Last year, the Volkswagen Passat celebrated its 50th birthday. In 1973, VW’s mid-sized family car launched as part of Wolfburg’s all-new front-engined, front-wheel drive, post-Beetle generation. The Giugiaro-designed Passat was initially available as a two- or four-door sedan, or three- or five-door fastback. A year later, a Passat wagon joined the line-up. Fast-forward five decades, and over 34 million Passats have been sold globally.
Throughout its life, the Passat has been manufactured in several locations across the globe from Germany and Slovakia, to the United States, China, and Brazil. Its restrained, tasteful design belies a car that has constantly sought to reinvent itself with each generation. However, it has always remained largely underappreciated beyond the realms of the VW connoisseur.
Automotive journalist and friend of Dyler.com, Tim Neely, explains why.
“The Volkswagen Passat has never been a shouty car, but it has always been a car with a gentle character,” he says. “My first car was a Passat B2 Syncro during the early 1990s, and I loved it. With each generation of Passat, VW improves things mechanically. Irrespective of era, the Passat has always driven tightly, and it has always been smooth and refined.
“Given how big cars have become over the years, the Passat has carved out its own niche - its size positions it somewhere above the likes of the Jetta and the Audi A4, but somewhere beneath the likes of the Audi A6. It’s just a nice car that’s usually driven by nice people.”
To celebrate 50 years of VW’s eponymous mid-sized family car, we look at some of the best and most interesting Passat models to buy from 1973 to-date. We also explore why much of the future of the wagon hinges on the latest Passat, the all-new B9.
1973: Volkswagen Passat (B1)
Volkswagen introduced the Passat in 1973 as a replacement for its ageing air-cooled Type 3 and Type 4 family cars. Initially available as either a two- or four-door sedan, or three- or five-door fastback, the Passat - like the VW Golf - was designed by the legendary automotive designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro. A year later, a five-door station wagon joined the fold. Upon launch, the Passat was considered to be one of the most modern family cars of its time thanks to its front-wheel drive layout, and hatchback bodystyle. The engines initially available were a pair of longitudinally-mounted 1.3-liter and 1.5L petrol engines offering 54 horsepower and 84hp respectively. A diesel engine - the 49hp unit from the Golf - would join the Passat range in 1978. In performance terms, the Passat B1 didn’t offer anything groundbreaking like a W8 engine. Nor did it mark the arrival of the hot, mid-sized family car. What it did do, however, was begin a dynasty of solid, dependable, family cars that would still remain in production 50 years later and gain a cult following amongst VW enthusiasts across the globe. Testament to the Passat’s success is that it has outlived European peers such as the Opel (Vauxhall) Vectra, and Ford Mondeo. In North America, the first-gen Passat was marketed as the Volkswagen Dasher.
1984: Volkswagen Passat Syncro (B2)
The second-generation Passat, the B2, was when things started to get interesting under the skin for the mid-sized Volkswagen. It was introduced in 1981 and offered buyers its predecessor’s range of sedan, fastback, and wagon body styles. The B2 was based on the chassis of its sister car, the Audi 80. In 1984, the Passat and the 80 became even closer with the arrival of the first proper Sleeper Passat - the Variant Syncro. Available as a wagon only, this all-new model was fitted with the four-wheel drive system from the Audi quattro, and powered by a choice of Ingolstadt’s now-iconic, burbling five-cylinder engines. Stateside, the car was marketed as the VW Quantum Syncro, and paired with Audi’s 2.1 5-cyl motor. This 4WD Passat wasn’t the only noteworthy piece of technology that the B2 ushered in. During the early years of the B2, VW offered the Formel E option on cars with a five-speed manual gearbox. This innovative transmission featured an overdrive fourth and an elongated fifth gear, which lowered the engine speed and reduced fuel consumption. Whilst the 1974 Toyota Crown was the first mainstream car to fully incorporate an automatic stop/start system, VW fitted this fuel saving technology to its Passat, Polo, and Golf Formel E cars during the early ‘80s. The trend of introducing technical innovations ushered in during the B2 era would go on to define the Passat for the rest of its life.
