No family of cars has won more Edmunds.com comparison tests than the Volkswagen Passat (it's tied with the BMW 3 Series) — the V6 sedan has two wins under its belt, while the wagon and the entry-luxury W8 sedan have a win apiece. But the winning streak came to an end this time around, as the VW was unable to fend off a redesigned Accord, an all-new Mazda 6, a more powerful Camry and an ever fast and roomy Altima.

It made us a little sad to see the beloved car fall to fifth, even as it was the unanimous number-one pick for editors' personal driveways and a solid number two on our list of cars we would recommend to others. But when we looked at the high price of our GLX test vehicle ($31,540) alongside its modest engine performance, small backseat and minimal storage space, the result wasn't so surprising.

Even with its midpack finish, the Volkswagen Passat has many likable qualities that continue to make it a solid buy in this segment. One of these is a long list of standard features, as our test car came standard with 10 of the 12 features we consider most important in a family sedan — while offering bonuses like stability control and real wood trim.

Another is the VW's classy interior, which is still the most upscale of any family sedan on the market, and in the words of one editor, "a segment higher than the car really is." Our test vehicle wore a monochromatic black ensemble accented by chrome and walnut trim. The white-on-black gauges can be a little hard to read in daylight, but we love Volkswagen's signature blue and red nighttime illumination.

The materials used to construct the cabin have a premium feel that Honda and Toyota can't quite duplicate. The beautifully textured, soft-touch dash is complemented by matte-finish plastics and durable leather upholstery that exactly match its grain pattern. Leather inserts on the console, shifter and door panels are accompanied by neat stitching, giving them a finished appearance rather than a slapped-on look. As in the Accord and Camry, build quality was excellent, as everything inside the car felt perfectly solid. A slightly misaligned front bumper was the only build issue we noted.

Editors generally liked the Passat's front seats, which offer a generous amount of firm support to keep occupants comfortable on long trips, as well as 50,000 miles down the road in the ownership experience. You can thank VW for the Euro-style seats in the Mazda 6 and for inspiring Honda to improve the seats in the Accord. Also note that the Passat was the first family sedan to offer telescoping steering wheel adjustment, which you'll now find in the 6, Accord and Malibu. Another plus is the Passat's height-adjustable center armrest, which ratchets to the desired height. Nevertheless, there were a few complaints: One editor wrote that VW could stand to improve the shaping of its seats, while another reported that she wasn't able to adjust the articulating front head restraints to a comfortable position — always making her feel as if her head was being tipped forward.

Volkswagen is the master of nighttime illumination, as virtually every button in the car lights up in the dark. That, along with the Passat's high-quality switchgear and one-touch up-and-down front windows, adds to the luxury ambience. Unfortunately, VW designers have yet to work out all the ergonomics, as the single-zone automatic climate control system still had us fumbling around with its small buttons (and there's still no easy way to turn it off, either). Recent years have seen the company adopt a larger, double-DIN stereo head unit, and although there are still a lot of small, flat buttons, it's much easier to use than the previous undersized unit.

The Passat had one of the smaller backseats in our field of competitors. Volkswagen makes the most of the space by providing passengers seated back there with supportive, properly angled cushions, but the short seat bottoms and restricted toe room under the front chairs are immediately noticeable if you've just come from the Accord, Altima or Camry. Headroom and legroom are adequate, however, and the Passat offers adjustable headrests in all three positions and nicely padded door panels. Along with a full menu of airbags, this VW has a good reputation for occupant protection — a perfect five stars in frontal impact tests, four stars in side-impact tests and a top "Good" rating from the IIHS for its frontal offset crash test.

Trivial as they might seem, storage and cupholders are important in a family vehicle, and the Passat needs more of both. The car's major storage spaces — center console compartment, front door bins and glovebox — are nicely lined but not large enough to accommodate all the odds and ends that most people carry. A storage area of some kind in the dash would be a great help here. The front cupholders are conveniently located in the console but their usefulness is limited by their average size and shallow depth. The cupholders in the rear fold-down armrest are even less accommodating. In spite of the Passat's small overall size, its trunk capacity is average for this group at 15 cubic feet, and the fully lined lid is suspended by aluminum-finish external struts.

Out on the road, it's evident that the Passat's 190-horsepower, 2.8-liter V6 is now outgunned by most of the Japanese six-cylinders. The engine is as smooth-running as ever, but its modest amounts of low-end torque and high-end horsepower are all the more noticeable when the price tag exceeds $30,000. As on the Mazda 6 and Altima, buyers have the option of getting a manual transmission with the V6. Our test vehicle had the more popular five-speed automatic (with an automanual gate). Its smooth upshifts satisfied most editors, but one driver marked it down after noting a few not-so-smooth downshifts.

Where ride quality and handling are concerned, the Passat still has a great deal of poise. It rides comfortably enough to tame the longest commutes (aside from occasional suspension thwack over large ruts) while still feeling responsive and entertaining on curvy roads. Body roll is more pronounced than with cars like the Altima, Galant and Mazda 6, but the Passat is more forgiving than either the 6 or Altima and feels a bit smaller and nimbler than the Galant. The VW's steering is precise, perfectly weighted and surprisingly communicative for a family sedan — no car in this test did it better, except maybe the Mazda.

As a total package, though, the Volkswagen Passat is no longer the one to beat in the family sedan segment. Volkswagen has a redesign in the works, but the current Passat will suit those willing to give up some power, space, practicality and value to get a sedan that looks and feels like a luxury car.

Second Opinions:

Photography Editor Scott Jacobs says:
I don't think it's unfair to say the Volkswagen Passat is pretty much a staff favorite. It's a defending comparison test champ for good reason. It rolled over the competition with its combination of a refined interior, beautiful German styling and an all-around fun-to-drive personality. With it being relatively unchanged for this year, it seemed to be an automotive force to be reckoned with.

That was until most of its major competitors got complete revamps, including the Honda Accord which is the de facto king of the segment since it's universally looked to as the benchmark for family sedans. After driving the Passat back-to-back with the Accord and Toyota Camry, it doesn't seem to have the advantages it so clearly had for me in our last comparison. The Camry's V6 has way more oomph, and the Honda's interior has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of style, class and interior materials quality. The once-superior Volkswagen interiors (which to me are huge selling points for this segment) have met their match in terms of aesthetics and feel. OK, so the Accord isn't as fun to drive and the Toyota isn't as pretty, but I think the margins of pros and cons have become very narrow.

When I sit back and think about which car offers what, I don't feel the Passat is the clear-cut winner anymore. The Toyota offers a spunky engine and an excellent track record of reliability, and the Honda offers an all-around excellent package along with the availability of a sporty coupe, while the Passat offers great looks and sporty handling. Furthermore, the Passat is easily the most expensive of the bunch (by a four-grand margin). When I look at all these factors, I think I'd prefer to save myself some cash, go with a company with a great track record for reliability and get the Accord for its overall package. Once people learn what you're about, good looks will only get you so far.