Windjammer
Veteran Member
http://autos.aol.com/article/vw-passat-chatanooga-tennessee/
There is a German wind swirling around, of all places, Chattanooga, Tenn., a town perhaps best known for railroads and, in keeping with that history, the Glenn Miller swing classic, "Chattanooga Choo Choo."
Try The Diesel
Powering the 2012 Passat is one of three engines-a 2.5 liter, five-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower; a 3.6 liter V6 producing 280 hp; and a 2.0 liter TDI Clean diesel engine.
Despite the sub-$20,000 starting price, you can get still above $30,000 without too much trouble. The V6 SE packages, which include 18" wheels, navigation, leather seating, the Fender premium audio system, heated seats and few other amenities, will crest $30K.
The best values with the Passat? We think it's the SE with sunroof and navigation ($26,795), which gets you the smooth 2.5 liter engine, six-speed auto transmission, smartphone interface, heated seats, aluminum trim dash and leather-wrapped seats. The other good value is the TDI SE ($25,995), though that pricing does not provide sunroof and navigation. For that, you have to climb the ladder to $29,495. But the TDI engine, for the uninitiated, packs V6-like power and more than 40 mpg on the highway.
Bottom Line: The new 2012 Passat is a classy, very well-turned out car. By the time you spec it out the way you want it, though, it could still come at a price premium to a Camry or Fusion. Volkswagen's $1 billion investment in Tennessee to build vehicles for the U.S. is a smart and laudable investment. Like the 2011 Jetta, though, the Passat perhaps lacks some of the Volkswagen German engineering feel that has been a hallmark for enthusiasts and customers of the brand. Right now, we would say the driving dynamics are better than Camry, Accord and Fusion, but on par with Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.
There is a German wind swirling around, of all places, Chattanooga, Tenn., a town perhaps best known for railroads and, in keeping with that history, the Glenn Miller swing classic, "Chattanooga Choo Choo."
Try The Diesel
Powering the 2012 Passat is one of three engines-a 2.5 liter, five-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower; a 3.6 liter V6 producing 280 hp; and a 2.0 liter TDI Clean diesel engine.
Despite the sub-$20,000 starting price, you can get still above $30,000 without too much trouble. The V6 SE packages, which include 18" wheels, navigation, leather seating, the Fender premium audio system, heated seats and few other amenities, will crest $30K.
The best values with the Passat? We think it's the SE with sunroof and navigation ($26,795), which gets you the smooth 2.5 liter engine, six-speed auto transmission, smartphone interface, heated seats, aluminum trim dash and leather-wrapped seats. The other good value is the TDI SE ($25,995), though that pricing does not provide sunroof and navigation. For that, you have to climb the ladder to $29,495. But the TDI engine, for the uninitiated, packs V6-like power and more than 40 mpg on the highway.
Bottom Line: The new 2012 Passat is a classy, very well-turned out car. By the time you spec it out the way you want it, though, it could still come at a price premium to a Camry or Fusion. Volkswagen's $1 billion investment in Tennessee to build vehicles for the U.S. is a smart and laudable investment. Like the 2011 Jetta, though, the Passat perhaps lacks some of the Volkswagen German engineering feel that has been a hallmark for enthusiasts and customers of the brand. Right now, we would say the driving dynamics are better than Camry, Accord and Fusion, but on par with Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima.
