Short Take Road Test
We had to pick ourselves up off the floor after viewing the VW Passat 3.6's as-tested price of $38,265 [C/D, December 2005]. But we otherwise loved that sedan and thus were eager to sample the wagon, fitted with the 200-hp, 2.0-liter turbo and zero options. At $26,805, here is a sixth-gen Passat back in the mid-size mainstream, yet it remains plenty of fun.
Nail the throttle, and a two-part dance ensues: a molasses-slow waltz up to 2800 rpm, then a turbocharged tango to redline, with the front tires chirping and clawing and evincing a dollop of torque steer. Sixty mph arrives in 7.2 seconds. That's 1.3 seconds slower than the V-6 Passat sedan, but it's still quicker than a V-6 Ford Fusion. And for 80 percent of driving around town, the turbo never reveals itself.
What's best about the Passat is its electric-assisted steering. The effort is low at all speeds, there's no kickback, interstate tracking is exemplary, and path control is, well, German. The light, creamy steering - combined with a front hood that slopes unto invisibility - lends this wagon an airy and agile feel that camouflages its 3492 pounds.
What's worst about the Passat is its Japanese six-speed automatic. It's slow to kick down yet, under part throttle, is lightning fast to upshift to fifth. Or sixth. You're too often reminded that summoning the appropriate gear will take a while, and even the manumatic refuses to hold a gear if engine revs encroach on scarlet paint.
The 16-inch Michelins telegraphed less road noise than the 17s on the V-6 sedan, and our wagon's ride proved more compliant, too. Roll control and transient response were both excellent, as were this VW's ergonomics, with two exceptions. First, the monster key fob was slow to unlock doors and doubled as the ignition key, at which job it proved as fussy as a two-year-old with damp diapers. Second, you must remove the headrests to fold the rear seats flat - also a fiddly task - but the result is a cargo bay 69 inches long and 42 inches wide. Prepare to go deep into debt at the Home Depot every weekend.
For those still mourning the passing of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry wagons, this VW is appealing, practical, and well worth its $26,805 asking price.
