2021 Volkswagen Passat vs 2021 BMW 5 Series

The 2021 BMW 5 Series had a restrained design, lacking the flourishes of the 3 Series and the imposing size of the 7 Series. It received a minor styling refresh for 2021, featuring sleeker LED headlights, a larger twin-kidney grille, and new trapezoidal tailpipes. The interior maintained the familiar BMW layout, with specific design elements like the touchscreen positioning and typefaces reinforcing the brand's identity. Lower trim levels had standard SensaTec upholstery, while higher trims offered Dakota and Nappa leather options. The aluminum trim added a high-end feel, although the sport steering wheel felt out of place.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat's exterior styling remained unchanged from its 2020 facelift, which gave it a more understated look compared to rivals like the Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry. The Passat's aerodynamic shape boasted a drag coefficient of 0.28. Standard features included LED headlights and taillights, with SE and R-Line models getting larger wheels and sportier styling elements. The interior had a clean, functional design with well-placed analog controls and good visibility. However, the materials were mostly plastic, with cloth upholstery on S models and V-Tex leatherette on SE and R-Line trims.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series offered a range of powertrain options. The base 530i had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The 540i featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, producing 335 hp and 362 lb-ft of torque, and reaching 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The M550i xDrive had a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 532 hp, while the M5 boasted 617 hp, achieving 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The 530e plug-in hybrid combined a 2.0-liter engine with an electric motor, producing 288 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat had a single powertrain option: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The engine's power delivery felt uneven, but switching to Sport mode or manually selecting gears improved performance. The Passat's driving experience was unremarkable, lacking the sportiness of competitors like the Honda Accord and Mazda 6. Ride quality and cabin noise levels were good but not exceptional.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series was available only as a four-door, five-seat sedan in the U.S. The spacious interior offered competitive front-seat space and ample rear-seat room. The 540i had 14.0 cubic feet of trunk space, more than the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The rear bench had a 40/20/20 split fold for longer items. The test car featured 16-way power front seats with heating, ventilation, and driver memory. Forward visibility was poor due to the long hood, but a surround-view camera system helped with parking.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat had 39.1 inches of rear legroom, slightly less than the Honda Accord and Subaru Legacy. Front legroom and headroom were below average, and the driving position was uncomfortable for medium-sized drivers. The front seats lacked thigh support, and the rear seats felt flat and hard. The Passat had 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space, more than the Toyota Camry and Subaru Legacy but less than the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. The layout of controls was excellent, with big buttons and knobs within easy reach, and the instrument cluster was easy to read.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series featured a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with the latest iDrive 7 system and a 12.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional digital instrument cluster. Standard features included Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. The rotary knob controller provided a tactile feel, and voice control responded to "Hey BMW." Gesture controls were available but less precise than traditional knobs.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat had a 6.3-inch touchscreen with the MIB2 infotainment system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. R-Line models added HD Radio, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Fender premium audio system. A single USB-A port handled connectivity, with two rear charge-only USB-A ports on SE models. The touchscreen included pinch-to-zoom capability, and dashboard knobs and steering-wheel controls made basic functions easy to use. The Passat lacked flashy features like the Digital Cockpit instrument cluster and MIB3 infotainment system.

The 2021 BMW 5 Series received a "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS for the virtually-identical 2020 model, with top "good" scores in all crash tests and front-crash prevention tests. Standard safety features included lane-departure warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The Driving Assistance Plus Package added adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, lane-keep assist, and emergency stop assist. The adaptive cruise control provided smooth operation, with less-jerky inputs than systems from mainstream brands.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat received top "good" scores in all crash tests from the IIHS, but the standard headlights earned a "marginal" rating. The NHTSA hasn't published crash-test ratings for the 2021 Passat. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. The Passat also had VW's Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Intelligent Crash Response System, which automatically applied the brakes, shut off the fuel pump, unlocked the doors, and switched on the hazard lights after a collision.