2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI – Review and First Drive/Road Test
DRIVING THE 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI
The inline-four turbo diesel is the same found in other VW TDI models and it was smooth and responsive. The 236 pound-feet of torque made for quick acceleration and allowed us to easily overtake slower moving traffic (of which there was a lot, mostly in the left lane) on Tennessee’s highways. The DSG transmission was responsive and answered quickly to kickdown requests.
My only real complaint was the car’s steering. At slower speeds, there was simply too much play in the wheel (my colleague Basilio Alferow describes this as “Hollywood steering”). Once at speed, the steering was responsive to my inputs but it continued to trouble me in parking lots and city streets.
Inside the cabin, it’s impossible to know you’re in a diesel. The Passat has extra sound insulation and the cabin was completely silent, even during acceleration.
The front seats were among the best I’ve sat in recently – they provided excellent support in cornering and were superb for driving longer distances without inducing any back pain.
While the navigation system was easy enough to use, it kept changing its scale to the immediate area despite numerous changes to the contrary. The navigation system itself worked well and turn-by-turn directions are provided in a separate display in the center of the dashboard between the tachometer and speedometer. I wasn’t blown away by the Fender audio system but it sounded better than a lot of other systems I’ve heard in cars recently.
I saved the best for last. For the drive from the factory in Chattanooga to Nashville, we got 40 mpg, close to the promised 43. Although one drive is far from sufficient to make a judgement, the 2012 VW Passat TDI is clearly the fuel economy leader in the U.S. diesel market.
While the Passat TDI starts at a higher price point than the base SE, it’s far better equipped and is basically on par price-wise with the SEL gasoline variant, translating into no price penalty for choosing diesel. Given its incredible 800-mile (1288 km) range and 43 mpg fuel economy plus the elegant appointments and classic exterior, it’s bound to be a popular choice for many new car buyers.
THE 2012 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT TDI
THE DRIVE FROM CHATTANOOGA TO NASHVILLE
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