Normally I'd agree 100%.............not with this factory though. They have engineered 90% of the human error out of the equation. Robots do the QA - far more precise than any human, there is little chance of any errors getting through. They have been running the factory in "practice" mode for a while. It really is an amazingly advanced plant. Combine the plant with the fact the running gear is known & proven = there's little reason to do the traditional "wait a year for the bugs to shake out".
Well, it's the 10% I worry about
That said, the new Passat, especially in TDI form has enough "newness" to inspire caution: different emissions system (SCR, different injectors) compared to the current 2.0 TDIs. Granted the rest is pretty much from the parts bin.
But VW is probably getting better, the Mk V intro was considerably less painful than the Mk IV. But consider this, the B6 Passat, when introduced, was largely based on the Golf mechanicals. The first model year was a disaster, both for the 2.0T (HPFP cam follower, oil consumption, ignition coils) and VR6 (oil pump bolt failure). Fortunately for the new Passat though both gas engines are carryovers (albeit with their known issues such as the 2.5 timing chain). The TDI though might be a question mark because of the different emissions systems. It may in fact end up being better but who knows?
Right now our "big car" needs are well filled by our B5.5 and my commuter needs by my Golf, but the B5.5 is next up at bat for replacement. No, we won't get rid of it but we'll retire our old Odyssey van which is falling apart... literally, and pass the Passat onto our sons who by then will be in their early and mid-20s. What we replace it with, remains to be seen, I wouldn't mind trying out the new Focus hatch; we'll be empty-nesters and won't need as big as car as the B5.5 anymore.
I did get a chance to sample the new Jetta last week though I didn't drive it. I had the Golf in for its first service and the dealer shuttle to the subway station was a gas 2.0 Jetta. My impressions: buzzy, lifeless 4-cyl engine. Quiet at cruise but noisy once you put your foot into it, and with 6-speed automatic, it's shifting all the time to keep up with traffic. The return was in a Jetta TDI, basic model. The engine was waaaayyyyy better, and more refined than the 2.0 gas, and wasn't even trying hard even though the driver was aggressive. But in both cases, the base interior was awful. At least in the higher-end models the silver dash trim kills the coal mine effect, but on the base model it's fake "carbon" plastic trim that doesn't even come close to looking like carbon fibre; the hard plastic dash didn't bother me as much as I thought it would though; visually it's hard to tell the difference. And on the TDI the glove box door was tooefed and warped. Even a base Corolla interior looks better. At least in pictures the Passat looks better, the interior is very similar to the B6 Passat.
