This year Volkswagen has taken the bold step of pruning its Passat options back to the Komfort sedan and Komfort PZEV wagon. It has ceremoniously dumped the V6 of last year and the Lux Turbo, and with them the options of manual transmission and all-wheel drive. But fear not, plenty of other options are still available, and the German styling remains to make this year’s Passat Sedan a quality addition to the midsize sedan class.
On offer in the 2009 Passat Sedan this year is a 16-valve, 2.0-liter turbo inline four cylinder, 6-speed engine which manages to deliver 200hp. The Passat has gained plenty of praise for its impressive fuel economy, doing 19mpg in the city and 29mpg on the highway, and with its turbocharged engine, makes a lively and exciting drive in all conditions. Its steering is firm and accurate, with a good level of grip and balance when cornering, giving it a nice sporty feel especially in the midrange and during overtaking, characteristic of good European cars.
New are the paddle gear shifters on the steering wheel and the optional rearview camera that lets the driver know what is behind the car without getting out.
2009 Volkswagen Passat Sedan Interior
While it offers a great sporty ride, the Passat’s real strength lies in its high-class German interior styling, which has been compared to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class and keep it ahead of the pack in the midsized sedan class. The leatherette upholstery seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel exude style and the drivers’ seat is 8-way powered and heated along with the front passenger seat. There is an overall feel of space with plenty of legroom for the five passengers at 41 inches at the front and 38 in the back, and the rear seats have a 60/40 split-fold through to the trunk. The sunroof comes standard and there is even a cooled storage compartment for the drinks. There is a RNS Midline Navigation System which gives visual and audible commands, and a 30G hard drive, MP3 function and SD port for the 8-speaker stereo system, plus a multi-media socket for an external audio source.
One of the few criticisms is the angle and location of the speedometer and tachometer which can make them difficult to read and almost impossible in direct sunlight, but these really are minor complaints in the scheme of things.
The exterior of this year’s Volkswagen Passat is a carryover from last year, and retains its conservative look, however there are a selection of optional extras available to enhance its sport appearance, with exhaust tips, a selection of flashy spoilers and side sills.
2009 Volkswagen Passat Sedan Safety
As a safe family car, the Passat lives up to its name with plenty of features like 4-wheel ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution to minimize the possibility of losing control, and superior traction and stability control with Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), and electronic differential lock. The Hill Descent Control is an additional feature that reduces brake wear and tear. There are dual front and side curtain airbags and even with the rear side airbags as an option only, the Passat scored well in government crash testing for side impact situations and gained the perfect 5 points for driver and front passenger safety in side impacts. Three-point safety belts are available for all five seating positions and the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) is available in the rear seats.
Safety features:
- Anti-lock brakes
- Traction control
- Stability control
- Anti-skid system
- Front side, curtain side airbags
- LATCH system
- Side guard door beams
- Tire pressure monitor
- LED brakelights
The 2009 Volkswagen Passat Sedan is an all-round high quality family and personal vehicle with signature German sophistication and engineering and superior driveability. It competes well in the upscale midsized sedan class, although once options are included the prices quickly rises.