodiesel is the engine of the future

Already one of the best cars in the world, the addition of a powerful new turbodiesel engine means the Volkswagen Passat just got a whole lot better. Forget everything you think you know about diesels. Plain and simple, they're the future. Clean and quiet, this 2.0L 4-cylinder diesel moves like a 6-cylinder gas engine but gets twice the fuel economy. The stylish Passat comes in both 4-door sedan and 5-door wagon body styles. MSRP for the GL TDI $24,360; Basic warranty: 4yrs/50,000.

First Glance

Very little has changed since the second-generation Passat was introduced in America as a 2001 model. VW tends to get things right the first time. With the Passat, there were two exceptions: Oft-repeated complaints about build quality, not just in the Passat but in all VW models. The second major complaint involved poor fuel economy. This came as a shock to most buyers. People on this side of the pond think of VWs as economy cars, which means or should mean they offer decent fuel economy. With respect to poor perceived (or actual, I’m not sure which) build quality, VW of America now offers a 4yr/50,000 bumper-to-bumper warranty on all its models. And about the lousy gas mileage (actual, not imagined this), VW now offers what may be the most advanced automobile engine sold anywhere in the world today: the 2.0 TDI turbo diesel with its signature direct injection ("pumpe deuse") technology. This is one of the cleanest yet gutsiest engines you can buy. It gets an honest 30mpg in the city and at least 40mpg on the highway. And it hauls the zaftig Passat wagon, which we tested, from 0-60mph in under ten seconds. Most important, though, it’s a real hoot to drive. It goes like a 200hp gasoline engine but still gets great mileage.

In the Driver's Seat

The Passat was designed to compete with the lower-priced full-size models of its German competitors. And compete it does. It's roomy, luxurious in the archetypical no-nonsense German way, stylish and well-engineered. Apart from the familiar VW badge on the grill, which to some still connotes "small size" and "bargain-price", there is nothing down-market about this beauty. This Passat looks every bit as elegant, feels just as solidly built, and handles as well in most conditions as any of its three most direct competitors--the 3-series BMW, the C-Class Mercedes and the A4 from Audi. Comparably equipped, however, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper. The rear seats in the Passat fold down in a 60/40 split. Combined with an extra large trunk of the sedan, it makes for an awesome carrying space. The wagon has even more space with the rear seats folded. There’s very generous legroom in back in both models -- every bit as much as you’ll find in any full-size American car -- and firm cushions. Rear seat passengers can even see out the front of the car. It comes standard with most of the latest safety goodies, including dual-power front and side air bags, ABS and traction control. ESP (electronic stability control) is a $280 option. Get it.

On the Road

The most significant thing about the 2005 Passat is its new 2.0L 4-cylinder turbodiesel, which develops 134hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. It's an astonishingly low cost option in the GL and GLS models. When you factor in the 5-speed Tiptronic automatic (standard on the TDI, optional with the Passat's standard 1.8 liter turbocharged gasoline engine), the TDI costs just $215 more. For most drivers, the payback can be measured in weeks--you could save 50% on fuel for as long as you own the car. Equally important, you’ll go twice as far on a tank of diesel as you will on a tank of regular gas; 600+ miles between fill ups is not unusual. The 2.0L TDI is the first 16-valve diesel engine VW has made. In the Passat, its performance in virtually all speed ranges is superior to the 180hp 1.8T gas engine. Acceleration from a dead stop under full power is adequate but not sparkling; where this diesel shines is above about 25mph. From that speed until you run out of road, it’ll whup the 1.8T and probably keep up with the VR6. The downside? Actually, there are two: You’ll notice a bit of diesel clatter at idle (but absolutely none as soon as you’re moving) and, you’ll have to keep track of the location of filling stations that sell diesel.

Journey's End

The 2005 Passat is virtually unchanged from 2001, which is to say, it’s still one of the finest compact cars on the planet. But "compact" is a misnomer. The Passat features one of the best-designed interiors in the industry. Nearly anyone regardless of shape or size (with the possible exception of pro linemen) along with three (or four in a pinch) similar-sized friends can fit comfortably in the Passat. I suggest you order the base Passat GL with the 2.0L TDI diesel engine. It comes with the excellent 5-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Skip the leather interior and sunroof, opt for the 17-inch alloy wheels ($400) and stability control ($280), and you’ll have a car that is not only space efficient, safe and a blast to drive but one that is also surprisingly -- no, astonishingly -- reasonably priced. In addition to driving a vehicle that has to be ranked at or very near the top for new car bargain of the year, you’ll be in the forefront of the green-tech revolution. As VW chief Dr. Berndt Pischetsrieder explained at the 2005 Los Angeles auto show, the car and light truck engine of the future will not be a hydrogen fuel cell but something that looks very much like the modern diesel engine now available in the Passat.