MSRP Range: $37,500 - $39,000
Invoice Range: $34,500 - $35,500
Price Quote
MSRP As Tested: $37,500
Versions: None
Vehicle Category: Mid-Size
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: All-Wheel Drive
Engine As Tested: 4.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, W8, 270-horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 273 lb-ft torque at 2,750 rpm
Transmission As Tested: 5-Speed Automatic with Manual Shift Mode
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 18/25
Standard Safety Features: Driver and Front Passenger, front and side curtain airbags, 4-wheel disc brakes, Antiskid, Antilock Braking System, Traction Control,.
Competition: BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, Infiniti M45, Lexus GS 430, Mercedes E 430, Nissan Maxima, Saab 95, Volvo S80 T6
Crosslake, MN -- Ah summer, when thoughts turn to vacations and in the US, that often means the long family drives across our wide expanses. These treks have been largely responsible for the devotion with which we view the large highway cruisers, and cements their place in our memories. Fifty weeks out of the year, we would be quite well served with some small, thrifty commuter or errand buggy, but when leisure time comes up, the lure of the open road calls, and we wind up checking all the "bigger is better" boxes on the shopping list at the car dealer.
It has taken the Germans and Japanese some time to come to grips with this, and while they have offered large cars for the luxury set since the seventies, now they are addressing our penchant for size and power with mainstream offerings. While priced at the high end of American mid-size cars, Passat stickers match those of our domestic luxury and near luxury cars, and it is slotted in at the lower end of the imported big cars.
The Passat W8 - Passat's top-of-the-line model - becomes Volkswagen's flagship car in North America and, defines its position with a combination of power, standard amenities, and German engineering. This is the first 8-cylinder powered Volkswagen offered anywhere and the Passat W8 is just the start of VW's attempt to move its Volkswagen brand uptown. In about a year, it will be selling a 12-cylinder Phaeton, expected to be priced at about $80,000.
From austere beginnings as a "people's car" to a near luxury Passat with eight cylinders --incongruous is one of the few words that succinctly describes the notion of a powerful all wheel drive luxury sedan sporting a VW badge. The VW Passat W8 pushes the VW brand image to the outside edge of the near luxury league. Think of this as a Toyota Avalon or a Ford 500, which Ford is trying to hustle into production. Like Toyota, VW wants an end-to-end lineup of cars that can satisfy almost any customer demand. And there are few wagon models in this class, while the Passat W8 Wagon starts at $38,700.
This engine has its roots in the VR6 found in other VW cars. The VR6 is a six cylinder that employs a narrow angle V (15 degrees) between cylinders and a common head for all 6 cylinders. To create the W8 VW places two 4-cylinder versions of its VR6 (VR4s?) together on a common crankshaft with a 72-degree angle between the two VR4 groupings. The result is a compact eight-cylinder engine that allows the cylinders to overlap, and shorten the engine to occupy about the same space as a V6. This is important in the space conscious packaging needed with front engine designs, and allows Passat to be small on the outside, spacious inside, and to have good crash protection.
VW manages to drop an eight-cylinder engine in essentially a front drive platform, although the W8 engine is only mated to Volkswagen's 4motion all-wheel-drive system. It is also much narrower than the other maker of front-drive V8 cars, Cadillac.
Power output of the W8 is quite good for it's relatively modest 4.0-liter displacement. It produces 270-ho and 273-lb. ft. of torque. The engine has 32-valves and four camshafts, and runs about as smoothly as any you'll find in any car.
Given proper gearing for US driving habits, it produces very good performance. It relays power to the 4motion all-wheel-drive system through a five speed automatic gearbox that can be shifted in a 'manual' mode if so desired. A true manual transmission will be available about December, VW says.
The 4motion all-wheel-drive gives the Passat a great all weather capability but it also increases the fun quotient in spirited driving. The W8 Passat exhibits decent stopping power with great pedal feel, aiding the driver's confidence. The steering is well connected and you feel some of the driveline power through it but it communicates well with the driver. Stability control is standard.
Justifying the premium price, the cabin of the W8 has generous dollops of leather, metal and wood, hallmarks of luxury automobiles. The seats are very comfortable and on the firm side, so are excellent for long trips. It is equipped with power window, locks and mirrors as well as automatic climate control and a good, Monsoon branded, audio system with eight speakers.
Inside, Passat W8 provides a comprehensive list of comfort and convenience features. They include: heated eight-way driver and front passenger power seats; a power glass sunroof; heated windshield washer nozzles; rain-sensing windshield wipers; a self-dimming rearview mirror and much more. Additionally, Passat W8 and GLX models feature power side mirrors that automatically point downward for optimal line of sight when the car is in reverse, standard steering wheel-mounted cruise control and audio controls that allow the driver to focus on the road.
Safety features include audio controls on the steering wheel, forward and side airbags for front seat passengers and head protection airbags for all outboard-seating positions. The W8 Passat also comes with xenon high intensity discharge low beams, a significant step up in lighting capabilities from halogen.
The Passat gets the top rating for protecting its occupants in a frontal crash, based on testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; it was rated almost as highly in side impacts. All Passats sold in the United States have side-impact air bags and side-curtain air bags.
For the 2002 model year, all new Volkswagen Passats offer a standard four-year/50,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper warranty, increased from the previous two-year/24,000-mile warranty. The warranty covers wear-and-tear items and adjustments during the initial 12 months or 12,000 miles of ownership (whichever occurs first).
In addition, Volkswagen will offer a fully transferable limited powertrain warranty that covers five years or 60,000 miles (previously 10 years or 100,000 miles, but transferable only from the original retail owner to a family member). Volkswagen's new warranty plan also includes the added security of a four-year/50,000-mile, 24-hour roadside assistance program (increased from 2001's two-year term). Exceptional corrosion perforation coverage remains 12 years with no mileage limit for all fully galvanized Volkswagen passenger vehicles.
MORE DATA
Where Built: Germany
Seating: 5
Number of Rows: 2
Crash Test Ratings: 4-Door Passat, W8 not tested
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Driver Crash Test Rating:
- NHTSA Frontal Impact/Passenger Crash Test Rating: *****
- NHTSA Side Impact/Front Seat Crash Test Rating: ****
- NHTSA Side Impact/Rear Seat Crash Test Rating: ****
- NHTSA Rollover Resistance Rating: To Be Determined
- IIHS Frontal Offset Crash Test: rates Good accept Restraints rates Acceptable
Length in Inches: 185.2
Warranties: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 12 years/unlimited miles corrosion, 4 years/60,000 mile powertrain, 4 years/50,000 miles free Roadside Assistance.
Weight in Pounds: 3,721
Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Applicable
Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 16.4
Destination Charge: $575
