We’ve had a 206 r-line now for 6 years. It is truly a great car to drive and it is superb on a long country drive. Far better than any SUV or horrible Ute based wagons. Not a single thing has gone wrong and no rattles or things breaking. We also have a Cupra Formentor VZx and as good as that is we can’t part with the Passat due to its practicality and comfort.
Mate i bought this car during COVID without even test driving it - largely off the back of your original review - have not regretted one day - absolutely love driving this thing - as you point out - its just a bloody fun car to drive!!!
We bought this car 2 years ago off the back of your previous review in 2021, (traded in our Pajero which didn’t see a day of off road use). We are in Canberra and our limited traffic means we get significantly better than the 11 litres per 100km quoted here, we average about 8.5. Couldn’t be happier with this car, brilliant and honest review.
You ditched an urban assault vehicle for a proper wagon - I’d give you a hug if I could! As a cyclist I thank you - the rise of tanks on the road is making it way scarier for us!
I loved it when Hertz and Europcar used to hire the Passat Wagon out. I drove from the Gold Coast to Cairns once a month and loved the diesel version because it wasn't just fast and comfortable but it only required one fuel stop. Damn thing did 1300kms on a full tank. The more powerful petrol versions were another step up. Outstanding car. After you've driven one of these things you really do have to question why anyone would need a SUV
Hello here a field representative who drives a VW Passat in Germany thousands of kilometers a week :) The VW Passat is a hit in Germany, you would think a car that starts in this country at 38,000 € is not seen so often, but more than 50% of new registrations in Germany each year are company cars and pool cars or commercial holders (companies) and the VW Passat is THE company car. Many black VW Passat wagons drive daily on the highway mostly very fast, these are in most cases company cars and therefore the car has a reputation that combines seriousness, elegance and the driver does not have to pay for the fuel himself in most cases. The VW Passat is also one of the most efficient and cheapest diesel, which companies pay close attention to when choosing company cars. In addition, these company cars are later resold as used and VW Passat's with very good technology can be found cheaply on the used car market in masses in Germany.
As a B8 Passat 206TSI owner myself I might be a little (or maybe a lot) biased, but I think this is absolutely one of the most underrated vehicles on the market
Hi Tom. I don’t expect you to remember, but I commented on how much I loved my 2014 Passat 130tdi a few years ago, and how I unfortunately ended up with a Discovery Sport. Well I’ve managed to dispose of the Disco, which I never enjoyed, and took delivery of a Passat 206tsi 3 weeks ago, and dude, what a car…!!! It’s just so fuckin’ good….and I haven’t even taken it for a belt through the hills yet, something I’m looking very forward to doing..!! Thank you for ringing the Passat bell….I hope people hear it loud and clear, coz you’re so right about what an awesome car it is..👌 Keep up the good work, mate..!!
That is the best VW and this is one of the most honest and true car channels on youtube. It takes honesty and even courage these days not to push for EVs all day long. Thank you! You are doing a great job!
I have a 6 yr.old Passat 206 R Line - LOVE IT, only bought it second-hand 2 years ago because I couldn't wait for the new wagon thanks to covid. I find excuses to drive it, and would love to afford the latest wagon.
We've had our 206tsi wagon for 3 years and I love the thing, It ticks all the boxes (imo). It's quick, quiet, comfortable inside, decent on fuel, drives great and has heaps of space without being overly big. Excellent review Tom!
I own passat sedan 2.0 tdi 148bhp TDI 2015 automatic and i love driving,i moved from audi a3 sedan with sport suspention,omg what a different,so soft now,drive like a dream
Great review Tom, couldn't agree more! Owning this exact car and the previous model before it, you can't ask anymore from a car. Great handling, good grunt, heaps of space, luxury, safety and tech. Ticks all the boxes and more. Similar priced SUV's can't even get close for sheer driving enjoyment and as you say, good luck getting all this at similar price from Audi, BMW, Merc!
I'm glad they keep the instruments and centre display within the dash rather than a tablet tacked ontop like bmw have gone, it looks better thought out.
