New Car Review of the 2006 Volkswagen Passat Mid-Size Sedan

Base MSRP Range: $22,950 - $31,900

Base Invoice Range: $21,118 - $29,413

MSRP As Tested: Not Available

Versions: 2.0 T, 3.6.

Vehicle Category: Mid-Size Sedan

Engine Location: Front Engine

Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive.

Standard Engine: 2.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, Turbocharged I-4, 200 - horsepower at 5100 rpm and 207 lb-ft torque at 1800 rpm.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic with Tiptronic, Six-speed manual.

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Automatic 22/31, manual 23/32.

Optional Engine: 3.6-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24-valves, V-6, 280 - horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 265 lb-ft torque at 2,750 rpm.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic with Tiptronic

Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Automatic 18/27.

Standard Safety Features: Driver and passenger airbags, Front side airbags, Four-wheel ">anti-lock brake system, Antiskid system, Tire-pressure monitor, Daytime running lights, Emergency inside trunk release (convertible).

Competition: Acura TL, Buick Century, Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry.

Long one of the names families turn to for comfort and safety, Volkswagen has been making a lot of changes recently. It has redesigned several of its most popular vehicles. First came the New Beetle. Now, the Passat and the Jetta have been radically overhauled, with mostly positive results.

Staunch VW fans might feel a tad put off by what VW claims is a more “youthful” exterior on the 2006 Passat. The lines have moved away from their traditional shape of the last few years - but the new look is intriguing -- definitely more modern, but less classic VW. It’s a trade-off choice that ultimately comes down to the taste of the individual driver.

Volkswagen is offering four trim levels for the 2006 Passat: The Base, the 2.0-Turbo, the 3.6L and the all-wheel-drive 3.6L 4MOTION. Both a sedan and wagon are also offered. Only the 3.6-liter versions have V6 engines; the other two are powered by four-cylinders.

PERFORMANCE

Wanting to appeal to the budget-conscious, VW’s base Passat is a very good value with a starting price of $22,950. It even has the same engine as the 2.0T, which starts at about $1,000 more.

A bold 200 horsepower (at 5,100 RPM) and 207-lb.-ft. of torque come from the front-wheel-drive Passat’s 2.0-liter Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) 16-valve turbocharged four-cylinder. The engine is also intercooled with direct gasoline injection, connecting to a zippy 6-speed manual transmission (with overdrive). An automatic version can be had for a couple thousand more on all versions, with a Tiptronic available on upper-level models.

Move up to the 3.6L for the 280-horsepower V6. With 265 lb.-ft. of torque (at 2,750 RPM), the DOHC, 24-valve, 6-cylinder includes variable valve control, variable intake length and direct gasoline injection. The 4MOTION model adds four-wheel-drive. The 3.6L offers as standard a Tiptronic sequential sport shift, 6-speed automatic transmission with driver mode select, so the driver can choose whether she wants to play with the car’s manual capabilities or simply get to where she’s going with the automatic function.

Suspension on all models is independent strut in the front (with anti-roll bar and gas-pressurized shocks) and independent multi-link in the rear (also with anti-roll bar and gas-pressurized shocks). Sport suspension can be had on the 3.6L engines as part of the Sports Equipment Package 2, for a hefty $5,550 extra.

Four-cylinders will get 23 miles to the gallon in the city and 32 on the highway; V6 engines drop to 19 in the city and 28 on the highway. Definitely not the best in its class - but definitely not the worst, either.

SAFETY

As far as safety goes, the Passat is much closer to the top of the pile - and all Passat models offer the same standard features. Taking into account the increasing number of collisions between cars and trucks, Volkswagen designed a new reinforced safety cage and stronger side protection door beams that work to protect passengers from the outside in.

Also working outside is the four-wheel Antilock Braking System (ABS), four-wheel disc brakes and Brake Assist (to maximize braking power and distribute it evenly according to the circumstances). Stability control and driveline traction control further help to keep the car on the road and out of trouble.

Inside, driver and front passenger are protected with Front-impact and seat-mounted, side-impact airbags, as well as Side Curtain Protection overhead airbags. As with most late model cars, there’s an occupant sensor that detects whether there’s a person in the seat and deploys the airbag accordingly.

All five seating positions have three-point safety belts, which are height-adjustable for the driver and front passenger positions. Manually adjustable front head restraints have tilt and anti-whiplash features that support the head in the event of a collision. There are three tilt headrests in the rear, as well. And a low-pressure tire monitor can’t hurt, either.

Children will be safe with the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) and child safety rear door locks.

VW carefully considered the other side of safety, too, and installed a security system that boasts an Immobilizer III ignition disabler. This nifty device literally stops crooks in their tracks.

RIDE/HANDLING

Riding smooth is something the Passat does well, although big bumps around town will inevitably cause brief jitters. The ride borders on luxurious, and while wind noise has increased a bit over the last year, so has the horsepower. Still, it’s not enough to turn one off to the car - VW prides itself on building cars for real drivers, and they do that pretty well.

A press-start ignition key is a great addition to this year’s offerings, along with that extra horsepower. Acceleration is adequate when the four-cylinder’s turbo engages at the right moment, and the throttle is very responsive in the 3.6L. Going for the V6 is a wise choice, and certainly increases the power noticeably, moving the Passat from responsive to downright speedy.

