When the price of gas climbs to the $4-a-gallon mark and beyond, people complain and automakers fear sales will fall off the edge of a cliff.
Yet during the second quarter of our year-long stint with the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI, we paid less than $4 a gallon for fuel only three times—and no one bitched. That’s the power of a diesel sedan that delivers nearly 40 mpg in daily driving and goes for more than 600 miles between fill-ups.
That’s 40 mpg without any battery packs or plug-in ports, a sticker price under $31,000 and a back seat with a vast amount of leg room—a Hacky Sack game could break out back there.
But our love for the Passat TDI goes even further.
There’s a premium, buttoned-up feel to the cabin that is covered in shades of black and gray. The seats don’t look fancy but provide plenty of support for a long haul, and setting the seat heater on low keeps things limber without overheating.
This is an Americanized Passat, longer and wider than the European model. The suspension settings have been Americanized, too. More than one staffer has lauded our tester for a ride quality that’s “just right,” hitting a sweet spot that precisely blends Germanic stiffness with American comfort.
The turbocharged four-cylinder diesel pulls with the brawn of a locomotive, yet hums quietly on the freeway. The 236 lb-ft of torque makes it easy to squawk the front tires at launch. If you asked us for suggestions, we’d wish for steering wheel-mounted shift paddles or a proper manual transmission.
From the outside, the Passat is nondescript. Consider that a standard cloaking device—it’s best not to attract too much attention when your car cruises effortlessly at 80 mph. The most attention the Passat draws is when you park at the gas station’s diesel pump—attendants give you the “do you know what you’re doing?” look.
There’s not much we would change on this car. Pairing your smartphone to the car requires using the menu mounted in the gauge cluster, not the center-mounted navigation/ audio unit. That process should be made simpler.
Whether hauling kids back to college or taking long drives to see the fall foliage, the worst we could do on a full tank was 39.5 mpg. In six months, we racked up nearly 18,300 miles at 39.5 mpg.
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