2020 Volkswagen Passat: 5 Things We Like and 4 Things We Don’t

The Volkswagen Passat is a safe play in a mid-size sedan segment full of mixed messages. Ford is bailing out altogether with the discontinuation of the Fusion sedan. Chevrolet is soldiering on for a few more years with the current Malibu, while Chrysler hasn’t had a mid-size presence since the 200 sedan bowed out in 2017.

Related: 2020 Volkswagen Passat Review: VW Hedges Its Bet on Sedan’s Future

On the other hand, popular models like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have received significant makeovers with more style, added safety features and fun-to-drive dynamics all baked into them. (Yes, even that most sensible of sedans, the Camry, has found something close to a wild side.) Meanwhile, Hyundai has transformed the Sonata sedan into a head-turning family car that’s bursting with standard features.

Where does that leave a lightly freshened Passat? During our recent test drive, we discovered some of this German sedan’s longstanding plus points. In the process, several issues surfaced that show how the Passat is showing its age. If you’re a prospective Passat purchaser, be sure to read our complete review by clicking via the related link above, or if you want a quick reference guide to the sedans highs and lows, read on.

Here are five things we like, and four we could pass on in the Passat:

Things We Like

1. Roomy Rear Seating

Perhaps it’s faint praise when we lead off the positives by talking about rear legroom. But the fact of the matter is, the Passat delivers near full-size sedan levels of rear space. If you routinely carry three to four passengers, this can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping everyone happy and comfortable.

2. Serene (Straight-Line) Highway Ride

When the road ahead is twisty, you’ll have more fun behind the wheel of an Accord, Camry or agile Mazda6. That’s just the way it is. On the other hand, the Passat is a champ when it comes to ferrying occupants on lengthy, arrow-straight stretches of highway. For someone with a long daily commute, the Passat’s mellower driving manners could be ideal.

3. Added Torque

The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine still delivers the same 174 horsepower as before. VW has increased the engine’s torque, however. This has been nudged 12% higher, for a total of 206 pounds-feet. VW says that’s enough to cut the 0-60-mph time by about half a second (though truth be told, we think you’d be hard pressed to notice the added oomph).

4. Understated Good Exterior Looks

Honda, Hyundai and Toyota have all transformed their mid-size offerings into more expressive and stylish automobiles. The Passat is handsome, though the new model is conservative when it comes to its design changes. There’s a larger front grille, thinner headlights and more sculpting to the sides. All things considered, the Passat remains an attractive sedan, even if it blends more into the background of the competitive field.

5. More Features, Lower Price

Glance back to 2018 and you’ll find the updated Passat is actually a better deal than it was a couple of years ago. Starting at $23,915 (including a destination charge), the 2020 Passat costs less than an identically equipped base version did in 2018. Step up one notch to the SE trim and things get even better: There are more standard safety features for a lower base price than what was offered for the 2018 model year. As time machines go, the new Passat is a value leader.

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Things We Don’t Like

1. Less Horsepower Than Key Rivals

The extra torque is nice, but when it comes to horsepower, the Passat significantly trails the base engines found direct rivals like the Accord and Camry. VW also doesn’t offer any sort of engine upgrade or hybrid variant. The Accord, Camry and seductive new Sonata all have more than one choice of engine.

2. Less MPG, Too

VW upped the torque but lowered the fuel economy. The 2020 Passat returns an EPA-estimated 23/34/27 mpg city/highway/combined. That’s 2 mpg down on what you got with the 2019 Passat, and it’s much thirstier than the base Accord or Camry. VW, we know gas is cheap right now, but you’re moving in the wrong direction here.

3. Dashboard Drawbacks

If the exterior changed only slightly, you’d need a magnifying lens to spot updates in the 2020 Passat’s cabin. The 6.3-inch infotainment system display is small and sits too low in the dash. It has also lost some physical buttons, replacing them with “Did I actually do anything?” touch controls that are harder to operate while driving. VW also hasn’t upgraded some of the cheap plastics that detract from the Passat’s interior ambiance.

4. Shrinking Warranty

Here’s a bizarre way to boost confidence in your company’s mid-size sedan: Shrink the warranty. Strangely, that’s what VW has done for the 2020 Passat. Gone is the previous six-year warranty used in 2018 and 2019. In its place is a four-year warranty with two years of free scheduled maintenance. We like free stuff, but the newly truncated warranty is a bummer.

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