As Volkswagen’s mid-sized sedan, the Passat has long been positioned, at least in Volkswagen’s eyes, as an upscale alternative to more common family cars from Japan, Korea and North America. There’s little doubt the Passat offers a more satisfying driving experience to those drivers who demand it, but this comes at a price: when the fifth-generation Passat (code-named, confusingly, B6) arrived for 2006, its starting price was just shy of $30,000, when entry-level versions of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry could be had at an MSRP of less than $25,000, and there were many competitive cars that came with even lower price-tags.
photo : autos.ca
There was some value in that higher price, though. The Passat’s base engine was VW’s sweet turbocharged 2.0T four-cylinder motor, one that by the time 2006 rolled in, was known for punching above its power ratings, feeling stronger than its 200 hp/207 lb.-ft. of torque looked on paper. The option was a 3.6-litre V6 that made 280 hp and 265 lb.-ft. Both were ahead of the curve in using direct fuel injection, a technology that wouldn’t become common in other family cars for another few years.
The four-cylinder could be ordered with six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, and the V6 was automatic-only. VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system (built by Haldex of Sweden) was offered in six-cylinder cars starting late in the 2006 model year.
The 2006 model was sold in sedan form only; the station wagon rejoined the line-up in 2007.
The six-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive were made a package deal in 2008, and bi-Xenon steerable headlights were made available that year, too.
The gorgeous four-seat Passat CC – a four-door “coupe” – joined the line-up in 2009 and could be had with either drive-train (four-cylinder/FWD or six-cylinder/AWD). Meanwhile, the V6/all-wheel drive option was dropped from the regular sedan.
In 2010, the six-speed automatic option was replaced in four-cylinder models with VW’s sequential Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) automated manual transmission. The 2011 line-up was pared down to the CC model, as VW prepared for the arrival of an all-new 2012 Passat sedan.
Despite its higher-than-average power output, the Passat’s 2.0T four-cylinder boasts thrifty fuel consumption figures: 10 and 6.7 L/100 km in Natural Resources Canada’s city and highway test cycles, respectively, with the manual transmission and 10.8/7.1 L/100 km with the automatic. The 2010 2.0T model with the DSG transmission was even a little thriftier, at 9.6/6.6 L/100 km. The V6 was thirstier, of course, with ratings of 12.4/7.7 L/100 km in front-wheel drive form and 12.8/8.3 with the 4Motion all-wheel drive system.
The Passat wouldn’t be a Volkswagen without a litany of reliability concerns, and the B6 doesn’t disappoint; there are even a handful of new problems, compared to the previous generation, to make life more exciting for used Passat owners.
In the 3.6-litre V6, there’s a well-documented problem with a bolt that holds a chain-driven oil pump sprocket in place. This bolt is known to either break or simply loosen to the point that the oil pump stops turning, causing a loss of engine oil pressure, which brings with it the possibility of full-on engine failure. Click here for a comprehensive thread at PassatWorld.com, complete with photos.
Volkswagen’s cars have been plagued with bad ignition coils (these provide electricity to the spark plugs) for years, causing misfires and rough-running engines. Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into Passat engine bay fires supposedly caused by these bad coils.
The Passat has an electronically-actuated parking brake whose push-button control seems to be trouble-prone. Check out Autos.ca contributor (and professional mechanic) Brian Early’s educated rant against such needless complication in modern cars.
CR’s data notes oil leaks in four-cylinder Passats. I found threads here and here on that topic at PassatWorld.com.
Faulty air conditioning compressors are common in early B6 Passats.
The previous-generation (B5) Passat is known for going through front drive axles (due to worn constant velocity joints, which allow the axles to move with the steering and suspension). This seems to have been fixed for the 2006-and-newer model, but CR still notes it as a problem in 2006 and some 2007 Passats.
A trunk that requires a hard slam to close, pops open while driving, or triggers a “trunk open” warning light even when it’s shut is caused by a bad latch. The part is inexpensive and the fix fairly easy.
Consumer Reports (CR) gives the B6 Passat a worse-than-average used vehicle rating.
From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Passat earned four stars for front-seat occupant protection in frontal impact tests, and five and four stars, respectively in front and rear protection in side impacts. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Passat the organization’s “good” rating for its performance in frontal offset and side crash tests.
Used Passat values, according to Canadian Black Book, range from $11,450 for a 2006 2.0T with stickshift, to $37,300 for a loaded 2010 3.6 4Motion wagon and $46,150 for a 2011 CC 3.6 4Motion. The Passat tends to be pricier on the used market than a comparable Camry or Accord, but not by as much as the discrepancy in MSRP predicts.
For its superior driving experience, then, the Passat is an attractive deal as a used car. Factor in its unpredictable reliability, though, and it looks like an iffy proposition, especially for one whose age and/or odometer reading make it ineligible for warranty coverage. This is yet another used Volkswagen I can’t recommend. If you decide to take the plunge, though, look for a car with complete service records and get it checked by a trusted mechanic (there are many good independent VW shops around) before you buy.
source : Autos.ca
