2001 Volkswagen Passat Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I bought the car as new. After about 50,000 miles things started to fall apart, coincidentally that was right after the warranty ran out. Inside door trim fell off. Glove compartment latch broke and it cannot open. Moon roof opens and closes at its own will. Lose connections for front lights. Bulbs burn out too often. Protective shield under engine fell off. Difficult to change light bulbs, rear lights need special tools so you need a mechanic. Had to get new waterpump, it is in the timing belt compartment, so also got a new timing belt. Now flex pipes are leaking. Check engine light comes on even when no problems can be detected. VW service dept. always trying to sell you unneeded and expensive service/parts. Like a $600 brake disc. The actual engine and transmission seem to be functioning well. I will not buy another VW nor will I recommend it.

bought this car with 240,000 miles and it runs great, starts every time...love the heated seats and the sleek look. I have owned two other vw's, a jetta and a fox...loved both and is why i bought this wagon...

The acceleration, braking, and handling are all excellent. No squeaks, rattles, or repairs. Exterior style is nice. Interior style could be better, but very nice. Very good gas mileage-about 21mpg in the city and 31 on the highway. A blast to drive.

This is a very solid car with many amenities wich compares with more expensive veihicles. It has an excellent ride with the perfect balance between high speed firmness and low speed comfort. The german engineering is palpable in all areas inlcuiding the fit and finish as well as the quality of materials. As all VW it needs special care in the maintanence and accesories wihc tends to show thier age ahead of time. Besides this is trulyan "inexpensive" drivers car.

solid feel, engine like new at 142K, great gas mileage, roomy, great German road feel, safe in crash tests< GLX trim is loaded, best family sedan you can buy! Vw has a bum rap from Consumer Reports, I haev had very few problems with my car!

Has good acceleration despite only having 1800cc. Good to handle, very well-built, good-to-look-at. Nice Tiptronic. All in all, sorry to have to let go of it.

Great second car - except brakes and headlights...Headlights - very dim low beam lights force me to use high beam most of the time. Brakes - seem to be replacing brake pads and rotors way too often. Great handling and upgraded sound options. .

I love this car, quality is great interior looks good, performance is not bad i own the 1.8T version of this car and i love it. car is very fun to drive really smooth, i got my car for $7,000 and it's a 01' with at that time 94,000 miles on it, so i got a great deal. i would definitely, this car is more of a family car but i love it.

VW's aren't known for their reliability. They aren't known to cost the least to own over the course of 5 years. In fact, not unlike other more expensive European cars, they can be downright frustrating and expensive to own. So why on earth would someone who prides themselves as a car fanatic buy one? It all boils down to the feeling you get when you slide behind the wheel. Without even starting the engine, you will find the best interior fit, finish, and materials in it's class. You'll notice the subtle touches and hidden features that will make you think, "why have I owned other cars wtihout this?" You'll admire the attractive, timeless design. In fact, if you hid the VW badges marked throughout the car, you may think you're sitting in the next uber-mobile from the "3-pointed star" or the "propeller" guys. What I have always admired about VW is thier total disregard for how other cars in the same class are designed and built. Their strive for innovation and safety is basically unheard of is this class. I bet you can't find a more finely crafted car for the money. But...... As with anything in this world, there are downsides. They require a stricter maintenance schedule. They only consume the best and most expensive fluids and parts....and the parts that you expect to last a lifetime in other cars simply give out without warning. This provides owners an opportunity to learn more than they ever cared to know about their cars. It was never made for the weak. Those who choose to do most of the work on their cars themselves are rewarded with a car they will find hard to get tired of. Others will take out second and third mortgages just to pay for the 56th control arm that went out after 37,000 miles. With the DIY crowd (which I fall into), all this glory and failure lends itself into support groups that consult each other and console each other. This is one of the best features of owning a VW. If you are ever in doubt about something with the 'dub, you can rest assured that someone before you in these "support groups" has been in the same scenario. It's a culture that is only understood when you own a car that you have an emotional attachment to. Unfortunately, most cars that you can easily get emotionally attached to are far beyond the reaches of my income....except for VW.

The V6 has great acceleration in the low gears and plenty of power on the highways. City gas mileage leaves something to be desired, but highway mileage is good. The car does very well in the snow with all season tires-snow tires would be exceptional. Corners wonderfully with a tight turn radius-no control problems due to front wheel drive. Even with the large amounts of torque the traction control keeps the car in line. I own the standard version, and the clutch is still good after 100k miles. It's a fun car-great for long trips and fun on the track.