Road Tests: Long-Term Test

As our Passat nears the end of its term of service, we're starting to notice a few minor signs of wear, but overall, the picture remains rosy. Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig finally got his hands on our silver four-door this month, and his comments echoed those of his fellow editors.

"Still has a very solid feel for a car with almost 50,000 miles on it," he noted after a few miles behind the wheel. "The steering is tight, and the suspension hasn't lost its touch, soaking up bumps easily while remaining stiff enough to maintain control in the corners."

More praise came for the neverending verve of the turbo engine. "Even after nearly 50,000 hard miles, this little four-cylinder still pulls with surprising gusto. Not to mention it's also smooth, quiet and economical — what more could you want?"

Ed thinks that the clutch is the only weak spot in the drivetrain. Although he found little fault with its takeup and overall feel, he does say that it seems to be losing its grip a bit. Considering the mileage and abuse it received in January 2002, this isn't much of a surprise, but we'll let you know if it becomes worse in the coming months.

The interior is a little worse for wear after multiple spills (no doubt because of its flimsy cupholders) and near constant use, but most of the materials have held up well. Ed was particularly pleased with the firmness of the seats, noting that, "by this time in a car's life, the seats are usually starting to soften up quite a bit, but these still feel very firm."

Their method of adjustment, however, could use an overhaul, in Ed's opinion. "The rotary adjuster for the seatback is just awful. I nearly tore my watch off every time I had to jam my hand in between the seat and the door jamb to make an adjustment. How they came to the conclusion that this device was better than just a simple spring loaded lever is beyond me."

Additional complaints centered on an annoying rattle coming from the middle of the dashboard, as well as some looseness in the rear deck over bumps. "There's definitely a lot more going on in this car than in the 2002 Passat test car we recently had, but considering the age and mileage, I would say that our car is holding up fairly well."

Despite the nagging problems, Ed's impression was still overwhelmingly positive. "Considering how much we paid for it, and how hard it's typically driven, I would call this car a bargain. It delivered surprisingly nimble handling, high-quality materials, and plenty of motor to get it all moving. I think if the average person drove this car without knowing the odometer reading, they would probably guess about 10,000 to 15,000 miles lower."

So another month gone by and another satisfied customer. If the clutch continues to hold up, and no additional rattles rear their ugly heads, our long term Passat may go down as one of our all-time favorites. With just five months to go, the odds look good, but as always, we'll keep you posted.

Current Odometer: 48,790
Best Fuel Economy: 21.4 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.0 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 25.4 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None.
Maintenance Costs: None.
Problems: None.