Fourth Generation: The Popular Passat (1998-2005)

Dang near a quarter century after the first Passat made it over to America as the Dasher, it finally became a certified hit with the introduction of the all-new 1998 model. And it became that hit by following almost exactly the same formula as the first generation — by stealing from Audi. "Based on the hugely successful Audi A4," Edmunds.com reported on its first test of the new midsize VW, "the Passat gets a stretched version of that compact's chassis just like its sister car, the Audi A6. The Passat also gets the Audi's engine choices plus one.

This means that the Passat can be equipped with an economical but lively 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a powerful 30-valve V6 engine, or a Greenpeace-approved four-cylinder TDI that gives this midsize car gas mileage that rivals the diminutive Chevrolet Metro." Though our writer raved about the way the new Passat looked, how much it held and the nearly perfect interior, that wasn't what impressed us most. Rather, it was the way it drove. "Nimble, peppy and fun are not how we usually describe family cars," we enthused, "but the Passat fills out those descriptions perfectly.

The Passat is nimble because it is built on the wonderful A4 platform that rewrote the book on how front-wheel-drive cars can be expected to handle. It changes direction quickly, tracks evenly through a turn, and exhibits minimal body roll when tossed into a corner. Its highway ride is exceptional, too; offering none of the harshness over broken pavement and expansion joints that often characterize sporty cars." While the fourth-generation Passat is still front-drive, it is engineered quite unlike any previous edition.

The engine is (as it was on the original Dasher) mounted longitudinally in the chassis, but the front suspension is now a multilink arrangement that offers significantly better geometry than the simple MacPherson struts used previously. The rear suspension is a set of trailing arms sprung with a torsion bar. At 184.1 inches long on a 106.4-inch wheelbase, the '98 Passat sedan and wagon were easily the largest cars Volkswagen had built up to that time. But that large size didn't translate into an oversize power plant. In fact the base four-cylinder engine's size actually dropped to just 1.8 liters, albeit with five valves per cylinder and a turbocharger that resulted in a solid 150-hp output with outstanding low-end torque production. The same 2.8-liter, 90-degree, 30-valve V6 offered in the Audi A4 was optional on the Passat GLX sedan and its 190 hp made for an easygoing everyday driver.

Both a five-speed manual and five-speed automatic transmission were offered. Edmunds.com's first test had the new Passat GLS powered by the 1.8-liter turbo four zipping to 60 mph in just 8.2 seconds. Our test of a Passat GLS wagon (also powered by the four) made it to 60 in just 8.6 seconds despite being burdened with the automatic transmission. The '98 Passat was an immediate and massive hit for VW as buyers quickly recognized that its roomy and stylish interior, sophisticated chassis and handsome overall appearance made it one of the best family cars on the market. VW sold a big 39,272 Passats during the '98 model year and that was only the beginning. VW was supposed to introduce an all-wheel-drive Passat and offer the V6 in the wagon for 199, but both were delayed so the status quo was maintained. U.S. sales grew to 68,151 Passats this model year and that, when combined with the 83,434 copies of the freshly introduced New Beetle, headed a significant renaissance in VW sales in North America.

The V6 wagon appeared for 2000 and Tiptronic manual operation of the automatic transmission was a new option, but otherwise the 2000 Passat was almost indistinguishable from the previous year. And that was good enough to earn a victory in that year's Edmunds.com' nine-way comparison test of family sedans. "To say that the Volkswagen Passat impressed us would be a gross understatement," we concluded. "In nearly every category, the Passat finished in the win, place or show position. "Yeah, we were suckers for the crisp-edged styling, communicative handling and incredible fit and finish. In our performance trials, the Passat never fell below third in any category.

Adding to our enthusiasm was the fact that the Passat comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission, which would have cut $1,075 from the price tag of our automatic-equipped test car. "Price didn't seem to affect the Passat in our standings. As most expensive of the test at $29,295, our Passat GLX was last in terms of price point and value, but the VW proved that it was worth every penny…and more." The praise just got more effusive after that. For the record, our V6-equipped Passat GLX with the Tiptronic automatic made it to 60 mph in just 7.7 seconds and gobbled the quarter-mile in 16 seconds at 88.9 mph. All-wheel drive finally also made it to this generation Passat with the introduction of the 4Motion system (the Audi quattro system with a different name) for this model year and we drove a wagon so equipped. And VW sold another 84,521 Passats that year.

There were no significant changes to the 2001 Passat and VW's success with the car continued unabated. However at midyear a "2001.5" update of the car brought a revised and reinforced nose, elegant chrome exterior trim, an updated interior and 20 more horsepower (for a total of 170) to the four-cylinder turbo engine. Our encounters with the revised Passat were overwhelmingly positive even as we noted a creeping increase in the car's price. How far upmarket the Passat had moved becomes apparent with the introduction of the 2002 models and the availability of VW's innovative W8 engine teamed up with the 4Motion system and the five-speed automatic transmission. Essentially two narrow-angle V4s joined 72 degrees apart at a common crankcase, the W8 displaces 4.0 liters and is rated at 270 hp. We were, once again, impressed. "The W8 is also as smooth as Ricardo Montalban is with the ladies thanks to engineering advancements," we reported. "Get on the gas, and the W8 emits a refined exhaust note and loads of low-end thrust, the latter of which is lacking in 1.8T and V6 Passat engines." Of course immediately after this First Drive, Edmunds.com's editorial policy was modified to forbid the mention of Ricardo Montalban ever again. But there was a major problem with the W8: the price. "At $37,900 for the sedan and $38,700 for the wagon," we warned, "the Passat treads on the toes of some pretty spectacular cars." The buying public apparently agrees and the W8 has never sold in large numbers.

Amazingly though, and in its fifth year of production, the Passat was strong enough to win our 2002 Premium Family Sedan Test. That's an impressive run for a car in such a keenly competitive market segment. A new base "GL" model was added to the Passat range for 2003 and the W8 could now be had with a six-speed manual transmission, but most everything else about the sedan and wagon carried over unchanged. The diesel was back in the 2004 Passat with the introduction of the 2.0-liter, TDI turbo four. A thoroughly modern diesel, the TDI is rated at 134 hp and delivers acceptable, if not scintillating, performance in the Passat. "While the diesel engine is noticeably louder than its gasoline-burning brethren outside the car," Dan Kahn wrote in our First Drive of the Passat TDI, "the heightened noise level is hardly detectable inside with the windows rolled up.

This may in fact be testament to VW's advanced sound-deadening technology. The engine vibrates the entire car a little more than we would like at idle, as you can pick up slight engine shake through the steering wheel and shifter when sitting at a stoplight. Everything smoothes out as the engine speed climbs, however, and at highway speeds the added noise and vibration is hardly detectible." Throw in EPA mileage ratings of 27 in the city and 38 on the highway, and the Passat TDI is sure to appeal to the miserly who need a roomy car. The 2005 Passat was a carryover and that's no bad thing.

But after eight years with this breakthrough car, can the next Passat maintain VW's momentum?

http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/passat/history.html