1991: Volkswagen Passat VR6 (B3)
When the Herbert Schäfer-penned Passat B3 broke cover in 1988, it was a visual departure from its boxy predecessors, and adhered more to the curvy, “Jelly Mould” design pioneered by Ford’s Sierra and Taurus at the time. Inside, the Passat had also undergone a series of changes - the previously utilitarian interior of the B2 had been replaced with a contemporary design featuring much more tactile plastics and softer visuals. In fact, the B3’s all-new cabin would go on to influence those found in the Mk3 VW Golf, Mk3 Jetta, and the Corrado. In-line with the Passat’s newly-found upmarket aspirations, European buyers were able to spec the B3 with rear self-levelling air suspension and VW’s then-new Climatronic electronically regulated air conditioning system. In technical terms, the B3 was the most revolutionary Passat model yet. It was the first Passat to be built on an all-VW chassis, and the engines were mounted transversely. In 1991, Volkswagen’s highly-compact VR6 engine debuted the B3. Noted for a narrower angle of 10.5 to 15-degrees between its cylinder banks as opposed to a standard V6’s 45 to 90-degrees, the VR6 motor required one cylinder head for all six cylinders. This unusual layout aligns it closer to a traditional in-line six, albeit one in a v-formation. Courtesy of its 172hp, the 2.8L VR6 B3 was capable of a top speed of 139 mph. Volkswagen also offered the B3 with its 158hp supercharged four-cylinder 1.8L G60 engine, which was also used in the Golf Mk2 Rallye, and the Corrado.
1997: Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI (B5)
Fast-forward to 1997, and the automotive world received another all-new Passat - the B5. Like the B3, this latest Passat aimed to continue the model’s upmarket trajectory with a softer, more aerodynamically efficient body - it offered a drag coefficient of 0.27 - and a wide range of engines ranging from the 1.9L TDI to the weird and wonderful five-cylinder V5. The B5 once again brought the Passat closer to its sibling, the Audi A4, with both cars sharing the same platform and a longitudinally-mounted engine layout. The B5 continued the Passat’s trend of technical evolution, and featured a fully-independent four-link front suspension. What’s more, the Syncro name was dropped in favour of the 4Motion moniker. These 4WD models featured a second-gen Torsen limited-slip differential to minimise loss of grip when road conditions got tricky. In terms of car culture, the 1.9 TDI is considered somewhat of an icon in Eastern and Central Europe. Thanks to its fuel efficiency and bombproof reliability, the B5 1.9 TDI - especially in white! - gained immense popularity during the late-1990s. To this day, the Passat and this particular engine remains a much-loved fixture on the automotive landscapes from Poland and further East. The clattery, metallic timbre emitted by the dependable 1.9 TDi provided the automotive childhood soundtrack for plenty of folk aged between 25 and 35.
2002: Volkswagen Passat W8 (B5.5)
Arguably the most handsome Passat of the lot, the B5.5 was an evolution of the B5. Launched in 2000, this generation ushered in the wildest and most luxurious Passat ever made - the flagship W8. Since its foundation, Volkswagen was no stranger to an obscure engine. After all, it had pioneered the VR6 and the V5 earlier in the 1990s. Nonetheless, the 4.0 W8 would prove to be the brand’s most ambitious power unit yet, and the B5.5 Passat would serve as its testbed. The W8 engine is created from two narrow-angle (15 degree) VR4 engines mounted at an angle of 72 degrees from each other on a common crankshaft. The four banks aligned to form a W. The result was a power output of 275hp and whilst not exactly rapid, the engine was praised for its smoothness, innovation, and would serve as the basis for the W12 engine in the Volkswagen Phaeton, Bentley Continental, and Audi A8 of the day. What’s more, the W16 in the Bugatti Veyron was derived from two conjoined W8 engines. Like its powerplant, this Ultimate Passat was discontinued in 2006. Throughout its four-year lifespan, just 11,000 of these ultra rare Passats were made. What’s more, the W8 remains an interesting footnote in VW’s history - it remains the only engine of its kind to have made it into production.
