Faults:

Very little in two years of ownership. I bought the car used in 2024, it had full history and the timing belt had already been done too. It's cost me nothing but diesel and a couple of tyres, and I have of course kept up with its perfect service record. Bear in mind the DSG auto box requires servicing also. But it's relatively inexpensive.

Some interior electrical glitches, but nothing major.

Cosmetically there are some marks inside and out, but for a ten year old car with over 100K, it's pretty much as good as a used car will be; still looks the part after all these years and miles.

General Comments:

2016 Passat GT in dark grey, I love the look of this car. Window tints, 18‑inch alloy wheels.

Inside the car also shines. Half leather. Super comfortable. The car has every extra available and this GT isn't even the top model (I believe it's the “R‑Line”) but clearly someone, when new, went for every option. Heated seats are a favourite.

The display and infotainment system takes a while to get used to with so many buttons and features, but once you have all your favourite settings, the car is super easy to drive. A fiddle at first, the auto‑hold feature and electric parking brake are actually preferred to an old lever once you get used to them.

With the 2.0 TDI engine coupled with the DSG gearbox, driving is a doddle. It can be very economical (around 50 mpg) cruising on the motorway, or very powerful and fast if needed.

Huge space in the boot and in the interior as well. Visibility is very good for a modern car; the car is quite “boxy” and mostly glass all round, making it very easy to see out of. Plus, there are parking sensors, so there’s no danger of bumps unless you are really silly or someone hits you! It’s a very solid, safe‑feeling car.

Downsides? The car is a little expensive to buy even on the used market with higher mileage, so there’s no chance of a bargain. Also, I found VW dealers a bit uninterested and expensive for service and repairs (and even a bit rude when I told them I was not interested in buying an electric car!). It’s better to find a cheaper independent garage or a VW specialist for service and repairs.

But if you are looking for a good large family / executive saloon, look no further than a 2015‑onward Passat.

Faults:

Water pump was leaking, but changed for a new one when I did the cam-belt anyway.

No other faults, the car has full history and is about to hit the infamous 100K miles mark, but it feels as good as new!

General Comments:

I can only repeat on the recent reviews for this car already on here - the Passat of this generation (2015 onward's) is a fantastically solid car.

Exterior wise I think it is a good looking car, if a bit dull due to the fact my car has the standard 16 inch alloy wheels; they look OK but I'd prefer the bigger wheels on SE models. My car is also the common grey color. Again, not bad, but would have preferred something a bit brighter. But with used cars beggars cannot be choosers!

Tech S model is pretty basic, but the car still has plenty of electric features. The seats are very comfortable and the interior is functional rather than sporty. But it does it all well, the cabin is refined on the move, it is an excellent motorway cruiser. Very spacious with a huge boot.

1.6 TDi is gutless - but with 60 mpg possible who cares. I have tried driving faster and the car still gives over 50 mpg. In short, it is very economical. Although a bit expensive to buy new or used, it has cheap insurance, tax and servicing, to make up for it. Reliability is also better than average.

I've owned pretty much all cars in this sector (large family / executive) and can honestly say the Passat is the best. It's just so solid and economical, which is exactly all cars like this need to be and no more. You could try a Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia and they would be about every bit as good, but certainly not better than this car. As such, it holds its value better on the used market, but a Passat is worth it if you find a looked after car. At time of writing you can get one like this for less than six grand now on Auto-Trader. That's still a lot of money for a ten year old car, but try and find a better car for the money - you won't.