2004 Volkswagen Passat

Review

W8 Powers Passat onto Performance Charts

Tell the basic non-car guy or gal that your Passat is powered by a W8 engine and you may as well tell them its powered by eight turbo-charged gerbils running amok in a hydrogen fuel cell. Theyll flash the same quizzical look, nod their head and validate the statement with an affirming "ahuh."

But to those who keep their automotive acumen up to date, the claim of W8 power will bring a wide grin, likely followed by an enthusiastically expressed expletive. Yup, they get it! They comprehend the effect VWs 4.0-liter, 270-horsepower W8 engine can have in the normally sedate Passat wagon, especially when the W8 feeds its torque to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission.

Driving the W8 Passat is love at first shift - if not sooner. For me the attraction, which was merely physical of course, commenced as I walked through the parking lot of Volkswagens head office. From a distance I espied the Passat wagon like a blonde among a sea of brunettes. Okay, this is sounding a more like a Daniel Steele novel than an automotive road test. At least I think it is because I have never actually read a Daniel Steele novel, nor do I anticipate doing so or ever admit to it if I had.

Now back to the road test. Visually the 2004 Passat has changed little over last years version. It remains, in my view, the best looking midsize wagon on todays market. Its appearance is fresh, clean and symmetrical. Large squareish windows dominate the Passat Wagons smooth, horizontal design theme. Not only does all this glass look great, it provides 360 degree unrestricted vision and imparts a bright, airy ambience to the passengers. All of which lives up to the name Passat, meaning European wind.

The Sport Package of which the W8 engine is part of also includes dynamite looking 17-inch alloy wheels, low profile all-season tires and a sport suspension. This combination of performance goodies imbued the normally discreet Passat wagon with a roguish appearance and an aggressive stance - exactly what it needed to complement the formidable W8 under the hood.

After admiring its slightly villainous appearance, I advanced on the precocious machine, unlocked it and immersed myself in its leather-clad opulence. And I know that "opulence" seems somewhat incongruous with Volkswagen, but in this case it fits.

The Passats German heritage is alive and well within W8 guise. As is typical of marques from the Fatherland, seats are firm and interior dimensions generous. In fact front and rear legroom is outstanding. There are few cars in which I find comfort without positioning the drivers seat at the end of its rearward travel - the Passat is one of those few. And even with the drivers seat at maximum rearward travel, rear seat legroom is remarkable. This is ergonomics at its finest.

In wagon form the Passats squared-off corners assist in accommodating bulky cargo which can be stowed upon a flat floor varying in size, depending on whether the entire split rear seat is folded down, or only a section of it. And when loading these items, even the tallest of laborers will be free of the bumps and bruises that can result from a tailgate hatch that doesnt open high enough. The Passats rear portal is engineered to swing open high above cranial range to prevent unintended head contact. It can also keep Mom and Dad dry during the inevitable soccer practice rain showers.

But beyond top-notch interior functionality, the fit and finish inside is marvelous. All surfaces speak of quality and class, including the authentic walnut wood trim adorning the center stack, console, shifter and door pulls - definitely an elegant touch that contrasted beautifully against the black leather upholstery of my test vehicle.

Equally as elegant, in my view, are the large circular analogue tachometer and speedometer that are positioned on either side of the LCD information screen. These instruments are very easy to read day or night and conveyed the precision of a Swiss timepiece. Following the same design theme and set slightly above the tach and speedo are two smaller gauges dealing with the engine temperature and fuel level. To the right of the main gauge cluster is the center stack, which houses the controls for the audio unit, heated seats, ESP (Electronic Stability Program) and heating and air-conditioning functions. I was particularly fond of the five-position dials, which set a wide temperature variance for the heated seats.

When equipped with the premium Monsoon audio system, as my tester was, the Passat wagon can really belt out the tunes with crystal clarity. In addition to its concert hall sound, this system was one of the most straightforward to use that I have encountered in a long while. Unlike the majority of high-end audio heads, this one didnt rely on multi tasking buttons and digital readouts to contour the sound dynamics. Rather it utilized three small dials to independently increase or decrease bass, mid-range and treble settings. Two matching dials managed balance and fade adjustments. It was absolutely refreshing to simply turn the relevant dial rather than search through multiple screens and programs in order to acquire audio perfection.

Another nifty VW touch in the Passat was the electrically actuated folding sideview mirrors. With the twist of a door mounted dial the two exterior sideview mirror housings rotate inward, reducing the distance they protruded from the side of the vehicle - an excellent method of curtailing clipped mirrors and damaged doors while parking.

Of course parking either precedes or follows driving, and driving is what this review is really about. Of the many practical midsize vehicles that I have driven, the Passat W8 stands out as a favorite. The W8 engine is a technological marvel that provides all the benefits of a sophisticated V8, except the bulky size and weight.

The engine achieves its compactness by overlapping the four cylinders on each side of the engine. This shortens the length of each bank of cylinders and in-turn the block overall, enabling placement in engine bays too petite to oblige a traditional V8. The W8 configuration provides greater engine block rigidity as well, which results in reduced engine harshness and vibration. Two counter-rotating balance shafts further negate vibration, ensuring that the W8 projects nothing less than turbine-like smoothness from its aluminum heads and block.

The utilization of 4-valves per cylinder contributes to the W8s tremendous torque at low rpm. Peak torque of 273 foot-pounds occurs at a low-revving 2750 rpm. What all this techno-babble translates into is an engine that can launch the Passat wagon like a bullet from a pistol, especially when the torque is fed to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission.

