The Passat's interior is attractive and functional. I think the car is attractive but a tad on the bland side. I like the interior feel and look although the jury's still out on the nightime dash display that features both blue and red luminescence. From a performance perspective, the Passat GLX tested is excellent. The 2.8-liter V6 that powers the upper level models makes 190 horsepower and that's plenty.
Throttle response is almost immediate and the power curve covers a very usable range.
Power rack and pinion steering did enter the picture in some spirited miles down River Road and out in the country. The Passat loves the road and you will too behind the wheel of a Passat. Room and storage are good in the sedan although it's not the largest car in its segment of the market. The GLX comes fully loaded and the absence of a compact disc player in the Monsoon sound system baffles me. Which brings us to the value story.