Mike Hanley recently posted his review of the new 2007 Volkswagen Passat wagon, and it sounds like quite a nice family-mover. I didn’t get a chance to drive the wagon, but I did spend some seat time in the 2006 sedan when it was introduced last year.
Like the wagon, the Passat sedan felt very upscale, but the way it was loaded with features put the sticker near $40,000. That’s BMW territory. But with the Passat you’re still getting more room than the similarly priced 3 Series offers. My only problem with the entire experience was the braking. Normally a VW has grippy brakes that respond instantly, but my tester’s stopping felt mushy. At the time I was willing to chalk it up to abusive driving by previous auto journalists who had tested the car before me. Mike thought the disc brakes were “strong,” so we’ll go with past experience and his opinion.
I would definitely opt for the wagon and agree with Mike that its looks seal the deal. I’d also take the Passat over the Saab 9-5 SportCombi wagon I recently tested. But for value and performance there’s also the recently redesigned Subaru Outback and Mazda6 wagons to consider. I think the wagon as a body style is an excellent alternative for former SUV owners, plus it doesn’t hurt that there are a ton of good-looking ones now on the market.