The W8 is equipped with Volkswagens sophisticated 4MOTION all-wheel drive system as standard equipment, although optional on the GLS and GLX models. This technology directs torque to one, some or all of the wheels, depending upon where grip can be obtained. The system also applies braking force to any wheel prone to spinning. 4MOTION technology works seamlessly in the background, without generating any jerkiness or stutter.

Throughout the network of the six forward gears, Volkswagens W8 engine never stumbled or lost its breath while rapidly confronting the 6,000 rpm redline time and time again. The W8 loves to rev and does so with such will that it was easy to misjudge just how many rpm it was laying claim to. In fact I found myself glancing at the tachometer and being astonished several times at how high the W8 was revving before my next shift up the ladder.

And shifting up and down through the gears was a complete pleasure to administer. The shifts are short, sporty and well defined. When one considers that these shifts motivate a midsize, highly practical wagon and not a sports car, it is indeed inspiring. However I did find the W8s clutch somewhat touchy. Engagement was abrupt and occurred late in the pedals travel making it tricky to consistently pull away without projecting some degree of over-revving amateurism.

But once underway the car rewarded its occupants with a first-class ride and fist-rate handling. This is a balance that is often elusive, but not so in the Passat W8 that I was testing, which featured Volkswagens optional Sport Package. Thanks to its solid structure and tight build quality, road imperfections and outright road decimation seldom unsettled the rigid body and chassis, which quietly absorbed the worst our city had to offer - which can even be a challenge for the best of SUVs.

The Passat wagons fine road manners can be attributed to a four-wheel independent suspension. At the front Volkswagen has installed a double wishbone, coil spring setup featuring gas charged shocks and an anti-roll bar. The rear receives similar treatment, including a double wishbone, coil spring setup, gas charged shocks and an anti-roll bar. This dexterous arrangement is complemented by a rack-and-pinion steering mechanism, which transmits excellent road-feel to the driver.

Cornering the Passat wagon feels deceptively similar to piloting a top-notch sports sedan. The VW isnt quick to lose its composure when being pushed hard into a corner, even when the road surface is saturated from an unexpected cloudburst, as can often be the case in my neck of the woods. The car exhibits little front-end plow through the corners, thanks primarily to its 4MOTION technology, although body sway is noticeable due to the compliant suspension calibration. Throughout it all, mind you, the Passat holds a line like a world-class slalom skier holds an edge. Not bad for a wagon.

And if excessive yaw or a skid is detected, the Passats Electronic Stability Program (ESP) will override the drivers shortcomings by applying wheel specific braking to overcome the forces of nature and bring the wagon back on-course.

When the brakes are applied intentionally by the driver, regardless of velocity, they grip like little else in the stock automotive world. This is due to 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, vented front and rear on the W8 model. Even under repeated extreme braking, the Passat W8 threw the anchor out with little to no detectable fade. Braking effort was progressive and easily modulated. Nose-dive is well controlled and of minimal significance. Simply put, the Passat W8 wagon delivers everything that a good braking system should and nothing it that it shouldnt.

What the Passat also delivers and should be lauded for is a full array of airbags on each and every model sold in the U.S. Other manufacturers need to wake up and smell the cappuccino on this one. Vehicles designed with families in mind shouldnt short-change those families when it comes to safety - and the Passat doesnt.

All 2004 Passats are equipped with driver and front passenger frontal airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags and side curtain airbags for those in the rear seat.

Also, all five seating positions in the Passat wagon are equipped with seatbelt pretensioners. Load limiters are included on all but the rear middle seating position. Tally up all of the Passats safety features, including the 4MOTION technology, and it becomes a chart-topper in terms of safety and crash avoidance and crash worthiness. Criteria family buyers are well aware of these days - and quite justifiably so.

Buyers are also well aware of value when it comes to the second most expensive purchase in their lives, just behind their homes. In this regard the Volkswagen Passat offers tremendous value, but not at bargain basement prices like some vehicles emerging from the shores of Korea, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento.

In base form the Passat is powered by 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that is capable of belting out an eyebrow raising 170 horsepower.

The base vehicle with the W8 engine is the GL, which hits the ground running at $22,780 while the GLS starts at $24,380 and includes the V6, plus standard OnStar Telematics, power windows, power door locks, power heated mirrors, tilt/telescoping wheel, air conditioning with rear vents, heated seats with lumbar, 8-speaker AM/FM CD cassette, trip computer, 4-power outlets, cruise control, anti-theft security and heated windshield washer nozzles.

Moving up to the GLX at $30,780 will net buyers a 2.8-liter, 190-horsepower V6 engine, climate control, walnut trim, side curtain protection, leather seating, power seats with memory, HomeLink, folding side mirrors and rain sensing wipers, along with a premium lighting package and the Monsoon audio upgrade. Add 4MOTION technology and the GLX finds its way out the door for $30,780 with an automatic transmission.

The top-shelf Passat W8 wagon requires $39,660 greenbacks to claim ownership of and includes all of the GLX goodies plus the magnificent W8 engine, 4MOTION, electronic stability program (ESP), high intensity - gas charged headlamps, some additional chrome trim and a trip computer with increased functionality.

Volkswagen also offers several option packages for the Passat, including Leather, Luxury and Sport packages.

For those among us with a great disdain for the SUV culture that has run roughshod over the automotive industry, the Passat wagon may be the perfect alternative - especially when the 4MOTION technology is included. It is capable of being the ideal vehicle for a very wide variety of purchasers, ranging from those seeking a midsize utilitarian family vehicle with exceptional comfort to those whose soul burns with a passion for performance and refinement. This German marque hits many targets like few others can.