Her + His Car Reviews
2018 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T R-Line
Our car reviews are innovative and interesting as we provide insightful and expert reviews from both Her + His perspectives.
Her: Anne Fleming, Car Buying Advocate, women-drivers.com
His: Don Hammonds, Writer, AutomobileJournal.com
| HER | HIS |
|---|---|
| Price | |
| $27,040 | $27,040 |
| Performance | |
| New for the 2018 Passat is the turbocharged 2.0 Liter four-cylinder engine - this generates 174 horsepower. And, it paired up with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle handles responsively, and it provides agile and when needed, punchy, acceleration. | The Passat is every inch a Volkswagen, with solid handling that rivals some cars that cost a lot more, and lots of acceleration and strong braking when you need it. Power comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection. |
| Fuel Economy | |
| The 2018 Passat shines with the fuel economy it gets. 25 miles for city driving and 36 miles on the highway; very competitive. | 25 city, 36 highway, 29 miles per gallon overall. Pretty darn good for a car its size, and even more value for what I consider to be one of the best mid-sized sedans you can buy. The Passat 2.0T R-Line uses 3.4 gallons of gasoline per 100 miles. And you can save $500 in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle. |
| The Car | |
| The 2018 VW Passat is a fine vehicle, quiet in the cabin, with a nice dynamic and comfortable drive. What we really enjoyed about this model also is its roominess - for all 5 passengers as well as the trunk, there is plenty of room. However, the mid-sized sedan classification is extremely competitive, and the Passat is going up against the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry, and other leaders. Most of the competition has an even broader technology and safety line up as standards. That's about the biggest challenge with the Passat. Dual-zone climate control, Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift paddle. Heated driver's seat with 6-way power (limited) lumbar support. Front passenger seat heated, too. Rear seats fold 60/40 with an arm rest in the middle. Front center console with storage and armrest. As a stand-alone, it is a good buy. Now, however, with the expanded warranty, VW is calming any buyer's concern by letting them know they will be there on the 'back-end' and for the long haul. |
The Passat is VW's mid-to-full size sedan that offers generous leg, shoulder, head and seat room front and back, and as it turns out, plenty of value for your hard-earned dollar. Add that to the performance, economy and technology, and you've got yourself a steal of a car. Unfortunately, the Passat doesn't draw a lot of attention from consumers in the family sedan category. Which is a shame because a number of its competitors are much lesser cars in my view. |
| Safety | |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System. LATCH System for Children. Intelligent Crash Response System. Electronic Stability Control. Electronic Differential Lock. Electronic Brake Distribution. Hydraulic Brake Assist. Anti-Brake Regulation. Disc Brakes. Driver and Front passenger Front & Side Airbag; Supplemental Restraint System. Side Curtain Protection Head Impact Airbags. Power door locks with remote featuring Panic Button. 24-hour Roadside Assistance is a nice value for all buyers of this vehicle; includes Towing, Jump Start, Tire Changes, Out of Fuel and Lock outs. |
Driver bag supplemental restraint systems, side curtain protection head impact airbags; anti slip regulation and engine brake assist; anti-lock brakes; electronic brake pressure distribution and hydraulic brake assist; Intelligent Crash Response System; electronic stability control and electronic differential lock; lower anchors and tethers for children; tire pressuring monitoring system and many other features. |
| Technology | |
| Supported by 19" Alloy Wheels. Rear View Camera System. Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert. Adaptive Cruise Control. LED Headlights and Taillights. Hands-free trunk opener.
New Version of Car-Net® featuring App Connect (Smartphone Interface and Integration); Security Service (Remote Access and Emergency Assistance); Vehicle Health. Partial subscription available. See Dealer for Details. Composition Media consists of 6.3" Touchscreen AM/FM/HD radio and CD player with USB input, auxiliary Input, Voice Control and 6 speaker sound system. Bluetooth® connectivity. Sirius XM Radio for any and all listening pleasures. Multi-Function Display with Trip Computer. Daylight running LED lights. Heated seats (though no lumbar, which we missed in this mid-tier sedan), power adjustable side mirrors with position memory. |
The base S model includes the 2.0-liter, four cylinders, turbocharged, 174 horsepower that is backed by a six-speed automatic transmission. Lots of other standard features too: 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, a rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding rear seats, Bluetooth, a 5-inch touchscreen, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, one USB port and an auxiliary audio jack. There is an optional Driver Assistance package that provides blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. If you want to get some sportiness going, move up to the R-Line. You get as standard equipment 19-inch alloy wheels, heated side mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel (with shift paddles), heated front seats, simulated leather upholstery, a 6.3-inch touchscreen, HD and satellite radio, VW's Car-Net smartphone integration (includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Mirror Link), and unique R-Line styling and design pieces. The S trim's optional driver aids are included, along with adaptive cruise control. An optional R-Line Lighting package adds LED headlights and taillights. The SE model has everything that the R-Line has as standard equipment and then adds builds on the R-Line features and adds 17-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, a sunroof, keyless entry and ignition, a sliding front armrest, rear air vents and added Car-Net functionality. The SE's offers an extra cost Technology Package that provides the larger 18-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, foglights, automatic wipers, a hands-free trunk opener with foot sensor, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, front and rear parking sensors, remote ignition, heated rear seats, a navigation system, an eight-speaker sound system, and an upgraded version of Car-Net. LED headlights and taillights are optional on the SE. |
| Aesthetics & Styling | |
| Supported by 19" Alloy wheels on All Season Tires. This 2019 Passat 2.0 R-Line has the R-line branded grille, bumper, badging and trim. Our tester was dressed in a Platinum Gray Metallic exterior with gray leatherette interior. Nice accents and touch points. | No, it isn't one of the countless semi-fastback four door sedans on the market. The Passat goes its own way with conservative, elegant, expensive looks and flanks that have tasteful chrome trim and character lines that accentuate the side profile. The interior, meanwhile is very roomy, and the trunk volume is slightly more than you get in a number of the Passat's competitors. |
| Warranty | |
| 6 Years/72,000 Mile Powertrain Warranty. 7 Years/100,000 Corrosion Warranty. 24-Hour Roadside Assistance - See Dealer for Details. | The Passat outdoes just about everybody except Hyundai and Kia in this category: 6 years/72,000-mile limited new vehicle warranty, which includes coverage for powertrain components. |
