Faults:

Mostly just wear and tear of age and miles. There was an ABS sensor fail and a small oil leak is coming from somewhere - no significant loss however.

General Comments:

This was another fairly basic Passat we had in our fleet as a taxi. It is still going strong after many miles, it has been ideal and cost effective to run for the business.

S model is the lowest trim level, but the car still has plenty of electrics and comfortable seats. I think it is a nice looking car inside and out also.

Quite nice to drive, 1.6 TDi with the DSG auto box is fast enough for the average driver, and still manages 55 - 65 mpg.

A bit noisy around town, but a smooth motorway cruiser.

All in all a solid reliable modern car, if a little dull.

Faults:

Nothing!

General Comments:

If you want a solid, safe, reliable and modern car, take a look at any Passat of this generation.

However if you want excitement and a fun drive, look elsewhere. This car is boring.

Very comfortable and well equipped interior. Smooth drive. Quality materials. Spacious and nice to be in.

It's not bad to drive, but as mentioned, just not fun. The 2.0 TDi accelerates adequately. It does return a good 50 mpg+ no matter how it is driven though, very economical for size and weight of the thing.

Quite good looking in black with original large VW alloys, mine looks good compared to most out there which seem to be a dull grey color with wheel trims or smaller alloys.

So why do I call it expensive and overrated? In short it isn't a bad car at all, I just wish VW put more fun and sportiness into this model. Reliable so far, but any issues will likely be very expensive to fix compared to similar cars. Also VW main dealer was insanely overpriced for a return service plan. Better to find a cheaper independent when the warranty is up. Oh and used values are ridiculous - Yes it holds value well, and I will not disclose what I paid for it, but it was too much, but I needed a decent used car. But a Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia or just about any other in this class can offer the same for less, albeit not as "solid" cars. But I do understand that if you want quality you pay. But it remains to be seen in the long run how good this car will be, I have only had it one year.

Faults:

Services and new brake pads. Changed cam-belt early as I always do. Expensive, but worth it if keeping the car long term.

Last winter the car's dash lit up with all warning lights, but I'm sure it was just a glitch, never did it again and no apparent problem.

Suspension sounding a bit worn at front, will get it checked out soon.

General Comments:

The Passat of this newer generation (2015 onward) is an incredibly smooth and comfortable car. They are very expensive to buy used, but worth it in my opinion - they return with excellent reliability and low running costs.

2.0 TDi is the one to go for - "Blue Motion Tech" just means the car does its best to be economical. Mine certainly does that - even driving fast I always seem to return well over 50 mpg, very good for a larger car. The car is very nice to drive - 150 bhp and not over the top sporty, but the car is more suited to cruising on motorways. But on twisty roads you can still have fun, seats are very supportive and the suspension is firm enough for faster cornering. GT spec has all the kit.

Interior is very nicely styled and has all the modern equipment you could ever need. If I am being really picky there is not much color choice - all Passat's including mine that I see seem to have black/grey interior, but it kind of suits it. But my car is also grey on the exterior, a dull color but it works on this car. Buying used I had no choice, but if I bought new I certainly would have picked brighter colors to spice things up a bit.

My Passat has been very reliable so far, it is a much improved car over previous generations. A friend of mine has one like mine from 2015 and is used as a taxi, currently on 160,000 miles and has had no major problems. I forecast my car will last me a long time as the mileage is low for its year.

Be under no illusion however, these are expensive cars to repair if things do go wrong. But find a nice looked after Passat at lower mileage and take care of it, and you have a solid car that will last you many years, so they are worth the higher asking price (though they are still ridiculously over-priced for a used car!). More expensive but easily a better car than similar rivals like a Vauxhall Insignia or Ford Mondeo in my opinion.