We’ve been living with the current Passat design for 6 years. But that's not a mistake, as Volkswagen has always held to the principle “refine rather than redesign.” Still, when the current-generation Passat debuted for the American market, critics panned it for losing VW's European feel. To be honest, those critics weren’t entirely wrong. There wasn’t a lot of sportiness to be had with the Passat, and that’s enough to deter some buyers completely. Even if they don’t end up buying the Sport trim, a lot of shoppers feel better knowing it’s there—for the same reason people walk into a Chevy dealership to look at the Corvette and Camaro but end up driving away in a Cruze.
With that in mind, VW created the new GT trim by adding a sport suspension, better-sounding exhaust, 19-inch wheels, and some unique trim and aesthetic touches like the more aggressive R-Line bumpers, a honeycomb grille with red accent lines, and black trim everywhere, including the mirror caps and roof. In true VW fashion, these changes are informative rather than transformative. The GT doesn’t immediately stand out from the rest of the Passat lineup, even with its suspension dropped more than half an inch.
The other Passat trims also get some upgrades this year, with VW hoping those will keep the sedan relevant until the new generation is ready in 2020.
Choosing the base S trim means a $22,995 MSRP that’ll get you automatic headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, a rear-view camera, power driver’s seat, dual-zone auto climate control, and a 6-speaker stereo with a CD player, Bluetooth, one USB port, an Aux port, and a 5-inch touchscreen. Additionally, a $495 Drive Assistance package adds blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking.
But there’s one drawback with the base S trim: the lack of VW’s Car-Net App-Connect, which offers access to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Thankfully, every other Passat trim comes standard with this feature. Next up, at $24,995, the R-Line trim boasts heated side mirrors and seats, V-Tex leatherette upholstery, an upgraded 6.3-inch touchscreen with satellite and HD Radio, and trim-specific styling, like 19-inch alloys and more-aggressive front and rear bumpers. You can even upgrade to LED head-, tail-, and running lights with the $1,195 Lighting package.
At $26,295, the SE trim keeps the R-Line trim’s features but removes the styling elements and replaces the 19-inch alloys with more practical 17-inch units. It also adds keyless ignition and entry, a sunroof, an upgraded center armrest, rear air vents, and adaptive cruise control. A $3,300 Technology Package will get you LED head-, tail-, and running lights, fog lights, auto wipers and rear-view mirror, remote ignition, park distance control, heated rear seats, navigation, a hands-free trunk, and an upgraded 8-speaker stereo and infotainment system. This package also bumps the wheels up to 18 inches.
The top-tier trim is the $31,650 SEL Premium, which adds power-folding mirrors, a power passenger's seat, real leather, auto wipers, an automatic parallel parking system, and a lane-departure warning system. The stereo is upgraded to a Fender unit, and the driver gets a memory system for their seat. The SEL Premium rolls on 18-inch wheels and can be fitted with the V6 engine for an extra $3,000.
I spent my week with the Passat GT, a $29,145 package that essentially adds all the features from the SE and R-Line trims plus a sport suspension, better-sounding exhaust, 19-inch wheels, and the 3.6-liter V6. With an $850 delivery charge, the GT sneaks just under 30 grand at $29,995.
