Used 2013 Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM) Consumer Reviews
Used Passat for sale
Compares with cars that cost $10K more!
65dodgers, Torrance, CA, 10/29/2013
updated 04/30/2018
Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM)
35 of 36 people found this review helpful
**UPDATE** This is an update to my original review posted below. Now that I have owned the car 2 1/2 years I can offer a "post-honeymoon" perspective. Overall I have to say that I am VERY satisfied with this car. I have driven it hard in L.A. traffic everyday for over 2+ years and it is holding up well. Unless you have driven in this type of traffic you cannot appreciate how this can wear down a car. The V-6 has plenty of power when I need to pass and the wide wheel base makes for a comfortable ride. Having said this, there have been some issues along the way that were all covered by the warranty but I felt I should still mention them. I should also mention that I bought the car with 8K miles as a VW Certified Pre-Owned which extended the warranty up to 60,000 miles. 1. 18K Miles, Fuel Door Stuck - For some reason the fuel door would not unlock and I could not put gas in the car. VW roadside assistance towed the car to the dealer and provided a loaner while this was being fixed. 2. 56K Miles, Fuel Sensor - This caused the check engine light to come on and was affecting the car's acceleration. VW repaired it and provided a loaner car while it was being fixed. 3. 58K Miles, Nav/Entertainment System Replaced - The Nav system would sometimes shutoff and reboot itself for no reason. This was an ongoing problem that I complained about multiple times at the dealership. They could not duplicate the problem and thought a software update would solve it but it did not. I was able to video this happening once and took the car to a different dealer. After seeing the video, they immediately diagnosed it as a hard drive problem and replaced the entire unit. I have had no problems with it since then. The only issue that some people may not like is the system does not read your text messages in the 2013 and 2014 models. I thought this was odd since it does everything else but I don't really miss it, and it was corrected on the 2015 model. Overall I am still very satisfied with the car and will probably give it to my son when he gets his license next year. **ORIGINAL REVIEW** I just bought a top of the line V-6 SEL Premium and I am loving it. I was looking for a luxury sedan with reasonable gas mileage and had driven almost everything under $45K. I was prepared to get the Cadillac ATS 2.0T Luxury with an MSRP of about $44K. I leased a new Passat for my wife back in '02 and remembered it was a reliable car so I thought I would stop at the VW dealer on my way to get the Cadillac. Needless to say I never made it to the Caddy dealer. This car blew me away with it's price and performance. The ride and interior space is comparable to the Mercedes E350 or Acura RL. For less than the price of a base model Cadillac ATS, I was able to get a fully loaded Passat V-6 SEL.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Got most things right - but one big annoyances!
knickle, Greensboro, NC, 06/12/2014
Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Initially I really loved my purchase. I like the simple layout and nice styling over some competitors. The only real complaint I have is the DSG lag - which is a noticable lag from a stop [think turbo lag but more annoying] but as it impacts every day driving I think it would make me not buy this model again. I recommend 1.8L Turbo 4cl as it's not DGS. Gets great mileage and all the other benefits I like about this car but does not have a DSG transmission. If you want V6 I would have to recommend the Accord over the Passat based solely on the DSG lag. Could be me being too critical though - I do suggest you test drive a passat.
2013 Volkswagen Passat for sale near you
Showing 3 of 429 listings
- SE Sedan w/SunroofMSRP: $6,90021 mi away
- SE SedanMSRP: $5,99947 mi away
- SE DieselMSRP: $9,87551 mi away
See all 429 listings
Love this car- lots of great things BUT a few not
Ryan K, Greensboro, NC, 07/26/2016
Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Overall I like this car and am happy with the purchase. I think the interior layout is nicer than an accord or camry. I am a big fan of the Mazda6 but it had only one engine option at the time. That being said the Mazda6 may be a better overall choice. The Accord V6 has better shifting/acceleration from a stop and the Camry I am sure will last longer with lower maintenance costs. I am 6'7 and I can sit in the back without moving my seat from the location I had it in the front. Thus for tall people, or people with rear-facing child seats this car is great! I like the simple but stylish interior - to be expected in a VW. The DSG transmission is great once moving BUT there is a lag when moving from a start that isnt great and takes some getting used to. The trunk is HUGE (I can get a large stroller or a dual stoller in there). The price was very good - I bought a CPO with 11,000 miles. The navigation/entertainment system is slow - especially the back-up camera. It takes so long that you may just reverse without it..... an improvement in processing speed of the unit would be great. Also the HVAC isnt as solid as VW's of the past (I've had 5). The AC will eventually kick in but in hot temps over say 85/90 it can take upwards of 15-20 minutes. So... overall I recommend this vehicle. The newer 4cyl is a great option as well that addresses some of these issues.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Nice car
bullis1, Fort Wayne, IN, 12/24/2014
Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
Good overall car, gets good mpg on the highway 30+ with the VR6. Fender sound system real good. No Xenon lighlights on a car that cost $36k. Navigation is extremely slow. Trunk extremely deep.
Awesome V6 Passat
Mike, Roseville, CA, 12/21/2018
Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 6AM)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Bought it second hand with very low mileage. Michelin tires are best for controlling traction for rapid takeoffs from start. Holds road well on sharper turns (even without Michelin tires). Glad I had Cilajet coating applied (maintains newer look of surface finish).
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value