2004 Volkswagen Passat Review

Specifications

Merging Sensibility and Practicality

Todays typical family routine is hectic and demanding. For many parents, driving youngsters from school to the soccer pitch, and then to the community center and on to what-have-you comprises much of the daily grind. Logging such miles day after day, not to mention a commute to and from work, is not only a test of patience, but given fuel and maintenance expenses its a drain on the pocketbook as well. But there are more considerations over and above fuel economy when buying a new car. Auto manufacturers can expect todays Moms and Dads to do their homework examining additional criteria such as safety, reliability, versatility, performance, and last but not least, comfort.

After heading home from the office and devouring a hot dinner, I was back behind the wheel of Volkswagens 2004 Passat GLS TDI wagon, taking Junior and his sparring cohort to their Karate class. The weather this particular evening was nasty. Rain fell, or should I say pelted, and the temperature hovered only a few degrees above the freezing mark. With the two boys dressed in stark white gis and toting several accompanying knapsacks, I found myself fully appreciative of the practicality, safety and comfort delivered by VWs midsize wagon.

My sense of automotive-wellness was enhanced by the knowledge that its 2.0-liter (121 cu in) Turbo Direct Injected (TDI) diesel engine was sipping fuel at the miserly rate of 27 miles per gallon in the city and 38 miles per gallon on the highway. Based on fuel economy alone, its no surprise that the availability of diesel-powered passenger cars in North America is on the rise. Not only do diesel engines provide greater fuel efficiency over a conventional gasoline engine, but they are generally less complex than conventional powerplants, generate tremendous levels of torque for impressive acceleration, and enjoy an outstanding reputation for reduced maintenance costs and longevity.

Appearance wise, the 2004 Passat adheres to the conservative familial lines that started when J Mays, Ford Motors current head of design was styling for Volkswagen. The wagons clean, open and symmetrical appearance is beginning to show its age, however especially when compared to the likes of the Dodge Magnum, Mazda6 Wagon or new Volvo V50. But nonetheless some designs retain a certain appeal year after year, this being one of them.

Also appealing is the designs wind-cheating drag co-efficient of 0.27 in both sedan and wagon configurations. It not only helps to keep fuel costs down but also reduces wind noise inside the well made cabin. While leather, aluminum and woodgrain surfaces are available my GLS tester wasnt a fully loaded example, but rather a middle-of-the-road, realistically equipped edition, probably more representative of what the average Passat buyer is seeking. As with its outer skin, the inside furnishings have changed little since the vehicles 1998 introduction, but like I just mentioned thats not a bad thing.

As in the past I found the Passats driving position to be among the most comfortable and relaxing I have sampled in any vehicle, regardless of cost. Greeting the driver is one of the most intuitive and logically packaged nerve centers in a modern automobile, in my opinion at least, which places all switchgear exactly where my hands expect to find it. I never needed to search around for the rear window defrost button, or any other control, as I often need to in unfamiliar test vehicles. A couple of other noteworthy simplicities include the Monsoon audio system, which utilizes three small dials for sound contouring. The HVAC system is also controlled via a simple three-dial setup.

In keeping with its function-over-form theme, the wonderfully supportive front seats are manually adjustable by
the use of wheels and levers mounted on the outer seat frame. Among the myriad of adjustments it is also possible to set them for height, beneficial to short and tall occupants, and will accommodate long legs as well thanks to a generous amount of front-to-rear travel. The 60/40 rear-bench seat folds flat, creating an impressive cargo bay capable of internalizing up to 56.5 cubic feet of lading. Although dropping the rear seat into its fold flat position requires the removal of its three headrests and the re-positioning of the front seats if theyre at or near maximum rearward travel.

As I mentioned before, assembly quality within the Passat wagon is first-rate. Theres no evidence of tacky, cheap plastics in use anywhere, but the seat and door-insert upholstery felt a wee bit on the thin side and had me questioning its long-term durability. What doesnt convey a sense of frugality is the effective use of sound damping material. Volkswagen has done a marvelous job of isolating the Passat wagon from road and wind noise, partly due to the cars low drag, and to a lesser extent isolating engine noise. In addition to keeping these irritants at “bay”, the Passat body structure imparts a sense of solidity comparable to vehicles residing in the same class or even higher up the food chain. There is nothing tinny or unrefined about the car. Doors close with a solid “whump,” sealing out the din of loud traffic, as does the rear liftgate. Once under way, suspension noise is pretty much non-existent and there isnt a rattle or squeak anywhere to ruin the upscale ambience.