2008: Volkswagen Passat R36 (B6)
If the B5.5 was a sleeper wagon, the Volkswagen Passat R36 was a balls-out performance version of its family car. A handful of years prior, Volkswagen shoehorned its 3.2 V6 engine into its Mk4 Golf to create the R32. Wolfsburg then decided to go one further with its newly-released Passat B6. Powered by a 300bhp 3.6L V6 capable of 155mph, the Passat R36 was underpinned by a stiffer suspension, a four-wheel drive powertrain, and a clever DSG transmission that channelled power to each wheel depending on the power load going through it. The R36 was available as either a sedan or wagon, with both body styles featuring a beefier-yet-subtle body kit than the standard B6. Further nods to the car’s performance credentials were a silver grille, plus 19-inch ‘Omanyt’ wheels. In contemporary terms, the Passat R36 is closer to the Volvo S60/V60 Polestar than the likes of Audi RS4 or Mercedes C63 AMG. Despite its throaty engine note and esoteric character, the Passat R36 was a sales flop for Volkswagen. PistonHeads estimates that just 150 examples were sold in the United Kingdom.
2008: Volkswagen Passat CC (B6)
There were many words to describe the Volkswagen Passat. “Dependable” was certainly one, as were “timeless”, “solid”, and in the case of the W8, even “cool” had been mentioned amongst the VW conoscenti. However, “sexy” wasn’t one of them until the B6-based CC arrived in 2008. Mechanically, the Passat CC is no different to the B6 that underpins it - it’s available with either a front-wheel drive or 4WD 4Motion drivetrain, and engines range from a 1.4L turbo to a 3.6L VR6 with the dependable 2.0L TDI placed firmly in the middle. The body, however, is a four-door coupé with a sweeping roofline, which Mercedes-Benz controversially tried with its CLS a handful of years prior. Penned by Oliver Stefan, the Passat CC’s design won the “Best Of The Best” prize at the 2009 red dot awards in Germany, and that same year, it scooped the Australian International Design Award. In 2017, the CC was replaced by the Volkswagen Arteon.
2010: Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (B7)
The Volkswagen Passat Alltrack was VW’s attempt at bridging the gap between the Passat wagon and its range of SUVs. The Alltrack was announced in 2010 as part of the Passat B7 range, and manufactured through to 2023 when the B8 (pictured) was discontinued. Available with a choice of three 2.0L TDI engines or one petrol 2.0L TSI unit, the Alltrack was Germany’s answer to the Subaru Outback - this market positioning was reflected in its increased ride height, plastic body cladding, and VWs’s 4WD 4Motion system as standard. The Alltrack is far from being a Toyota Land Cruiser-rivalling mudplugger (think of it as a Passat in a pair of hiking boots!), yet thanks to its electronic diff-lock and hill descent control, the Alltrack is a competent thing off the beaten track. Furthermore, the most powerful version of the 2.0 TDI engine returns an impressive 237 hp and 500 newton-meters of torque. The handsomely rugged Passat Alltrack is a popular choice amongst VW’s customer base in Australia and New Zealand.
2024: Volkswagen Passat (B9)
At the end of 2021, the future of the Volkswagen Passat was precarious. VW announced that production of its eponymous family car at its Chattanooga plant in the United States had forever stopped for 2022 and beyond. The Passat sedan was also axed in Europe. Yet for 2024, the Passat - the B9 - returned as an all-new car and a wagon only. Designed with aerodynamic efficiency in mind, the latest Passat is a far-cry from its blocky predecessor, and returns a drag coefficient of 0.25cd. Factor in its range of fuel-sipping petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and the B9 is the most efficient Passat VW has ever produced. It also shares its chassis, bodywork, and much of its underpinnings with the Škoda Superb - a car considered to be one of the best wagons currently produced by the Volkswagen Group. In-line with VW’s clean, post-Dieselgate image, there has been no announcement of any performance or Alltrack models. However, the B9 promises to be a rival to the BMW 3-Series/a> and Mercedes-Benz C-Class wagons in terms of quality and refinement. Whilst its Golf-inspired looks and claimed range of 620 miles worth of range on the eHybrid model are all very nice, the Passat B9 has an important job to do - if it can woo buyers who were initially looking for crossover or an SUV, it demonstrates that the demand for a spacious, kind-hearted wagon is still very much alive and well in the automotive world.
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