Lets see how the new Passat B9 will look like since the B8 as shown here, will be stopped in production soon. The B9 will be introduced this year already...not sure, if in Australia, too, but Europe only???
Been driving my 2018 1.8tsi passat for the past 5 years....Very comfortable & smooth car....mine clock 70k km already. Waayyy more comfortable than my newly purchased mk8 golf gti. 😀...for everyday usage, passat will be my choice.
I have the 2022 VW Passat Premium All Track wagon and it's also a sensational vehicle, The Passats are totally underrated and when my family and friends, who have premium Merc's and BMW's, state this car drives better than their own, you know you're on a winner! Again another quailty review by Tom @ CC's!
Great review as always Tom! Yours are the best car reviews on the net! Not a petrol R-Line, I've got a 2018 BiTDi Alltrack, 176kW, 500Nm, fantastic car & I love it! Having previously had SUVs, I love that it's not one!
I wouldn't wait too long. The new Passat will be revealed shortly and it's very likely (I think) that Volkswagen will announce it won't come to Australia, or that it might be fleet-only
Mmmmmmmm. Timing might not work out then!! :( I don’t mind a 330i touring either, just the price is a bitter pill to swallow when you consider the M340i touring. (That we don’t get!!!!)
Bought a 206tsi sedan in 2018, it's been a fantastic car for 150kms to date. There's very little difference in equipment over the past 5 years and considering the price and performance when compared to new German competing brands and Volkswagen's own Arteon it is very difficult to justify upgrading. Pretty flat they discontinued the sedan in the 206tsi / never released the new full R tune in Tiguans and Golfs (Don't forget a full size spare). I had to laugh when you mentioned the exhaust note, it's my own only genuine complaint. It's not bad, but I'd love just a bit more. Guys, if you're watching this review it is 100% spot on.
I had a B8 Passat 1.8T wagon as a work lease car and I absolutely loved it. Of course the new work car is an SUV and I missed the Passat so much. We looked for a new wagon to replace my wifes Corolla and landed on this one or the Arteon R. Ended up with the Arteon as it just looks a little bit more special but would have been almost as happy with the Passat in your review given how similar they are in most ways. Appreciate your videos as always!
Great review and happy with our Passat. Our 2010 2l Diesel Passat Wagon still going fine, averaging around 6l/100km. The older model had a 70 litre fuel tank and we regularly get 1000km with town and country driving. Pity they don't do the diesel anymore in the Passat as it is great for long drives. Diesel is still offered in the Tiguan but not the Allspace Adventure which is also weird for those wanting to do long trips. A full size spare in the Passat but not Tiguan, one of the many reasons we bought the Passat initially.
Mine 2.0 Tdi B8 2015 just clocked in 200.000km running fine no issues.I get over 1000km mixed driving. On German Highway blasting at average 180kmph I get almost 1000km which is still great, driving normaly I get 1200km. Never had a car with such great consumption. It's a 150hp version 6 speed manual.
I ended up with a Stinger, but this was right up there on my list, along with an Octavia and a few others. 100% agree with the frustration that these types of cars are not being purchased... and as we are starting to see the Manufacturers are just going to stop giving them to us. They all drive so much better than SUV's and the interior space is deceptively large.
Agreed, had a used one, now have an Alltrack. Doesn’t have the top end of the 206 but actually has same torque from slightly lower in the rev range. Very good to drive.
I have the 4Motion Variant almost 4 years now bought it with 82000 km and now its around 200k. i drive it everyday to work and back and man this car is a beast never had one problem i just do the normal maintenance on it which isnt even that expensive.
Thanks Tom, nice to revisit what is now an older car. Bought one in 2017, just love driving it no matter if it's in the city or on the open road this thing really performs exactly to what you want a car to do. Not a thing has gone wrong and although drinks 98 fuel still quite economical on long trips. Sorry to see the quad pipes disappear, think the exhaust note was a little better with four of them working. Only thing missing , in my eyes, is a head up display.Great car, VW should advertise this more if they want to sell them in Australia.
Awesome video. I own a Passat CC 2009 model 3.6 petrol. It's where this car came from and the Arteon. 5.6 seconds to 100, luxury , comfort, style and wow factor. Mine feels and looks like a current luxury car. I would upgrade to an Arteon or this.