A good commuter and family car, the Passat is basically the same car as the Audi A4, for which one will pay more at the dealership - consider the Passat before buying some of the more expensive brands. Overall, the Passat is something to consider for those teetering between Audis, Jaguars, and Lexuses. On-par with the Lexus ES400, the Passat is not to be overlooked.

However, recent reliability concerns may have some would-be buyers looking away from the VW camp. Until they address this, selling numbers will not be as high as they should be.

INTERIOR

Lots of features and comfy seats help detract from the fact that VW has installed some cheaper features into the Passat’s interior this year.

Must-have features like speed control and power windows (with one-touch up/down), power doors and mirrors are standard, as are air conditioning and front map lights.

Holding stuff is something this car does well - the sedan has 14.2 cubic feet of cargo room with the seats up, while the wagon more than doubles that with 35.8 cu. ft. A full floor console boasts a large storage bin; driver and front passengers also have bins in their doors that include a hidden umbrella holder. Front and rear cupholders mean there’s plenty of space for your beverages.

Don’t spill on the “leatherette” seats, which are chintzy and look suspiciously a lot like the vinyl from my old 1991 Honda Civic. They are, however, very supportive and comfortable, especially the upgraded bucket seats found in the sport and luxury packages. Base models have one seating choice: leatherette black. Upper models offer real leather seating in colors like grey and beige.

Front seats are manually adjustable 6 ways (2-way power adjustables are included in the upgraded packages) and include manual lumbar support adjustment knob. The rear bench seat folds 60-40 for additional cargo space.

The instrument panel and the audio and air-conditioning controls are rimmed in metal for a classy effect. But what’s not so classy is the effort one has to put into reaching the knobs, which are located a little too low on the dash.

Entertainment features include an AM/FM/CD player with MP3 capabilities and eight speakers. Upgrade to Dynaudio premium sound system for $1,000 more, which includes more speakers, a 6-CD changer in the glove box, and better sound quality.

EXTERIOR

We’re not sure how we feel about the new Passat’s exterior. Some say it’s sleek and aerodynamic, a good change from past models. However, the move away from the Passat’s previously distinct looks means it doesn’t stand out as much- and because so many people love VW for its appearance, there’s a certain amount of conflict there.

And speaking on conflicts, there are lots of them in the exterior lines. The front slope is too steep, and ends up looking more perilous than athletic. The front grille would work well in Europe, where it would compliment the longer license plates. But here in the U.S., there’s not enough plate to cover that huge boring metal area that ends up looking not quite right - but perhaps this is just because there is no precedent.

The integrated rear spoiler is sexy and hints at Mercedes-Benz, but looks a little off-key when paired with the round edges of the rear bumper. Overall, the car really doesn’t look bad, but the devil is in those details.

Exterior standard features include P215/55 tires, which cover 16-inch rims on the four-cylinder engines. Seventeen-inch silver aluminum rims can be had on the 2.0T, and are standard on the V-6 models. The 3.6L bumps the tires to P235/45’s. Eighteen-inch rims and larger tires are optional on the V-6 models (as part of a sport equipment package).

Moving from the ground up, chrome body side moldings and turn signal indicators on the body-colored door mirrors up the sophistication factor, as do the halogen projector beam headlights and lightly tinted windows. Those headlights are encased in an oddly-shaped package, but we’ll let functionality win on this argument.

The windshield wipers provide convenience - they’re rain sensing and variable intermittent, meaning they can detect rain and will turn the wipers to an appropriate speed.

CONCLUSION

Fun to drive and great to own, the VW Passat has some definite pluses. But price is not one of them. Our test car wasn’t even a V6, and it still has a price tag well over $30,000 with extras like rear side airbags, leather seats, navigation, premium sound and a Tiptronic tranny. For what it offers - and, when it comes to the interior, for what it lacks - the Passat is just too pricey for anyone other than a loyal VW devotees. And VW might take a hit from loyalist owners with their questionable redesign. We get that VW is trying to move the Passat up from middle of the road to full-fledged luxury vehicle, but that’s kinda tough to do when using cheaper interior materials. This is still a good choice of car, particularly for its safety aspects, but there’s more to be had for the price of a 2006 Passat.

Pros: Roomy, handles well, it’s fun to drive, and has lots of options so the vehicle can be configured to owners’ specification.

Cons: Pricy, looks are polarizing, competition offers better options in some cases.

Ratings (1-10)

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• Performance:
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More Data

Where Built: Germany

Major Options: Equipment Package, Luxury Equipment Packages, Sport Equipment Packages, Cold Weather Package. Navigation system, Rear side airbags,

Seating: 5.

Number of Rows: 2.

Length in Inches: 188.2

Warranties: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper, 6 years/60,000 miles extended powertrain, 12 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection, 4 years/50,000 miles Roadside assistance.

Weight in Pounds: 3305 - 3344 lbs.

Cargo Capacity in Pounds: 1140 lbs.

Gross Maximum Vehicle Weight in Pounds: Not available.

Towing Capacity in Pounds: Not Available.

Gas Tank Capacity in Gallons: 18.5

Destination Charge: $615