The Volkswagen Passat is a midsize car built from 1989 to 2022 over 4 generations. Most were assembled in Germany — 66% of those on record. Between 1990 and 2024 it grew 30 cm longer and gained 339 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8, 5-cyl. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Passat is
The Volkswagen Passat is a midsize car that Volkswagen built from 1989 to 2022 — 34 model years. Our measurements put it at 4 generations, the current one starting in 2012. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6, V8, 5-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Volkswagen range: Tiguan, Atlas, Beetle.
Where the Passat is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 6,450 Passats on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WVW, WVM | 1990-2016 | |
| the United States | 1VW | 2003-2022 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Volkswagen VIN decide which of these 4 lines your Passat belongs to. What every character in a Passat VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Volkswagen Passat adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Passat generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Passat's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Passat that gives 4 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-1997 | 457 cm | 262 cm | 1185 kg | - | - |
| 1998-2005 | 468 cm | 270 cm | 1421 kg | +11 cm | +236 kg |
| 2006-2011 | 478 cm | 271 cm | 1622 kg | +10 cm | +201 kg |
| 2012-2024 | 487 cm | 280 cm | 1524 kg | +9 cm | -98 kg |
Between 1990 and 2024 the Passat gained 30 cm in length (+6.6%) and 339 kg in weight (+28.6%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Passat that is 339 kg against 30 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Volkswagen Passat tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Passat owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Volkswagen Passat have? Power & range
The Volkswagen Passat is offered with 4 powertrains — 3.6L 6-cyl, 4L 8-cyl, 2L 4-cyl, 2.5L 5-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 4 for the Volkswagen Passat, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.6L · 6-cyl | Automatic (AM-S6) | FWD | Regular |
| V8 | 4.0L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S5) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Premium |
| 4-cyl | 2.0L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| 5-cyl | 2.5L · 5-cyl | Manual 5-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Passat by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Volkswagen Passat. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Passat | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 137 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 8,066 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,428/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 1,523 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Volkswagen Passat?
The Passat is a midsize car, built from 1989 to 2022 across 4 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8, 5-cyl.
Where is the Volkswagen Passat made?
Across 6,450 cars in our records the split is: Germany (66%), the United States (34%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Passat have?
4 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2012. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Passat grew 30 cm longer and gained 339 kg.
What is the Volkswagen Passat warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Passat reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Passat?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Volkswagen
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 2009–2026 | 67 | 29 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | 2018–2026 | 75 | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Beetle | 1998–2019 | 111 | 38 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 1981–2026 | 232 | 44 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 1985–2021 | 173 | 38 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 2021–2026 | 42 | 113 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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