I drove one for 4 years and a half. A real workhorse, great interior, full suite of ADAS, and a motorway beast.with its 190 hp TDI (+ DSG7 and 4 motion). A no fuss car that I have to let go due to Low Emission Zone regulation which will forbid diesel cars by the end of 2024
Imagine thinking that forcing drivers to purchase a brand hew car is somehow better for the environment than allowing that same motorist to keep their previously purchased car on the road for 10, 15 or 20 years.
@@anthonyfarnan5935 French technocracy at its finest. I can ship down under a couple of thousand of them if you want and in a few years you will have to import wallabies
@@nicolascounio9906 Are those regulations in specific regions of France? I’m from Baltic’s, maybe time to go car shopping with a discount, lol. We don’t have those regulations yet (thankfully). Current VW mk7.5 1.6tdi dsg - getting 4.6l/100km average. Sometimes I make 1100-1200km on a 50l (I think) fuel tank. Winter is ~5.4l-6lmax/100km.
Had a 2017 Passat with the 2.0TSI in the 162kw guise. It is a compelling quality product & rides like a dream with the adaptive chassis. Currently drive a 2019 Volvo V60 with 184kw but it doesn't feel as punchy nor as fun to drive as the Passat was.
I got one from 2017, average consuption during all around year is 8.6 per 100 kilometers. Very economical, and I do not drive very economicaly, full throttle when needed
I’ve owned a Lapiz R-line and really loved it! Shame that it was only a fwd 1.5 , but the price difference to the 2.0 / 206kW in my country is 30.000 euros 😩 due to CO2 taxes.
I often see these boring B8s here on the Autobahn (a lot of tdi / bitdi) because they often only consume 5/6L when not pushed hard, but the R-Line Version just looks and feels so much better almost like a different car Sometimes I see a few quite lowered or on air on tuning events
Great review Tom - in the UK, I bought a Passat AllTrack in 2019 but it was only available with a 2.0 diesel engine and I would have preferred petrol. However it has 190bhp and plenty of torque so you never feel short of power. Sadly VW UK stopped selling the AllTrack variant shortly after I bought mine. It’s comfortable, economical, very spacious and good to drive especially over long distances. Here in the UK they are also turning to SUVs so it’s a worrying time for those of us who appreciate an estate/wagon. I believe VW will launch the new Passat at the end of the year or early 2024 but it will only be as an estate as these outsell the saloon by 2:1. That will probably be the last variant as VW head to an all electric lineup and the UK bans the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 - hybrids will be available new until 2035.
I don’t like how SUV totally destroy Station Wagons and Tourings like this beautiful car. You have to go really high to get a SUV as spacious, secure and elegant as this one.
Besides the glossy black plastic parts its really a good car. You won't be disappointed if you buy one. But as always buy a car only from a trusted dealer or person. Don't look for cheap one which someone wants to dump because there is something wrong with it.
Tom’s sweet spot: fast wagon with decent exterior and interior design! The only minor thing that I don’t like is the black wheel. Silver or machine gray will be much better. The black wheels just simply can’t show the stance of the car
Had one of these 7 years ago when they came out. Best ride, handling and performance combination in the VW range let alone space. Only wish it had 7 gears back then. Cars generally haven't got much better since apart from 7 gears and matrix lights. Fantastic car. You forgot to.mention the progressive steering again Tom 😊
You in australia has some cheap Volskwagens for real, top of the line every option ticked costs equivalent of 118k Australian Dollars, nearly DOUBLE! Its madness here in Europe
Missing the R36 V6 engine in the new Passat range, would have been a monster. Such a shame that we are losing all the great combustion engines around the world, like Merc's V12 in AMG configuration, etc.
