2002 Volkswagen Passat W8 4Motion Wagon review from North America

Two things with the car after I picked it up. The cruise control failed and the tires were always out of balance. The computer was replaced for the cruise,& no problem since then. This car was a showroom model for a year before I bought it and I think the tires were "flat spotted" from sitting for that long. I replaced them (Continentals) at 25000 miles with Michelin's and had no problems since.

The car is quick, responsive and a great road car. I work for an airline, but prefer to drive this car for trips within 300 miles. I was worried about the W8, dual cams/bank, crank balance, etc. and the 2002 being the first year in service, but it has been smooth and flawless. The accelerator takes a little getting used to. It's real touchy after a rolling stop and seems to have a hard time deciding which gear it should be in when you want to go. Use the tip-tronic or be more firm with the pedal resolves it. The problem is the latter relies on human touch which may vary depending on your rider's conversation on the tunes on the box.

I guess the only thing I don't like is the "aero wipers" as they are expensive for wipers and the cup holders are small up front. I'm looking at a new passat now and will keep those issues in mind.