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Road Tests: Long-Term Test
Long-Term Test: 1999 Volkswagen Passat GLS
April 2002
By editors at Edmunds.com
Date Posted 11-15-2002
Road Test Editor Liz Kim was a happy camper this month: Once again, she was the
driver of our much-beloved Volkswagen Passat. This marks her fourth time behind
the wheel, and once again she had positive things to say. "Aside from the few
minor rattles in the interior that were there when we first purchased the Passat
as a used vehicle, it shows very little sign of its almost-50,000-mile mark,"
she noted in the car's logbook.
Liz had a chance to drive two other Passats in the last couple of months —
a GLX V6 sedan and the 4Motion wagon. The sedan once again won our 2002
Premium Family Sedan Comparison Test; you'll remember that VW's Passat won
our 2000 Family Sedan
Comparison Test, as well. And the 4Motion wagon we had was part of a recently
conducted wagon comparison including a Mercury Sable and a Subaru Legacy. Full
results from this test will be published in the next couple of months, but preliminary
scoring shows that once again, the Passat is the winner of our test.
While the lovely wood trim on the interior of the GLX and goodies like a sunroof
and rain-sensing wipers were nice, Liz commented that most people would be just
as satisfied with a GLS. "See, the high-quality features, such as the tilting/telescoping
steering wheel, one-touch operation front windows, side curtain airbags and a
height-adjustable third rear seat headrest are baked right in." She also noted
that although there are cars with more sizeable rear seat accommodations, the
Passat's contoured seatback and well-proportioned bottom cushion contribute to
a more comfortable environment overall.
Neither does she prefer the more costly V6 over the '99's 150-horsepower 1.8-liter
turbocharged powerplant. "The V6 may be slightly faster and smoother overall,
but I prefer the linear power delivery of the inline four," she commented. While
manual-shift vehicles will always appeal to driving enthusiasts, those who opt
for the five-speed automatic tranny sacrifice little in terms of quick shifts.
Any of the engine/tranny combinations will suit its buyer well.
Next month, the odometer on the VW will tick over 50,000, and we'll trot it into
the dealership for its recommended service. We'll also address that right rear
taillamp wiring issue that's been niggling us for the past few months. Tune in
next month to see if the VeeDub remains in our favor as it marches on toward the
end of its lease.
Current Odometer: 49,297
Best Fuel Economy: 21.2 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 18.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 25.3 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None
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