I got my second Passat 206TSI half way through '21, exactly the same as in your review in the Lapiz Blue. It's amazing & a bit sad that more people don't realise what a corker of a car this is. Friends & family are always impressed when they get in it for the first time, & are always commenting that they are completely unaware of this car. It is the ultimate sleeper, a real Jekyll & Hyde - perfect cruiser for driving around my mother-in-law but can meet the challenge if I'm running a bit late & need to get from A-to-B a bit more briskly. Cannot recommend it highly enough
It must be fantastic. I LOVE our 2019 Golf Sportwagen S here in the States. And I've owned some wonderful cars, M5, 911, S6 Avants, Type R Civic. I should buy another one for when I can't push in a clutch pedal!
Good to see some real performance out of the Passat range again. I had a 2008 Passat R36 wagon with 240KW, and it was a stonking good touring and practical wagon. I loved it. I would have liked the Passat to have more power than the Golf R drive train because I think if it had something approaching the Mercedes A45s output, the Passat would be here to stay permanently. Also, bring back REAL tailpipes PLEASE!!!!!!
We bought the Alltrack Premium last year, loving it! The only thing is the turbo lag but got used to it. The 650L huge boot was an unplanned benefit as we had a new baby earlier this year, the boot space allows to store all sorts of baby supply on the go.
still drive my 2010 passat 2 liter wagon. it has been better than my 2002 passat 2 liter wagon. i would prefer the two models were combined. the only problem is that labor costs for repairs have discouraged me from ever buying a vw again.
Car looks great, but the stearing weal is not where it should be. Is this a test ver? Another major issue is that someone by mistake put gasoline engine instead of diesel.
Another fantastic review Tom! Be interested to know how you would compare this to a Skoda Octavia RS Wagon? Fully spec'd RS isn't too far off the price of a Passat R-Line. Claiming the Passat Wagon as the best VW, and the Octavia is your COTY, seems like a difficult choice, but great choices if your after a wagon! I'm currently looking to upgrade and get out of my i20N as it's driving me nuts as a daily driver, and I've always liked the idea of a capable all-round wagon.
RS Octavia has the less powerful GTI engine and is front wheel drive. The Skoda Superb sportline 206 has the closest spec but not the suspension set up. The Octavia is a nice car though.
Hi Tom.. looking at a Arteon wagon atm... Is the passat that much better or the same.. iv had a few VW now.. 2019 tig R-line and also a golf R wagon 7.5.. very happy with VW just can't decide what 1 to buy. If you have anything you love or hate on them I would love to know. Thanks
have a 2023 Passat variant for 1 month lease, waiting for a new BMW i5. I used to drive a BMW 535. I must say I hate almost everything about the Passat. In a BMW you really feel that the engineers looked into every detail, especially when it comes to the driver experience. In the Passat, it is not the case, it just sucks in every way. The more I drive it, the more I hate it. In a BMW it is the opposite. You just have to appreciate the care and sense for details, ergonomics, logical placement of everything - and I haven't even talked about the driving and handling. Can't wait for my new BMW to arrive and to return this PoS.
You know what, the r line is a bloody great car I have one the b8 estate, and I love it, really is best car I, ve ever had and I'm very happy, it's not about who, s got the most powerful silly over the top car that's eats your wallet for fuel, only silly people do that. The r line estate is a fantastic car and I, m sticking to this model, even my next car will be the the r line, just a great alroynder, full stop.
Wish the buyers in the US were not so set on SUV/CUV. These AWD Wagons are so much more practical. Better economy due to being closer to the ground, plenty of space for people and cargo, what is not to like? Cannot figure out how our country cannot understand this. I would LOVE to be able to get one of these. Golf Alltrack will have to do for now.
Great review as always, if compared to the Arteon Shooting brake do you think one is fundamentally better than the other or is it as simple as which one visually appeals more?
I ended up buying a 206 R line Passat , I felt it was an easier and more practical vehicle to live with on a daily basis. Passat, in my opinion, has a more timeless appearance, and I have a feeling the look of the Arteon may not age that well in years to come
Thanks Tom. Great car but why the fake exhausts in an r-line? One of the only negatives I think. How about a comparison video with the arteon and golf R (I know there was a brief mention of the latter).
Why would VW expect to sell these in any meaningful numbers when there is no marketing or promotion of the Passat range? Most buyers overlook them because they simply don't know that they are still being sold new in this country. Just needs a 7 speed DSG box too.
