Comfortable and Roomy Midsize Sedan
Volkswagen refreshed the 2020 Passat with a new front and rear, some tweaks to the interior dash and increased the engine performance. The result is a well-built sedan that can seat five, has a trunk that can swallow pretty much anything you want to throw in it and has reasonable performance and fuel economy. But possibly the best part is the low starting price, which for some trim levels is less than the 2019 model.
Getting There
The 2020 Passat R-Line is offered with one engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, putting out 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. Power to the front wheels is through a six-speed automatic transmission, with the Tiptronic paddle shifter feature. Running on 87 octane, the Passat earned an EPA fuel economy rating of 23 mpg city/34 highway/27 combined. In 402 miles of driving throughout Southern California, we averaged 32.7 mpg with a 75-percent highway/25-percent city driving pattern. However, over a 210-mile run with the adaptive cruise control set at 65 mph, the average was 38.9 mpg. Getting ever-so-close to that magic 40 mpg number was within reach, but we just couldn’t get there and still keep up with traffic.
Driving Experience: On the Road
The 2020 Passat R-Line has smooth performance that makes for an enjoyable driving experience. There is a bit of hesitation when launching, which could be a combination of the turbo and the transmission trying to find the best gear to be in. Once away from a stop, the six-speed automatic transmission shifted with ease, but it is possible an eight-speed automatic may solve this issue and improve fuel economy. The torque kicking-in at a very usable 1,700 rpms was appreciated, but the turbo four was buzzy when pushed to its limits, and the paddle shifters seemed unnecessary for a car not designed as a sports sedan.
The Passat R-Line has 19-inch, aluminum-alloy wheels shod with 235/40 all-season Falken Sincera tires. Even without summer tires the handling was above average, and while the Passat R-Line was fun to drive, it favored a more comfortable ride versus what it would take to make it a full-on sports sedan. To be fair, VW does not market the Passat R-Line as a sports sedan, so in that context, the handling was actually pretty good, with the car staying flat even when on the tightest corners. The balance Volkswagen was seeking between chassis stiffness and cornering control was a very nice in-betweener. The electric power steering had a neutral feel, so as to not take away the driving attributes of the 3,325-pound sedan.
A good handling car is nothing without being able to keep it under control when braking. Our Passat’s stops were straight, true and confident, with no brake pedal fade thanks to the standard four-wheel anti-lock braking system. Helping with the stopping were power-assisted front vented and rear solid discs, electronic stability control, electronic brake pressure distribution and hydraulic brake assist with autonomous emergency braking. These braking and handling technologies go completely unnoticed when driving in normal situations, but are crucial in an emergency.
Driving Experience: Exterior
This iteration of the Passat has been around since 2012, so good for Volkswagen spending the time and budget to do an almost complete exterior redesign. With the roof being the only carry-over from the 2019 Passat, the 2020 gets a new grille that is more upright and presents a strong first impression. A chrome strip connects the slim LED headlights, which wrap onto the fenders. The creases in the hood add to the new look, as do the crisp lines on the doors. The redesigned rear has LED taillights that frame the European-style flush license plate area and sit below a very small black lip spoiler, above twin chrome exhaust pipe tips. Clean Fleet Report’s Passat R-Line was in Aurora Red Metallic with a blacked-out roof panel for the power and tilting sunroof. Looking at the stance, it is easy to see how the Passat R-Line achieved a .029 coefficient of drag (Cd).
Volkswagen sometimes gets knocks for the Passat having too conservative of an exterior design. With the 2020 changes, it still retains its clean lines and no useless cladding, but with more contemporary styling.
Driving Experience: Interior
The interior fit and finish was German tight, with a mix of soft and hard plastics, but maybe a few too many of the latter. Your eye immediately is drawn to the long horizontal air vent that runs nearly the complete span of the dash. Its sleek design gives the Passat a look unto its own. Keeping with VW tradition, the large round speedometer and tachometer gauges are set in a tunnel design to eliminate glare. The soft-touch dash is clean, simple and well laid-out, but compared to most of the other cars we review, the design was a bit dated.
The heated Titan Black V-Tex leatherette front seats have better-than-average bolstering and include a six-way power adjustable driver’s seat (with manual lumbar adjustments) and manual adjustments for the front passenger seat. There was a good choice of seat settings that, when combined with the height adjustable and telescoping steering column, made it easy to find a comfortable position for relaxed long drives. The leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel has controls for telephone, radio and cruise control functions, and features a squared-off bottom to the wheel. The stainless steel pedals and door sill scuff plates added a nice touch.
The interior was spacious, with access through wide-opening doors. The arcing roofline allows for ample head room, which was fine for even taller passengers. Impressive at 39.1-inches, the Passat (a midsize sedan) leg room is on-par with large sedans. The rear seat can accommodate three adults but, as with most cars, for longer trips, two in the rear seat would be preferred for comfort and space. The 60/40 folding rear seat, with a folding armrest and cup holders, is backed by a very large, deep and roomy trunk that provides excellent storage capacity.
The six-speaker sound system delivers deep, full crisp tones for the AM/FM/CD/HD radio, plus USB and Aux jacks with MP3 playback. The capacitive 6.3-inch touchscreen works with pinch and swipe, similar to a mobile phone. These gestures control the navigation and radio, which includes a three-month free trial of SiriusXM. The Passat is Bluetooth-equipped for telephone and streaming music. Volkswagen has an excellent 8.0-inch touchscreen, but we are guessing it is not available on the Passat to keep the price down.
Other conveniences are power windows with one touch operation and pinch protection, dual zone automatic climate control with rear passenger vents and a lockable glovebox. Other features were a center console that included a folding arm rest, cupholders and a USB port as well as carpeted floor mats, power adjustable and manual folding heated exterior mirrors, and a rearview camera.
Safety and Convenience
2020 Volkswagen Passats come with six airbags, keyless access, push button start/stop, and a tire pressure monitoring system. Driver safety includes the Intelligent Crash Response System, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking and blind spot warning. The automatic post-collision braking system prevents the Passat from moving after an accident where airbags are deployed, applying the brakes to prevent the car from continuing on after the initial impact. The 2020 Passat has not been rated, but the 2019 model earned a US Government National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score, where 5 Stars is the highest safety rating, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Passat good ratings for crashworthiness and its overall evaluation.
Pricing and Warranties
The 2020 Passat comes in four trim levels with these base prices:
S $22,995
SE $25,845
R-Line $28,645
SEL $31,095
Clean Fleet Report’s Passat R-Line, with the $395 Aurora Red Metallic paint option, had a MSRP of $29,040, which excludes the $920 destination charge.
The 2020 Passat comes with these warranties:
- New Vehicle – Four years/50,000 miles
- Powertrain – Four years/50,000 miles
- Scheduled Maintenance – Two years/20,000 miles
- Corrosion Perforation – Seven years/100,000 miles
- 24 Hour Roadside Assistance – Three years/36,000 miles
Observations: 2020 Volkswagen Passat R-Line
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat R-Line has a new body design that brings it up a few notches in the very competitive midsize sedan arena. The Passat is Volkswagen’s all-time best-selling car, but resides in a category that fewer and fewer consumers are looking to own. It offers a spacious interior and delivers a smooth, composed ride with confident handling plus a low entry price (for the Passat S). So visit a Volkswagen dealership and see how a Passat works for you.
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Whatever you end up buying, Happy Driving!
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Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
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