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Used 2005 Volkswagen Passat Consumer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
169 reviews

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5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Car

Chris, 10/23/2005
2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

This is a great vehicle. I looked at it for a year, didn't like the looks of the 2006 so purchased the 2005. I am stationed in Germany so I get to drive this US spec car on the autobahn, which is lots of fun. With 4 adults in it, I cruise at 140 KPH and get great fuel economy. You can't beat it. My car has had no defects, and has a solid build.

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4 out of 5 stars

Dealerships Ruin the Experience

Sean Craft, 11/07/2005
2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

OK, so these cars are loaded with equipment, ultra stylish, good looking and very eurochic. This being said, this is my second Passat and I am again having troubles with the service department and small reliability issues with a rattles and wind whistles. I will be taking it in for the third visit to fix the same issues soon and meeting with a company rep to file a case just in case I have to lemon law it. These cars have tons of style but I feel that for the price they should have had a smoother turbo with less lag (not a good choice if you do a lot of city driving, esp. with auto) or a more powerful V6 available (problem solved in the 2006 model, it seems).

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5 out of 5 stars

Excellent car

Aurelian, 02/17/2005
2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

The 2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI is an excellent family car. It gets very good gas mileage with its diesel engine. It has all of the possible airbags (side, front, and side curtain), an elegant exterior design, and top quality interior materials.

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4 out of 5 stars

Turbocharger Intermittent

Longfellow, 11/18/2005
2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI Fwd 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

To start off with, I like the styling of the 2005 Volkswagen Passat GLS TDI. I also enjoy the TDI's fuel economy. However, the Turbocharger stops working intermittently. I have had the car back to two different dealerships on five separate occasions to repair of the turbocharger. The cruise control disengages intermittently, as do the daytime running lights. I too, have experienced the inability to remove the ignition key from its slot on the steering column several times. I still do not know why that has happened. The front seats bottoms are a bit short in length and there is not much padding under the leather. You can feel the closed cell polyurethane foam that lines the seat bottom upon ingress and egress.

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4.5 out of 5 stars

Big fun, small dollars

traubenberg, 03/17/2005
2005 Volkswagen Passat GL 1.8T Fwd 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful

I just recently purchased my 05 Passat GL and I love it. It's got big-car space with small-car moves. In the first week, I averaged almost 24 mpg - and that included quite a bit of turbo- induced fun. During a recent 50-mile morning commute, I got 27 mpg (3/4 highway, 1/4 city). That's equivalent to the '02 Accord I had, but this car is bigger, faster and less expensive than the Honda was. I'm 6'3" and being able to comfortably fit behind the wheel and have three full-grown adults with me is a huge bonus. My complaints are minor: hate the hubcaps, the stereo is anemic, miss my sunroof. For the money, I think this is one of the best cars out there. The fit and finish is amazing! Go VW!

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