Good handling, good brakes, decent radio, looks good, good turning radius, huge trunk, a lot of room for passengers, and yet still small enough car to drive around in.

clock could be closer to middle (like where radio is), fabric seat coverings are a drag to clean, drink holders are put in odd places and don't hold my Large drinks, what's with the cooler in the glove box?, weird chairs that you have to turn a knob to move back side of chair forward or backward, other wise a good car.

Third car, was better than previous vehicles. I like the car because it gets me from point A to point B without any major (or minor) problems. I have had it for 2 years and no problems. Has about 38000 miles, and is still going.

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well i had a 1987 nissan pick up, and a 1990 toyota pick up... i like this car best of all...

Looks nice, roomy. Could have been a great car. Had VW cared about their customers.

Besides the danger of driving a car with brake problems,
The driver side mirror adjustment stick broke

I found out shortly after the purchase that the brakes were faulty. The brakes would stick, causing poor performance and premature wear of the brake equipment. Also with the faulty brakes came faulty brake lights. The brake lights would not illuminate when the brakes were applied. After taking the car to the dealer to have it looked at I was told there is nothing wrong. Well, later my wife and 6-month-old child were rear-ended in an automobile accident because the brake light did not illuminate. The person who hit us told us of the problem. Finally after explaining this accident to the dealer, and taking the VW Passat in again they adjusted the brakes so they would function properly. They would however, not accept responsibility for the premature aging of the brakes and I have since had to replace them twice over a total of 40,000 miles with the most recent being over 12,000 miles. The Dealer and the Corporate VW office refuses to fix this obvious and continued problem with my brakes. I have written letters and spoken to many people at VW without help. I feel that without the complete replacement of the brake assembly I will continue to have problems.

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Toyota Camary
Honda Accord

Styling
Responsive handling
Smooth ride
Back seat room
Quality workmanship

Engine torque isn't high enough

The ride quality is excellent - firm enough that it handles great too.

The brakes are are great.

The VR-6 motor has good power and is smooth though I believe it lacks enough torque.

The onboard trip computer that keeps track of all important info like average speed, mpg, oil temp, outdoor temp, total m.p.g., total miles is great without being obtrusive.

The interior is great. The stereo has good sound quality. The heater kicks in almost instantaneously as does the air conditioner(powerful even on the hottest days). The heated seats are nice and the black leather is of fine quality. The sunroof works well. This is a very spacious automobile in every regard with great leg and shoulder space front and rear.

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Audi A4
Honda Accord
Saab 9-3

I picked the Passat over these three makes based on overall performance and personal need [a little more back room space].

Handles good
Comfortable ride
Lots of room and a great trunk
Decent mileage

A bit noisy
Brakes are grabby and have squealed off and on since new
Cup holders are ridiculous (minor problem)
Upholstery is always covered with lint
Extremely poor warranty
Expensive service

I bought the car after extensive research because I thought it would be reliable and safe. Unfortunately, I overlooked the warranty. At 2 years and 38,000K, the clear coat finish is peeling; the warranty is only 24/24,000. I am very dissatisfied with both the dealer's and Volkswagen's response (or lack thereof). They don't agree that one should expect a paint job to last more than 2 years. The car overall is not so great that I can overlook this major flaw.

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1989 Camry--this car was great--231,000K and still running, with no major repairs

Feel of the car, quality interior, good acceleration, station wagon utility, good looking exterior, great crash test score and 6 air-bags

Gas milage has been below what we anticipated, stereo could be better with more power and CD player built in, and like most people the dealer service sucks.

I like the updates with the stronger engine, more chrome, even better safety features. It rides and handles like a much more expensive car than it is. The interior has a very nice feel to it. The car handles well and is sporty to drive especially when the turbo kicks in. It can get up and go quickly when asked to and the tiptronics makes it more enjoyable. Having a rear hatch with a cargo cover is a forgotten luxury. When you have to transport something bulky, it can be quite amazing. Brought home a Full Size Weber Gas Grill in the rear, couldn't believe it. Really glad we chose this than an SUV, the driving experience is far superior. This is an understated Audi wagon for 10 grand less.

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Toyota Highlander: nice car/suv but not a drivers car just a tall camary with SUV looks
Volvo V70 wagon: like it but had a terrible experience with reliability with an S90 sedan and didn't want to spend more than 30 g's.
Isuzu Axiom: like the exterior but the interior is weird especially in cloth and really is a truck and rides like one and gets gas milage like one.
Volvo V70 wagon: like it but had a lousy experince

Luxury sedan at an affordable price. Quality engine.

The higher end GLX does not come standard with a CD Player.

(1999 Model) - Volkswagen pays for your first three oil changes at 5000, 10,000 and 15,000 miles. We had a few initial problems with the stero system - but the dealer fixed them for us. The V6 is a must as is the leather interior. The blue-lighted dash is kind of funky but works well at night. My previous experiences with the Volkswagen (Jetta) were good - I am looking forward to seeing how the Pasat holds up over time.

It is a great car for the price point. Lots of doodads without paying for the Audi A4

The car doesn't fit me very well at 5 foot 4, but my husband at 6 foot 3 loves the fit. The automatic is a little sluggish. I don't like the layout of the dashboard with the radio lower than the climate control system as it takes my eyes off the road longer. Not thrilled with the climate control system functionality.

(1999 Model) - Overall, I am not thrilled with the car although there is no specific thing I can't live with.

Good ride,good drive, spacious, well built and good equipment.

Slightly underpowered in auto (1800cc). Poor starter. Worst of all, appalling radio reception with distortion and constant interference that VW refuse to acknowledge and remedy. A very poor quality product for a car in this price category.

(1998 Model) - Many good points very much spoilt by the radio reception and VW's attitude.

Nice ride for the price. Basically the same as the A4 (without the all wheel drive) at a substantial savings. Drives well also

4 cyl/turbo pickup is not all that great

(1999 Model) - Several problems with the audio system. Had to have front speaker replaced, I was told it was blown. Hazard switch was also making strange noise, this also had to be replaced. Rear door handle was loose and had to be repaired. Rear door window stopped working, motor was then replaced. Other than these ""few"" things I would say that overall I enjoy the car. Volkswagon service always repaired the items without question. Remember, you get what you pay for...

The speed, the speed, the speed, when in Germany you need it, I've gotten it!! Also love the speakers, good handling, great turning radius!

okay, I'll jump on the cup holder bandwagon, they are a bit small.

Well when you go from having a 97 Plymouth Neon, to a Passat, not much can be said but that this car is a dream!! I haven't tried to see how fast I'll go, but I've got it up to 120 and barely realized it, I literally have to slow down cause I don't realize I'm going so fast! It rides real smooth, good brakes, we got a new set of rims and tires and installed an Alpine system and changer in the back, its an American Spec car that we bought here in Germany and the Germans have serviced the car so well and we've had no problems so far. Its great for traveling, which we do alot of and its comfortable. I recommend this to any family, its only me and my husband, but its great when we have his kids.

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We compared it the BMW 325 and the Audi A4, overall the Passat was more for the money, the BMW and Audi just didn't offer everything we wanted at that price!!