Interior

Let me preface this portion of the review by saying that I drove the loaded version of this spacious car, so it was as cozy as any well-designed minivan. There was leather everywhere: It was on the steering wheel, on the highly adjustable seating, etc. … and it was sooo nice. I spent a few minutes perfecting my seat position, and I was sadly disappointed by the lack of lumbar support in the obviously expensive seats. The dash was glitzy, some might say that it was a little much, but I liked it. I especially enjoyed doing some night-time driving in the Passat with its inspiring red- and indigo-colored lighting, which was very eye-catching.

The large in-dash screen allows for easy viewing of radio stations, navigation maps and other media features. This whole area of the car was refreshing in its ease of use. For example, in other test cars I’ve driven, the pre-programmed radio stations are accessible via controls on the steering wheel, but you have no way of seeing what the next preset radio station is (granted, once you’ve memorized your selections this wouldn’t pose a problem). In the Passat, all of your programmed stations are listed and visible on-screen, so you can see where you’re going instead of aimlessly toggling until you get to the station of your choice. It seems simple, but this feature really made me happy.

Moving on to the Passat’s fun factor -- aka “Sorry kids, it’s Mom’s turn to play with the car” -- the Volkswagen ups the fun by providing three driving options in the same car. What on earth does this mean? The Passat has an automatic transmission with two manual options. You can happily drive around using the automatic transmission or you can move the gear shift to the right to go into manual shifting mode. Another option is to use the steering-wheel paddles to operate the manual transmission. Suhweeeeeeeet! Three options! Choose the one that best fits your mood … or your shoes! I truly loved this. But wait! Remember how smooth and quiet I said the Passat was? Well, even in manual mode it maintains its tranquility, which isn’t something that most manual lovers are looking for. We want some noise, some feeling of being catapulted into the next universe with each changing gear. If that’s the kind of driving experience you enjoy, you might have to look elsewhere to find it. Other interior features that raised my eyebrows included the Auto-Hold button, which holds the car at a stop and allows you to take your foot off the brake pedal without the car rolling back; an easy one-push cruise control system; front and rear object sensors; dual sun visors for the driver and passenger; dual-zone climate control with pollen filter; a mute button for the stereo system, which comes in handy when your cell phone rings or you need to place an order at the drive-thru; programmable garage door opener; front and rear seat reading lights … the Passat really was the gift that kept on giving. It took fully loaded to a whole new level. How many more features can you fit in here?

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