Car Reviews: 2006 Volkswagen Passat

All too often, the choice to buy a sedan or midsize car becomes a choice to buy a boring vehicle. However, even those who need the room and want the luxury of a sedan also want to have some fun from time to time. Of course, though, not every sedan is geared for having fun, and some simply remain in the same boring package day after day. Surely, though, one might say, there must be a sedan out on the market somewhere that provides plenty of room, sensible fuel economy, decent performance and still look nice? Of course there is! One perfect example of such a car is the 2006 Volkswagen Passat.

Even though the Jetta may have always been the car most associated with Volkswagen, the Passat has held it's own for a number of years now. There are many things that have contributed to the success of the vehicle, and all of them live on in today's models as well. Even though the Jetta, by it's own right, is a fun, fast and sporty little car, some consumers simply need more space and want more comfort than the Jetta can provide, which is why many turn to the Passat. Essentially, the Passat is a larger Jetta, however, there are other differences that separate the two. But, both cars share the same basic styling and same basic interior design, making the most significant differences found in the way that the cars ride and drive.

From the outside, the Passat is definitely an attractive car, and absolutely nothing about it would make one think that it is a family sedan (even though it can serve that purpose quite well). The 2006 model has seen some slight design changes from the previous generation, and they do wonders for making the car stand out. New headlights, as well as the shape of the lights themselves, as well as a revised front fender, make the overall appearance of the car both more aggressive and more professional at the same time. These changes are continued over the side of the car with nice body lines, and the back end has been squared out, taking the Passat away from the design that had it looking like a bloated VW Beetle. All in all, the outward appearance of the Passat looks very nice, and the few minor changes which have been made for 2006 go a great distance towards improving the overall appearance, while the Passat may still not be on the same level as the Audi A6 or Acura TL, it is coming very close.

Moving inside, one finds only more things to like about the Passat. The interior is available in either cloth or leather, and both are very comfortable. The cloth interiors are two tone, and although it may sound to be a strange concept in a sedan, it actually works very well. As a result of this, the Passat looks good no matter whether one opts for leather or cloth. The overall interior resembles the previous generation Passat and Jetta, which is not a bad thing by any means. The interiors are well organized, nicely illuminated at night with soft blue, and everything is within easy control of the driver. The leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter (gear selector in automatic) add some nice luxury touches, and make driving just a bit more fun. Although perhaps one could have asked for slightly higher quality interior materials, there is nothing to dislike about the Passat's interior, and it looks nice, is comfortable, and has plenty of room, everything that a Sedan needs to do.

While the inside of the Passat may slightly resemble the typical sedan, when one actually drives the Passat, it takes some effort to remember that you are driving a larger sedan. The car is available with three possible engines, either the 2.0 liter standard, 2.0 liter turbo, or the six cylinder, "sport" model. While those who really want some serious performance from their vehicles are going to want to go with either the turbo or the V6, all of the engines perform surprisingly well. Even the standard n/a 2.0 liter is able to move the car around smoothly and nicely, without any jarring moments of accleration or lack of power. There are two transmission options available, either a six speed manual or a six speed automatic. While the automatic is very nice, the stick shift is simply a lot of fun to drive, and the gears shift through very cleanly and smoothly. The Passat handles great, and although one may not exactly want to whip it around like a sports car, it can definitely be used to enjoy some windy, back country roads without fearing upcoming corners.

While the Passat may not be the first car that comes to mind when one is considering a midsize sedan, perhaps it should. From the reasonable pricing, to the great look inside and out, to the amazing way in which it drives, the Passat is an all around great car, and one that should make buyers happy for many years to come.