2012 Passat

[The Critic]

Quote:
Volkswagen said its redesigned 2012 Passat, on display at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show,will get a drastic reduction in the base price and will offer an optional turbodiesel engine that will return 43 miles per gallon in highway driving.

The new Passat, which is aimed squarely at such popular midsize family sedans as the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry, is the first vehicle to roll out of VW's new $1-billion Chattanooga plant in Tennessee. It was designed specifically for the U.S. market.

The 2012 Passat for the U.S. is a different vehicle from the European Passat unveiled last fall at the Paris auto show.

The U.S. car features four-wheel independent suspension, with a multi-link rear end. For the time being, VW plans to offer only a front-wheel-drive version; 4Motion all-wheel drive may be added later as an option.

The base engine is VW's 2.5-liter inline-5, rated at 170 horsepower and mated to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. Two uplevel engines are offered: A 280-hp 3.6-liter narrow-angle V6 with a six-speed automated manual direct-shift gearbox and a 140-hp 2.0 TDI coupled with either a six-speed manual or six-speed DSG. The diesel will provide a driving range of up to 800 miles.

Standard features include dual-zone climate control and Bluetooth hands-free capability. Among the options are keyless/pushbutton start, remote start and 18-inch wheels and tires.

VW said it expects pricing on the 2012 Passat to start at around $20,000. The current 2010 Passat is priced from $27,945.


http://www.insideline.com/volkswagen/passat/2012/2012-volkswagen-passat-2011-detroit-auto-show.html

Official Press Release:
http://media.vw.com/press_releases/volks...uilt-in-america

 

[chet2]

thats great VW is building a plant in US, doesnt happen everyday

 

[Falcon_LS]

That's a drastic decrease in price!

I don't see shipping and all adding up to $7,500, so I wonder where all the cost cutting has come from. I hope they haven't cut back on the quality of materials and all that, because VW's build quality is really up there. Looking at the interior though, it looks pretty much the same as the current European Passat, although the exterior is different.

It's also about time they came up with a diesel engine in the USDM, and it'll be interesting to see what oil specs will be required for it (as well as OCIs).

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
That's a drastic decrease in price!

I don't see shipping and all adding up to $7,500, so I wonder where all the cost cutting has come from. I hope they haven't cut back on the quality of materials and all that, because VW's build quality is really up there. Looking at the interior though, it looks pretty much the same as the current European Passat, although the exterior is different.

It's also about time they came up with a diesel engine in the USDM, and it'll be interesting to see what oil specs will be required for it (as well as OCIs).

It's a common rail VW diesel, if like the other 2.0L CR140 TDIs, should be spec'd for VW 507.00 (5w30 only). Same 10K mile interval TDIs have had for many years..

 

[FowVay]

I see my 2009 model as being my last Volkswagen. The direction that this company is heading in our market, coupled with the competition that is making great strides in their areas of appeal all leave VW with very little to entice me into their showrooms.

I saw my first 2011 Jetta on the highway yesterday and it is a attractive package but offers nothing that the competition doesn't also offer. Unfortunately you have to deal with VW and their dealerships which have proven to be the worst in the industry from my personal experiences.

 

[eljefino]

VW gets that "austerity" is the new fad. This new cheap jetta is going to sell like hotcakes. If it's poorly executed mechanically it will be discovered much later.

They must have saved some money on the styling and the simple body stampings; car looks like a boring blob now.

And who knows, maybe by the time you've optioned yourself out of the 2.0 engine and other base junk, the car will be $21k, bringing VW back to the glory days of making money off the options. My Dad's 1980 Fairmont grew from $4300 base to $6000 with vinyl seats, stick shift, and no air conditioning! The money went to the inline 6 and power steering, near as I can tell.

 

[JHZR2]

sounds good except for the 18" tires. Ill bet the TDI ends up on the higher end of the scale unfortunately cost-wise... But still is a good option and hopefully will push other majors to get their act together when it comes to diesels.

 

[scurvy]

If this is available as a wagon with the sweet TDI / 6MT combination, it may very well take a spot in my garage. Styling aside, price reductions and back-to-basics models are the right moves for VW. Now if they could just fire 99% of their current stealerships and start fresh in that aspect they'd REALLY be on the right track.

Thank you, Wolfsburg, Herndon & Chattanooga.

