2012 Volkswagen Passat Priced from $20,765; TDI Diesel Starts at $26,765

Volkswagen has released pricing for its all-new 2012 Passat, and the new mid-sizer will start at $20,765—or, as the ads will say over and over again, $19,995 before destination.

For their 20-ish grand, shoppers will get the base Passat S, powered by the familiar 170-hp, 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Oh, and 16-inch steel wheels. Beyond ye-olde inline-five, the Passat S is surprisingly well-equipped. It comes standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, power windows and locks, Bluetooth connectivity, and steering-wheel audio controls.

Of course, this Passat was designed specifically for the U.S. market, and most shoppers here in the land of the free will opt to liberate their left feet. The cheapest Passat with an automatic transmission is $23,460—yeah, that’s an increase of about $2700—although in addition to the six-speed slushbox, it does add a set of 16-inch aluminum rims and a rear-seat armrest. Scintillating.

From there, Passat shoppers can spend increasing sums of money for Passats powered by the same 2.5-liter engine, but packing more toys like a sunroof, navigation system, heated leatherette or leather seats, an upscale Fender-branded stereo (made by Panasonic), wood-like interior trim, keyless go, and Darth Vader’s remote start. A fully loaded Passat SEL 2.5 with all the kit is listed at $30,665.

The Passat TDI, which has VW’s outstanding 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel, making 140 hp and 236 lb-ft, starts at $26,765. At that price, buyers get a six-speed manual, 17-inch wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, some nicer-looking interior trim, and leatherette seats (one of which, if your name is “the driver,” is heated and power-adjustable). Want an auto with your diesel? The six-speed dual-clutch automatic comes with a mandatory sunroof; the bill will be $28,665, please. More options are available for, you guessed it, even more money.

High rollers and front-tire shredders take note: The top-of-the-line Passat features the company’s 3.6-liter V-6, making 280 hp in this installation. When many automakers are eschewing six-cylinder engines in this segment—Chevy’s new Malibu, and Hyundai’s Sonata both offer turbocharged fours instead—it strikes us as odd that VW would bring back the V-6 option for its Passat. (The last-gen Passat, which was considerably more expensive than this 2012 model, offered the 3.6, but slow sales led the company to drop it a few years ago.) Entry to the V-6 Passat starts at $29,765, and includes a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, leatherette seating that’s heated up front, a sunroof, the Fender stereo, and some nicer interior trim bits. Ordering navigation tacks on $1600. A full-fat Passat 3.6 demands $33,720, and includes every option you’ve seen listed above.

All Passats also include three years/36,000 miles of scheduled maintenance. The 2012 Passat should arrive in dealers this fall. To pass the time, check out our first-drive review of VW’s new suburban cruiser.

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2012 Volkswagen Passat, an AW Flash Drive Car Review:

What is it?

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat, which is a North American-only car, is the linchpin in VW's well-publicized efforts to sell 800,000 cars annually in the United States by 2018.

The new Passat was designed specifically for Americans, with larger seats and more cupholders than models for the rest of the world. Coming in with a base price of "around $20,000"--VW officials would not be more specific on a price--the Passat is aimed squarely at buyers of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, not to mention the Ford Fusion and the Chevrolet Malibu.

So the question is, how much did they take out of the Passat to bring it in at $20,000? Surprisingly, you can't really tell much from just looking at or sitting in the car. The fit and finish on our test cars were superb, and all the surfaces you touch looked and felt good. There are a few bits of hard plastic in the interior, but most 2012 Passat interior surfaces have a soft-touch feel and a matte finish. The ride quality is what you would expect, and the cabin was quiet--all the better to listen to the high-end Fender audio system.

So it would appear VW is taking the approach that more is less, or that they will make up the difference in volume. And of course, by building the cars in the United States, VW can at least hedge its bets in the tumultuous ups and downs of the world currency markets.

What is it like to drive?

This first effort out of the new Volkswagen assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., drives like Passats of the past, which, considering where it's being built, is pretty much what VW execs are hoping for. Make no mistake, despite the bits and pieces being bolted together by folks south of the Mason-Dixon Line, the 2012 VW Passat is German-designed and -engineered and retains all the qualities Volkswagen buyers have enjoyed in the past from German-built cars: firm seats, taught suspension and direct steering.

We were able to drive two of the three engine choices that will be available at launch: the 2.0-liter TDI that makes 140 hp and 236 lb-ft, and the 3.6-liter V6 with 280 hp and 258 lb-ft. The diesel is available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG, while the V6 is available with the six-speed DSG only.

Missing from the mix was the base model 2012 Passat with a 2.5-liter I5 making 170 hp and 177 lb-ft.

Of the two engine choices, we came away liking the VW diesel a lot, although from a performance point of view, the V6 gasoline-powered car is quicker, going from 0 to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds, nearly three seconds quicker than the oil-burner.

With the soaring fuel prices, it's worth noting that the 2012 Volkswagen Passat diesel returns 43 mpg highway, giving the car a range of more than 700 miles. And VW execs said there is no Passat hybrid planned, so the VW TDI remains the best "green" option.

Do I want it?

The U.S.-built 2012 Volkswagen Passat would to be appear a solid player in the midsize wars and, with the diesel option, it brings something unique to the battle.

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2012 Volkswagen Passat – First Drive Review

May 23, 2011 at 11:23am by Sam Smith

McVolkswagen: VW supersizes its Passat for the byways and driveways of America.

Let’s get one thing straight: Tennessee is not Germany. If you haven’t previously stopped to consider this remarkable fact, we suggest you take a moment to ponder it. Nashville isn’t Stuttgart, Chattanooga isn’t Wolfsburg, and that eight-foot-long snake encased in Lucite and mounted in a souvenir shop near Lynchburg (population 6362, including Little Richard) isn’t a graffiti-covered piece of the Berlin Wall.

Keep Reading: 2012 Volkswagen Passat – First Drive Review

Tags: German, sedan, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Passat |

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