The 2009 Passat is a stylish midsize Sedan offering a finely honed balance of comfort, functionality, and Autobahn-honed vehicle dynamics. Inside and out, the sedan is recognized as being as sophisticated and highly crafted. The sedan and wagon are exceedingly well equipped and offer a full serving of standard equipment.
Under the hood the Passat sedan has Volkswagen’s sophisticated 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is both efficient and sporty. At 5100 rpm, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 200 horsepower. Torque peaks at 207 lbs.-ft. between 1800 and 5000 rpm. With a standard six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic® and a final drive ratio of 3.50, zero-to-60 miles per hour is achieved in a very respectable 7.4 seconds. An advanced direct-injection delivery system ensures optimum fuel consumption.
2009 PASSAT: VOLKSWAGEN'S TASTEFULLY STYLISH
MIDSIZE SEDAN OR WAGON IS MORE ACCESSABLE
THAN EVER
HERNDON, Va. — Those striving for a genuinely European-designed, engineered, tuned and built midsize family sedan or wagon need look no further than the 2009 Volkswagen Passat.
Offering a finely honed balance of comfort, functionality, and Autobahn-honed
vehicle dynamics, the Passat — now in its sixth generation — stands out from the ever-growing and crowded midsize car U.S. marketplace.
Inside and out, the sedan and wagon are recognized as being as sophisticated and highly crafted. For 2009, both the sedan and wagon are offered in one trim level — Komfort — and start at $28,300 and $29,690 respectively.
Highlights
2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine
Standard equipped ESP
Brake dry
IIHS Top Safety Pick
Both the sedan and wagon are exceedingly well equipped and offer a full serving
of standard equipment. LED taillamps; chrome exterior accents; a power-glass sunroof; 17-inch alloy “ Monte Carlo ” wheels; heated washer nozzles; and selection from palette of rich metallic paint exterior finishes are included in the base price. New color offerings on the sedan include White Gold and Island Gray.
The list of standard features and amenities continues on the inside and includes V-Tex leatherette seat surfaces; heated front seats; CLIMATIC ® single zone climate control; multi-function trip computer; 12-way full power adjustable driver's seat and eight-way manually adjustable passenger seat; telescoping and height adjustable steering wheel with multi-function controls; and a premium eight-speaker AM/FM/Siruis ® satellite radio (including three-month complimentary subscription service) with MP3-readable six-disc in-dash CD-changer and personal device (e.g., iPod) auxiliary outlet. An all-new radio navigation system, RNS510, that features a 6.5” high-resolution touch screen display with an integrated 30 GB hard drive, Audio CD (WMA and MP3), video DVD playback when vehicle is in park, SD memory slot, and Media Device Interface for direct connection of USB flash drives and USB certified MP3 players is available as an
option.
For cargo, the Passat sedan holds an impressive 14.2 cu. ft. in the trunk. The Passat wagon offers 35.8 cu. ft. in the rear cargo area. With the 60/40 split-fold rear seatbacks lowered (standard on both models), the wagon's cargo area increases up to 61.82 cu. ft. For convenience, a 12-volt auxiliary power outlet is included in the cargo area (there are three APOs in all on both models). The wagon also features a standard power-operated tailgate hatch.
Engine and Transmission
Under the hood of both the Passat sedan and wagon is Volkswagen's sophisticated 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is both efficient and sporty. The standard powerplant uses a turbocharger and an intercooler for cool, higher-density intake air -- high-end breathing is enhanced further by four valves per cylinder with variable valve timing. An advanced direct-injection delivery system ensures optimum fuel consumption.
At 5100 rpm, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 200 horsepower. Torque peaks at 207 lbs.-ft. between 1800 and 5000 rpm. With a standard six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic ® and a final drive ratio of 3.50, zero-to-60 miles per hour is achieved in a very respectable 7.4 seconds with an electronically governed top speed of 130-mph. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 29 miles per gallon on the highway and 19 mpg in city driving.
With six-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission, drivers have two options for gear changes: automatic and driver-initiated using the gear selector.
Chassis and Suspension
An advanced version of Volkswagen's proven, front independent McPherson strut architecture combined with rear multi-link system provides great driving dynamics and produces a low tendency to allow body roll, resulting in stable and comfortable ride quality.
For added vehicle control, the Passat sedan and wagon come standard with an
electro-mechanical (electrically assisted) power rack-and-pinion steering system with 16.4:1 steering ratio, and a four-wheel ABS anti-lock braking system with four-wheel disc brakes and Brake Assist. The ABS includes a brake-wiping feature that keeps the discs — sized at 312-mm on the front, and 280-mm on the rear -- clean and dry.
In addition to the anti-lock brakes, dynamic chassis controls on the 2009 Passat
sedan and wagon include Anti-slip Regulation (ASR); Electronic Differential Lock
(EDL). Engine Braking Assist (EBA); Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS); and Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP ® ). All are standard equipment on every Passat sedan and wagon.
Active and Passive Safety
Like all Volkswagens, the Passat sedan and wagon include the Prevent and
Preserve Safety System, consisting of more than 45 standard safety features. As standard equipment, the Passat sedan and wagon include — but are not limited to -- six airbags (dual front; dual front side thorax; and side curtains); rear-impact optimized head restraints; front seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters for front and rear occupants; and three-point safety belts in all five seating positions (two front, three rear) with emergency locking retractors. Rear passenger side/thorax airbags are available as an option, as are rear outboard safety belts with pretensioners and load limiters.
The Passat and Passat Wagon, like all 2009 Volkswagens, come standard
equipped with the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP). This is important because the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that ESC results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars. Volkswagen is one of the only original equipment manufacturers to provide an electronic stability control system on its entire product line as standard equipment — ahead of the NHTSA deadline requiring vehicles in the 2012 model year to include stability control systems. ESP compares the driver's intended course with the vehicle's actual direction; if ESP detects a discrepancy, ESP automatically brakes individual front or rear wheels and/or reduces engine power as needed in certain driving circumstances to help maintain directional control.
Warranty
The 2009 Passat sedan and wagon come with 24-hour Roadside Assistance for three years or 3 6,000 miles (whichever occurs first), plus new vehicle warranties including:
- Five-year/60,000 mile (whichever occurs first) Powertrain Limited Warranty.
- Three-year/36,000 mile (whichever occurs first) New Vehicle Limited Warranty with wear and tear items and adjustments.
- 12-year unlimited distance Limited Warranty against corrosion perforation.
The Passat sedan and wagon, like all 2009 model year Volkswagens, are included in the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. Under this program all of the Passat sedan and wagon's scheduled maintenance, as described in the maintenance booklet, is covered for the length of the New Vehicle Warranty—three years or 36,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Since all current Volkswagens, including Passat sedans and wagons, use synthetic oil, combined with state-of-the-art German engineering, a 5,000 mile oil change no longer is necessary. This means that like all current Volkswagen owners, Passat sedan and wagon drivers can drive farther between oil changes.
