Find the best price deals on the 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5L SE.
The Volkswagen Passat was originally launched in 1973. It has been called by a lot of various names, and is now in its seventh generation, known as the B7, which was introduced for the 2012 model year. The new Passat was known as the NMS, or New Midsize Sedan before it was launched. It is a bit larger than other cars in its market segment, and is a special model just for the US and Canadian markets. US customers will be happy to know that, even though the Passat was designed in Germany, it is made in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5L SE is a midsize sedan, and the second of three trim levels with a 2.5 liter engine. The 2.5 liter engine is a DOHC inline 5, and produces 170 horsepower. The Passat 2.5L SE has 17-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission. It is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
The Volkswagen Passat 2.5L SE comes with a leather-covered, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, an 8-way power driver’s seat with lumbar and height adjustment, heated front bucket seats, a split-folding rear seat, leatherette upholstery, keyless entry, full-power accessories, 12-volt outlets in the front, rear, and trunk areas, 2-zone climate control divided between driver and front passenger, turn signals in the mirrors, a rear defogger, and a trip computer. The audio system has Bluetooth, 8 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a 6-CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, and a memory card slot. The Passat also comes with traction control, stability control, antilock brakes, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags. It also comes with a very ambitious feature called Intelligent Crash Response. If you sustain a collision, it turns on the emergency flashers, shuts off the gas, and unlocks the doors. There are no safety tests available as of this writing.
Conclusions and Driver Feedback
The interior is typical of what Volkswagen has been doing lately. The materials are high-quality and soft-touch, and the design is modern with tones of understated luxury. The controls are easy to reach, use, and understand. This year’s model was made large for the US, and it won’t disappoint those who want a little more room to stretch out than most modern cars allow. The combined head and legroom in the front seat is a tad over 80 inches, and you get almost 77 inches of combined room in the back. This will pretty much allow the starting lineup of a basketball team to fit in this car with comfort. There are 15.9 cubic feet of storage in the trunk, too. The Passat handles like a family car with just a hint of sporty attitude. The steering is accurate and responsive with an electric assist, and the suspension helps the car hold the road nicely while allowing just enough body roll that it never becomes a detriment. The engine is enough for decent acceleration, and has enough power for smooth operation on the highway. The ride is a very nice, almost-luxury ride. German engineers in particular seem to have figured out how to have cars handle sporty while providing a very smooth ride; the Passat is typical of German automobiles in that respect. So, the good points are the large, attractive cabin and a very nice ride. The negatives are tepid fuel mileage, and pedals that are slightly offset to the right. We think it is a very nice car for a family up to five people. The verdict: definitely worth a test drive.
Options, other trim levels, and miscellaneous caveats.
There are plenty of options available as standalones on various trims and plenty of option packages. The most intriguing is a Fender audio system which has EQ presets designed for the Passat cabin. Fender is almost universally accepted as one of the top two makers of guitars, basses and amplifiers in the world. It amazes me that they would even “stoop” to producing a car audio system.
There is also a navigation system with a touchscreen interface, along with a sunroof, 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels, remote ignition, a power passenger seat, foglights, and faux suede upholstery.
The trim levels and engines are a bit confusing for many. Basically, there are three engines and three trim levels. There are a total of eight combinations, not including PZEV sub-trims.
The trims are the S, the SE, and the SEL. The SEL is like the SE but with the Fender audio system, power passenger seat, and navigation system. The S is like the SE but without the power driver seat, leatherette upholstery, or heated front seat. The 2.5 is the base engine. In the TDI trims, there is a 2.0 liter, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine that produces 140 horsepower, but a robust 236 foot-pounds of torque. The 3.6 models have a, you guessed it, 3.6 liter V6 that produces 280 horsepower. This engine will give your Passat a zero to sixty time of 6.3 seconds.
In other words, there is pretty much something for everyone here.
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