VW Passat TDI 2012

There's not much of Europe left in the new Volkswagen Passat. The car has been enlarged and softened for American tastes and it's even built here in a brand-new factory in Tennessee. This American-only Passat, however, is also the only midsize sedan offered with the engine favored by Europeans: a diesel. Turbocharged for greater efficiency, VW's 2.0-liter diesel produces a measly 140 peak horsepower—but what's important is the 236 lb-ft of torque generated at just 1500 rpm. That makes the Passat TDI feel punchy and entertaining, rather than sluggishly boring. But the big wows come from its mileage numbers. Equipped with either the six-speed manual or automatic transmission, the TDI returns 31 EPA city mpg and an astonishing 43 highway mpg. In other words, the Passat gets better fuel economy than cars two classes smaller, yet it starts at a reasonable $26,795 and has more rear legroom than the Ford Taurus. The diesel's open-road efficiency is matched to an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, so the Passat can travel some 800 miles between fill-ups.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED:$28, 790 (base price: $26,756)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve diesel inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 120 cu in, 1968 cc
Power (SAE net): 140 hp @ 4000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 236 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 110.4 in
Length: 191.7 in
Width: 72.2 in Height: 58.5 in
Curb weight: 3455 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 8.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 25.5 sec
Rolling Start, 5-60mph: 9.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.8 sec @ 83 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 113 mph
Braking, 70-0mph: 178 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.82 g*

FUEL ECONOMY:

EPA city/hwy: 30/40 mpg

C/D observed: 42 mpg 

Photo Gallery