There is targeted marketing via digital platforms, but yes, Volkswagen mainly reserves those big physical campaigns for the Amarok and Tiguan, which sell in huge numbers (mostly because they exist in segments that Australians have chosen to prefer)
In Europe and especially Germany, this is one of the most sold Company Cars...unfortunatelly overtaken by Tiguan in the meanwhile, too... I think this car is mainly advertised to fleet customers, since at least in Germany, 90% of the Passat are sold to fleets (big companies and rental companies) and only 10% to private customers. Usually they are sold only in second usage to privates like me...50% bellow Listprice after 1.5 years and 13k km. ;-)
Agreed the quality of the Passat is amazing. The interior in mine has held up so well in the 6 years I have had it. Sadly they dropped the TDi400. Have the TDi400 in mine, and it kills that in efficiency. 6.9l round town and seen it as low as 4.2 on the highway.
I really loved my 2022 version of this car but sold it after 12 months after I'd had a gutful of the the 6 speed DSG shuddering each time I took off from a standstill. Once it was up and running it was fantastic. The car would be so much better with ventilated seats and the 235kw engine from today's Golf R. By far the best feature was the Harmon Kardon sound system - it was simply the best car audio setup I've ever come across.
Most dsg transmissions seem to drive like that, I don't see what the big appeal is. The new Asin automatic transmissions work great, quick and smooth shifts every time, all the time.
Hi Tom, love your work mate., Your video on this very car two years ago really got my attention and a few weeks ago I test drove an Arteon wagon and was really impressed. Is the Passat and Arteon essentially the same under the skin like suspension etc? I hate the overly firm ride of the majority of vehicles these days and would love to know if the Arteon and Passat have the same suspension as the Arteon in comfort was quite impressive considering the wheel/tyre combo it rides on. Cheers
Yes, the two are nearly identical under the skin, but the Arteon has a bit more torque and a seventh gear, plus that more rakish styling which isn’t for my tastes.
Loving your reviews from here in England! Recently took delivery of a VWTouareg (have watched those reviews!). How does this Passat compare to a Touareg for NVH? Shame they don’t put the V6 diesel in this or an Alltrack! Fast estates are my preferred motor - but got told by the ‘management’ that we were having an SUV!
Absolutely love my 206TSi wagon. I do however have a shudder issue at take-off up to 5km and in reverse. I’ve had it for 18 months and just travelled 20,000km. The issue was raised at the first service, however VW have not resolved the issue after escalating all the way to the top. Not sure what to do now.
When I was looking at this two weeks ago, I was told they are currently missing blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert - due to the chip shortage. Is this no longer the case?
Would love to see a comparo between this and the Skoda Superb Sportline - 2 cars so closely matched from the same stable, it would be interesting to see if there's a clear winner.
@@kenlawton1531 Ken, I've got a 22 Superb R-line and have a mate with the Passat R-line.....Haven't driven the Passat as much as the Superb, but put the Superb into it's Sport mode and it easily out performs the Passat. My mate with the Passat says the same
@@kenlawton1531 Passat B8 is pretty stable on high speed 180kmh+ only the steering should be set on sport when doing that because in normal setting it's just awful.
Tom, compared to a few years ago, I now place a bigger weight on total cost of ownership, e.g., insurance, maintenance, repair, and fuel costs. Probably because of the rising costs of living. So, while I agree, this is a near perfect car. For my situation, a Subaru Outback XT makes slightly more sense. I admit the Passat will have a noticeable edge on driving dynamics and fun, but that is a compromise I am willing to make.
They're both good cars, just for different driving styles. Outback is satisfying but you need to be more patient with it. Passat you can really push on and it does justify the additional purchase outlay.
I love this car, I just wish it could be had for less. It would have been nice to see rear heated seats like the Skoda Supurb and Octavia have for less money. Also, Inbay makes a wireless charger that fits in the storage cubby in front of the gear shifter.
the new ID.7 will probably not have that nice interieur and buttons but regarding handling on the street it will be really great. the first feedback from people who usually like a more refined handling from bmw and mercedes is "surprisingly well". but for people who really want to drive very long distances it is not where it should be.
