MSRP: $32,915; as tested: $33,710
Compromise: A process wherein two or more parties settle for a deal they don't like, because they're tired of fighting about it.
While this definition isn't exactly Webster's, it pretty much sums up the way a lot of compromises feel. We want what we want, and we compromise because we have to, not because we want to. It's hard to think of a single major purchase that doesn't involve at least some settling. Car buying certainly qualifies. Here as elsewhere, the deals we end up liking the best, are those where we have to compromise the least.
This week's test drive is in the Volkswagen Passat. Passat was completely redesigned in 2012. VW reengineered the car with the huge, American midsize market in mind. The changes reflected in the latest generation Passat have made it a vehicle with few vices. The upside for buyers? More car, less compromises.
Passat is offered in four trim levels - SE (MSRP: $20,845), SE ($23,945), SEL ($28,925) and SEL Premium ($30,425). The three engine offerings cover a broad spectrum. The base motor is a 2.5-liter, five cylinder, rated at 170 horsepower and 177 lb. ft. of torque. Also available is a 3.6-liter V-6 (280 h.p., 258 lb. ft. of torque). Rounding out the under-hood lineup is a 2.0-liter turbo (140 h.p. and 236 lb. ft. of torque). Powered by the latter and packing no options, my Passat TDI SEL Premium test car had a sticker price of $33,710.
If you haven't driven one in a while (or ever), diesels are much different now than they used to be. My road test week included several days with low temperatures near (or below) zero (ah, Winter in Albany!).
Throughout it all, the Passat never made the slightest complaint about the bitter cold weather - which was more than could be said about the driver. VW's turbocharged, direct injection, clean diesel engine effectively blends drivability with economy.
The engine's high torque at low rpm's feels responsive at 'round town speeds. The DSG dual clutch automatic transmission is geared to match well with the turbo's power band, but the shift reaction time in manual model isn't as snappy as we're used to. But, while the high eight second, 0-60 time won't win any drag races, the car doesn't feel underpowered, especially in light of its fuel economy.
About that - EPA mileage estimates for the Passat TDI are 30 city/40 highway (automatic). My week's worth of driving was split about 50/50 city/country, and I logged an even 30 mpg's. Offsetting the car's fine mileage are the higher cost of diesel fuel (about .50/gallon in my neighborhood), and the upcharge for the TDI engine, compared to the 2.5 ($2,280-$2,490).
Range is another feather in the diesel Passat's cap. The estimated 40 mpg's for my auto-equipped test car, coupled with an 18.5 gallon tank, add up to a theoretical cruising range of 740 miles, between fill-ups. The effect on trip taking and pit stops could be profound. Or, not. For most families, I'd wager that bladders will give out before the Passat's fuel supply does.
One casualty of Passat's upsizing was handling. Comparatively speaking, the latest edition lacks the nimbleness of the former, smaller car, and the steering gives the driver less feel. That said, Passat is utterly stable, quiet and possesses a fine, road ride. VW was aiming at the center of the midsize market, not the fringes, and for most people in this segment, comfy beats sporty every time.
And speaking of comfortable, the interior is all of that and a bag of brats. Of those compromises that we were speaking of earlier, the main one that Passat relieves you of is a lack of space. There's no-excuse room for five adults inside, and the amount of rear seat legroom in particular is notable. The trunk is flat-out big (15.9 cu. ft.), with a low liftover height. Rear seat backs split and fold to accommodate long cargo.
The interior design is low key, in the manner of most German engineered cars, but even in basic black, it stops short of bland. That's particularly true of upper tier models like the SEL Premium, which benefit from leather covered seats with suede-like inserts, aluminum and wood-grain trim.
Switchgear is minimally distracting and logically placed. All the comfort, technology or infotainment features that buyers might seek can be found amongst the various trim levels.
Passat's 2012 transformation removed the size compromise of many smaller cars, making it far more suited to the mainstream, midsize market than the outgoing model.
Cut from conservative cloth, tailored to American tastes, it's a less sporty car than it was, but a far better fit for the majority shopping this segment.