 

[Vikas]

How is the serviceability of this Passat? The previous generations have atrocious repair times for simple works i.e.
"Step 1 - Remove Engine 2 - Replace Belt 3 - Installation is reverse of the removal "

 

[eljefino]

Wow my comprehension fails me when everyone else is talking Passaat. However the new jetta is cheap too.

Congrats VW for getting it that their whole lineup is too pricey. Though imagine what it must do for resale of existing models!

 

[Dan55]

They ran an article in the Saturday's New York Times about VW trying to make a big comeback in the US. I have owned three of them and I am not impressed. The last being a 2000 Passat GLX that from the start the dealer refused to fix the intermittent malfunctioning pass doorlock,a safety issue. It was a beautiful car that had tons of luxury features, handled well and comfortable seats. But unfortunatly by 50K it started to fall apart and the 100K warranty was just a marketing tool. The final straw was when the 8 way power memory seats went into full recline while my wife was driving, I got rid of that car in a hurry. I could give you a laundry list of all the problems, under designed parts caused most of it. VW does not stand behind their products and blame you on well known defects. My first VW a 79 Rabbit was a great car and was still running well at 145K, all warranty issues were promply adressed by the dealer. They have a long road ahead of them if they want to make a comeback!

 

[JHZR2]

It seems to me that a poor dealer network is the source of most issues. I cannot imagine that the cars are any more over or under engineered than any other. Considering that most of these cars are sold the world over, which means more severe use than we have here, I doubt that they are too flaky.

But Ive heard more dealer issues with VW than any other brand. When buying my wife's rabbit, we had a few dealer visits that left a bad taste. We bought from a good one and have been happy, the car trouble free.

 

[saaber1]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
It seems to me that a poor dealer network is the source of most issues...

+1 The dealers are so ignorant that taking your car to the dealer can result in more problems after. For example a full two years after the DSG transmission had been out in the U.S. (was out longer in audis) people were being told "you never have to change the fluid" (it has to be changed at 40k), "it doesn't have a mechatronics unit (the transmission's brain)", and even "what is DSG?". It really boggles the mind how ignorant some dealers are. Also numerous cases of dealers using Dino oils even as of last year (haven't heard of any lately). The key to owning a VW IMO is never take it to the dealer unless you have no other choice.

 

[BBDartCA]

If this car has the ride and interior like the CC Passat, its going to be a great deal in low 20's. Hopefully they did not cheapen up the platform like they did on the 2010 Jetta. Interior looks the same as the CC except for the seats.

The TDI option is very encouraging. No pricing on it yet, but if its going be in the low 30's, that will be a a great car. But I hope it has more ponies than the 2.0 TDI in the 2010 US Jettas as that motor is a dog compared to the 2.0T in a heavier car.

Exterior Styling does not look half bad. Toned down from the CC but not bland like the Camary and Accord. The front end does look too much like the old Jetta and Golf.

The sedan market is getting very crowded with new iron. Will be neat to see how this compares to the new Charger. Toyota and Honda will continue to loose market share in this segment.

The price change is not much to do with shipping and duty but more to do with currency. The German and Hungarian engine plants are not super low cost. I assume the engines are still coming from Europe or Mexico. US dollar remains very weak to the Euro.

 

[silverrat]

Regarding how they cut $7000

http://jalopnik.com/5729711/how-volkswagen-cut-7000-from-the-2012-passat/gallery/

 

[daves87rs]

Whoa! Not big on the style..

 

[Quattro Pete]

I think it looks OK. Time will tell the reliability story...

More info/photos here:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/article_2848.shtml

 

[97tbird]

I like the way it looks - I hate all the new "funky" and bulbous looking cars these days - I am glad VW went with the more "square" and conventional look.
I hope they didn't cheapen the interior like they did with the Jetta.

I wonder how reliable the VW I-5 is, and wish that the the TDI offered a bit more than 140HP

that's pretty low for a car the Passat's size, IMO.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Whoa! Not big on the style..


What was their styling target? The Chevy Impala?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
and wish that the the TDI offered a bit more than 140HP

that's pretty low for a car the Passat's size, IMO.

Turbo diesel's HP numbers can be deceiving. This 140HP engine has more torque than my 530i (236 lb-ft vs. 214 lb-ft). Not saying that it's a speed demon, but that's actually only 20 lb-ft of torque short of the 3.6-liter VR6 while still expecting to deliver 40+ mpg.

Throw in a chip, and that puppy will be flying!