Anti-Buick suspension for 2015 Passat

The only real area of disappointment, for me, is the handling. I want more VW, less Buick.

I'm too old and give out to want Boy Racer handling that jolts the fillings out of my teeth. "Comfortable" is my #1 goal. However, I'm kind of surprised by the combination of "harsh" AND "wallowing." That's just not fair.

If you wanted your Passat to wallow less and turn in a bit sharper, without making it ride like a skateboard, what would you do?

I also don't like the control of the shocks. I want less bouncing without sacrificing ride quality. I know it can be done. I think the OEM shocks just have poor valving. It's almost as if they are set to transmit small bumps but ignore big ones.

Recommendations?

-mickey

I doubt that your springs could be shot this soon.

I'd start with Koni FSDs all around. Experiment a little with tire pressures as well. Probably the single biggest effect on ride.

The (NMS) 2011 -2017 Passat is built in Tennessee specifically designed to appeal to North American tastes. By comparison the same years European Passat is a different animal altogether. It even has different dimensions.

If you want to spend the money change the springs and " shocks " with non-VW equipment.

Adding more air pressure to the tires will just have you feel every crack in the road surface more, it will not affect the handling.

My favorite setup for the NMS Passat was coilovers with front and rear sway bars - brilliant handling, very controlled, but probably a little too low and a little too boy racer for what you're looking for.

We upgraded our SE Passat's suspension to SEL suspension with 18" wheels and it made a good improvement. What trim level is your car?

Jetta_Pilot said:

The (NMS) 2011 -2017 Passat is built in Tennessee specifically designed to appeal to North American tastes. By comparison the same years European Passat is a different animal altogether. It even has different dimensions.

If you want to spend the money change the springs and " shocks " with non-VW equipment.

Adding more air pressure to the tires will just have you feel every crack in the road surface more, it will not affect the handling.

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Yes, that is precisely the issue. And the knock against the Passat that is mentioned by every reviewer.

I question VW's understanding of "North American Tastes." I have personal experience with one of the most popular midsize family sedans in North America: The Honda Accord. It's not a race car by any means, but the handling and ride are clearly superior to the Passat. My Accord (now owned by my daughter and her husband) has a quarter million miles on it and STILL handles and rides better than my spanking new Passat.

It's the odd combination of "harsh" and "wallowing" that I don't understand. I can't blame that on "North American tastes." I DO blame it on cheap dampers and a cheap torsion beam rear suspension. If VW considered "North American tastes" at all they considered it as an excuse for cutting corners. They couldn't possibly believe that we LIKE to be seasick.

I don't blame the springs. They're just springs. They don't seem excessively soft. If anything they could stand to be softer, if there was a little more suspension travel to work with. But the dampers are a bad joke.

In the interest of simplicity, and considering my rather modest goals, I think I'll limit myself to a rear sway bar and higher quality dampers. Not "firmer" dampers so much as just better controlled. The pitching of the car after going over a bump goes through 2 or 3 cycles before it settles down. It feels like a boat in heavy seas. That's just poor quality dampers.

-mickey

Another personal comparison: I traded my beloved (but expensive) 2015 Ford F-150 for my Passat. The BASE MODEL (XL) Ford 4x4 pickup was quieter and had more confident and precise handling qualities, generally speaking, than my Passat. Something is wrong with that equation.

Granted, being a pickup, which is basically a box of air sitting on a live axle, the rear of the truck had a disconcerting tendency for the rear end to step out when I hit bumps. That wasn't helped by the fact the truck's body panels are all aluminum. But making allowances for the reality of pickup trucks the overall feel of the ride and suspension was better. (Not necessarily the actual empirical capabilities. Just the feel.) And QUIET! It was like a big Mercedes. (Another comparison I can personally make.)

I'd hustle that truck around curves with more confidence than my Passat inspires. Also, both truck and Passat have electric steering. Ford does it better. The Passat's steering is over-assisted and vague.

-mickey

The NMS Passat doesn't have a rear torsion bar. It's independent. The 2015 Golf and GSW have a torsion bar. I'm sure it's inferior to an independent suspension, but I haven't personally noticed any drawbacks on my Golf yet.

Our Passat does ride softer than our Golf, but it's similar to the '10 JSW we sold back to VW.

Just curious? Is the running gear the same for the 3 different trim levels of Passat?
I have no complaints with my Passat. USA = SEL model, Canadian = Highline model.

I am very satisfied with Bilstein HD shocks front & rear with a rear H&R bar. Stock springs. 2014 Passat TDI SEL.

Jedadiah said:

Our Passat does ride softer than our Golf, but it's similar to the '10 JSW we sold back to VW.

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Amazing, cause its the same rear end!!!!

jjblbi said:

I am very satisfied with Bilstein HD shocks front & rear with a rear H&R bar. Stock springs. 2014 Passat TDI SEL.

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I second the sway bar upgrades, did the rear on the '15 passat and much flatter in the corners. Well worth the price of admission. It made enough of an improvement not to be searching for anything more, I'll let you know if that changes in 80K.

So far the new SEL with 2K miles is much more refined than the '12 SE with 80K, but that may be the 80K.