2021 Volkswagen Passat vs 2022 Toyota Corolla

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat largely retained the exterior styling from its 2020 facelift, which marked the first significant makeover in nearly a decade. Volkswagen remodeled nearly every body panel except the roof, giving the Passat a design reminiscent of the smaller Volkswagen Jetta. This imparted a modest, understated look, especially in comparison to the dramatically designed Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5, and Toyota Camry. The Passat's aerodynamic shape, resembling the '90s jellybean sedans, boasted a drag coefficient of 0.28—a figure contributing to its fuel efficiency.

Standard features included LED headlights and taillights and 17-inch alloy wheels, with larger 18-inch wheels on the SE trim and 19-inch wheels along with an Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) on the R-Line models. The R-Line also offered sportier styling elements like unique bumpers and a rear spoiler, though Volkswagen didn’t provide a particularly vivid color palette to complement these features.

Inside, the Passat showcased a clean, functional design with an emphasis on analog controls rather than large screens. This ensured easy usability and enhanced forward visibility thanks to a low dashboard and beltline. Some might have found the interior plain due to the minimal use of brightwork and basic materials like plastic and cloth upholstery on the S models, with V-Tex leatherette on the SE and R-Line trims. Despite this, the fit and finish were excellent, aligning with its value-oriented market positioning.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla, on the other hand, was aiming to revitalize Toyota’s conservative image with bold exterior styling. Launched in 2019 as a hatchback and in 2020 as a sedan, the current-generation Corolla flaunted pronounced LED headlights and a broad grille, although it couldn't entirely eclipse the daringly designed Hyundai Elantra or match the cohesive styling of the redesigned Honda Civic.

Different trimming options brought diverse styling elements to the table: SE and XSE models featured an aggressive front fascia, Nightshade Editions added blacked-out trim, and Apex Editions included a subtle body kit with bronze accents. The Apex Edition also featured lightweight 18-inch wheels with standard all-season or optional summer tires, adding to its sporty demeanor.

Despite its flashy exterior, the Corolla’s interior was relatively simple, characterized by high build quality and comfort. However, the piano black plastic trim attracted dust easily, and the light gray upholstery in the SE Apex Edition seemed prone to stains. The interior otherwise remained consistent across various trims, with cloth upholstery standard and SofTex leatherette available on higher trims.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat offered a singular powertrain setup with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. This engine produced 174 horsepower and 206 pound-feet of torque. Despite the impressive torque, the power was somewhat inconsistent, especially when accelerating for highway overtakes—a concern partially mitigated by switching to Sport mode or manually selecting gears in R-Line models equipped with paddle shifters.

Overall, the Passat’s driving experience didn't stand out. It wasn’t particularly sporty or remarkably comfortable, blending into the midsize sedan category without creating much excitement. Rivals like the Honda Accord, Mazda 6, and even the once-bland Toyota Camry started focusing on sportiness, whereas the Passat remained static. Highway ride quality and cabin noise were acceptable but not exceptional.

In contrast, the 2022 Toyota Corolla provided two engine options depending on the trim. The base models (L, LE, XLE) were equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. The SE and XSE models boasted a more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, shared with the sporty Apex Edition, which also featured a distinct exhaust system.

The Corolla offered both a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for models with the smaller engine and a six-speed manual for the 2.0-liter variants. This manual was particularly suitable for the sporty SE Apex Edition, which also came with a unique suspension, making it more agile and responsive around corners. However, this also resulted in a stiffer ride quality. Unfortunately, the Apex Edition didn't involve any upgrades in braking or tires, making its overall performance less thrilling compared to true performance models. For a more comfortable commuter experience, the standard Corolla remained a decent choice, but it still lagged behind the sport-statements being made by its competitors.

Volkswagen highlighted the Passat’s spacious back seats, quoting 39.1 inches of rear legroom. However, this was still slightly less than what Honda Accord and Subaru Legacy offered. This generous rear legroom supposedly compromised front legroom and headroom, making the front seats somewhat cramped for taller drivers. The driving position was also uncomfortable, with limited legroom and insufficient thigh support for both the front and rear seats.

In terms of storage, the Passat came with a 15.9-cubic-foot trunk, offering more space than the Toyota Camry, Subaru Legacy, or Nissan Altima but less than the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. In-cabin storage was limited, with poorly designed door bottle holders and a small smartphone cubby.

Conversely, Toyota did not publish specific legroom and headroom measurements for the Corolla. Nonetheless, the interior felt reasonably spacious, thanks to a low beltline that aided visibility. However, the steeply raked windshield and deep dashboard interfered with forward visibility, and the driver's seat placement might still feel restrictive for long-legged drivers. The squishy cushions of both front and rear seats offered little support.

The Corolla’s trunk capacity stood at 13.1 cubic feet—less than competitors like the Honda Civic and Nissan Sentra. Despite the smaller trunk, Toyota included a standard 60/40 split-folding rear bench seat, with certain trims offering a power trunk release.

Overall, both cars had certain drawbacks in seating comfort and interior space, with the Passat providing slightly more trunk capacity than the Corolla.

In the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, the MIB2 infotainment system came standard, featuring a modest 6.3-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto capability, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The R-Line trim added HD Radio, built-in navigation, and an eight-speaker Fender premium audio system. Despite these features, newer tech like the Digital Cockpit instrument cluster and the MIB3 infotainment system were not present, which might disappoint tech-savvy buyers.

The single standard USB-A port in the center stack for connectivity, with additional rear charge-only USB-A ports on SE models, seemed outdated especially for those using USB-C devices. The user-friendly interface relied on physical knobs and steering wheel controls for basic operations, which aligned well with the needs of buyers seeking simplicity rather than advanced tech integrations.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla lagged in infotainment tech due to a lack of recent updates. The base model featured a 7-inch touchscreen, with an 8-inch screen standard on higher trims. It included modern connectivity options like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, WiFi connectivity, Amazon Alexa integration, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The higher trims offered a nine-speaker JBL audio system.

Toyota’s interface was straightforward with analog climate controls, but tasks like selecting a radio station could be cumbersome. The graphics appeared outdated, and the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with features like Hyundai Elantra’s Digital Key, showed the Corolla’s tech falling behind contemporary rivals.

The 2021 Volkswagen Passat received “Good” scores from the IIHS in all crash tests, but its standard headlights were rated as “Marginal.” The NHTSA hadn’t published ratings for this model year. 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. Unique safety features like VW’s Automatic Post-Collision Braking System and Intelligent Crash Response System added further protection.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla earned an IIHS “Top Safety Pick+” award and top “Good” scores in all crash tests, while its headlights received “Acceptable” or “Marginal” ratings based on the trim. The NHTSA granted the Corolla a five-star overall rating. Standard safety features under Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, Lane Tracing Assist, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available but not standard on all trims.