Pulling strongly off-the-line is a non-issue for the Passat TDI, but keeping its front wheels from breaking traction when hit with the engines 247 foot-pounds of torque is a
challenge. The remarkable little diesel powers the front wheels, however Volkswagen also started offering its 4MOTION all-wheel-drive technology on the gas powered Passat GLS and GLX as an option in 2004. The TDIs peak torque arrives at a bargain basement 1,800 rpm, but as the revs climb toward the engines 4,700 rpm redline its thrust begins to wane. If used to gasoline-powered cars this might be seen as a problem, but such low-end torque and low revving characteristics are inherent in most diesel engines. I have to admit, however, that there is something joyous about a power curve that doesnt require frenetic levels of rpm to generate authoritative passing and hill climbing power. The Passat TDI can do that without breaking a sweat. According to VW data, the automatic Passat TDI wagon will run from 0 to 60 mph in a respectable (for a diesel) 10.4 seconds, and if left long enough an astonishing top speed of 124 mph is achievable. In doing so, there is little audible doubt that a diesel is leading the charge. The noise and vibration levels generated by the TDI can exceed those of a highly refined, well-balanced gasoline four-cylinder, but not by much. Besides, its quite gratifying to listen to the diesels purr, knowing full well that its treating fuel as if it paid for it.

Connected to my testers thrifty powerplant was a smooth shifting 5-speed automatic manual-shift mode transmission. Unlike transmissions affixed to gas engines with much lower torque ratings, the Passats box of cogs allowed the abundance of low-end grunt to keep the car upwardly mobile, rather than numerous rpm-increasing gear changes.

Such subtleties add to the pleasures of TDI propulsion, especially when combined with the Passats smooth, stable ride. The ability of my test wagon to absorb rough road surfaces and potholes was on par with a multitude of larger, more luxurious sedans. And unlike many wagons, which suffer from rock-hard rear suspension setups, the Passats absorption rates felt balanced front to rear. Even so, the versatile wagon achieves a decent payload rating of 1,074 pounds. Delivering the commendable Passat ride quality is a four-wheel independent suspension system comprised of a four link coil spring arrangement bolstered with a stabilizer bar up front, and a pair of torsion beam axles connected to trailing arms, coil springs and a roll-reducing stabilizer bar in the rear.

Although the Passats sophisticated suspension components unite to defeat the worst my local streets have to offer, they are less capable of keeping the car on a stable, even keel during emergency maneuvers or when spirited cornering comes to play. Part of its cornering overwhelm may be due to rather small diameter 15-inch Continental all-season tires. Well, at least it offers excellent steering feedback helping to communicate its deficiency long before anything becomes a serious threat.

I suppose we should keep in mind that the Passat GLS wagon was never intended to be a pavement-searing performance car. This is a family hauler that goes about its list of daily chores with confidence and grace. For its size, the Passat wagon is fairly nimble when aggressive behavior is taken out of the equation, and its especially easy to manage in slow traffic and parking lots.

Also, Volkswagen makes sure the Passat wagon wont get completely out of hand by including OEM supplier Boschs Electronic Stability Program (ESP) to the mix. This stability control system, used by a variety of automakers, has the ability to bring a skidding car back inline by applying the 4-wheel disc antilock brake system, wheel by wheel, while mitigating the engines output. In addition to ESP, which comes standard on the top-tier GLX model and optional on the rest, by the way, is a traction control system termed Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR). This arrangement, which is standard equipment on all Passats, also relies upon the vehicles antilock brake system and engine management unit to prevent wheel spin when accelerating.

The Passats brake setup functions with perfect clarity, allowing me to apply the level of brake force intended in a predictable and linear fashion. Little pedal pressure was needed to fully engage the system, including its antilock technology which cuts in fairly early in the progression to maximum braking. This is fairly typical of passenger cars favoring client comfort over high-performance.

In addition to antilock brakes, passive safety features include driver and front passenger front airbags, and driver and front passenger side airbags as standard equipment. The standard safety fare also includes a side curtain head protection system. All safety belts in 2004 Passats feature the latest in restraint technology, including pre-tensioning and load limiting.

In addition to a comprehensive safety package, residing in Passats ranging from the 1.8-liter GL through to the 4.0-liter W8 GLX, the latter discontinued after this year, is an abundance of comfort and convenience accoutrements. Despite my GLS tester arriving without the spoils of the Leather Package, which adds leather seating, a leather covered multi-function steering wheel, leather shift knob and leather hand brake, or the Luxury Package, which adds a power sunroof, alloy wheels and HomeLink, it was nicely appointed. The standard GLS indulgences include remote locking, power windows, power mirrors, air conditioning, cruise control, Monsoon sound and heated seats. OnStar is also available along with a Sport Package, which adds 17-inch alloy wheels and sport suspension.

Regardless of how a Passat purchaser chooses to equip or not equip VWs midsize wagon, it wont detract from the vehicles core attributes of sensibility and practicality. Although the solidly built Passat TDI wagon may lack driving spice, it is a high performer in the categories of comfort, functionality and frugality, not to mention its a pleasure to drive.