Passat Volkswagen Confirms New Midsize Sedan To Replace Passat In U.S.

[HighestOfHigh]

While the new Mark VI Golf occupies many of the world's top auto journalists at a drive event today, including our own Marty Padgett, High Gear Media has managed to get an exclusive take on VW's plans for the still unnamed New Midsize Sedan (NMS), and how it will effectively replace the Passat for North America.

The problem, says VW's U.S. president Stephan Jacoby, is that the Passat simply isn't suited to the distances Americans drive or the size of vehicle we prefer. That's why the NMW, a four-door built at the Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, will offer a wider cabin and more rear seat legroom. It is also expected to start around $20,000.

The car has been previewed in sketches before (pictured), but a trio of new sketches were released in Germany today, revealing that the car will resemble the VW Quantum, meaning a lower rear roofline, tighly integrated front end and angular headlamps like those seen on the Mark VI Golf.

Also confirmed today is the news that the Phaeton large sedan will return to the U.S. As we reported last month, the Phaeton has been under consideration for a U.S. return for some time, with Jacoby thinking the market is once again primed, provided the maker learns from its past mistakes.

Read our previous story for more on the return of the Phaeton and what VW plans to do differently this time.


- Volkswagen Confirms New Midsize Sedan To Replace Passat In U.S. - MotorAuthority

 

[Merc1]

No big deal IMO, just call it the Passat here like the call other cars other things elsewhere in the world. Can't wait to see this and the new Jetta. Don't change the names VWOA, creates confusion...!

I'm worried about the quality though. VW's are buggy anyway and a new factory always means teething problems. Fingers crossed.


M

 

[johnrees]

Priorities

Jacoby and VW should be working on their customer service first. View my VW experience at:
Volkswagen problem

 

[HighestOfHigh]

IMO VW needs a better looking Midsize sedan then the current passat. Maybe if VW could hop out that bubble idea.

The Jetta on the other hand needs to be unboxyed and should go more round like the previous model.

 

[bmer]

The earlier report and related thread: http://www.germancarforum.com/passat/28590-first-sketch-new-passat.html

 

[Beemer B773ER]

I've heard they plan to name it the 'A4'..and give it a weird brand name...something like Howdy, or Rowdy..or Audio... I only got a quick climpse of the leaked memo.

 

[EnI]

Passat is selling very poorly in US market:

September 2009 sales figures:


Passat
Sedan ...: 517 (-56.0%) .... YTD 7,384 (-64.1%)
Wagon ..: 147 (-54.9%) .... YTD 1,779 (-63.7%)
CC .....: 2,290 (N/A) ........ YTD 15,187 (N/A)

 

[Merc1]

The CC has made the Passat pointless. The VW dealer here had the same 42K V6 4Motion Passat on the lot for like 8 months. He simply could not sell it. VW has since dropped the V6 in the Passat. Many magazines say its the best car in family car land, but its too expensive. Hopefully this new car will retain the VW Passat goodness, but at a much lower price. Quality, price, better dealer service and more dealers is what VW needs. The thing to do is to buy some of the many dealers that have and/or going or gone out of business. The Passat shames Accord/Camry in driving, interior, just the sheer feel and presentation is pure luxury car compared to those cars, but it costs 10K more. Family car buyers can't afford that.


M

 

[Yperion]

Passat is selling very poorly in US market:

Mediocre quality , dated design and high prices...

 

[EnI]

Mediocre quality , dated design and high prices...

Same things apply to Euro markets - where Passat still sells extremely well. Despite CC, and despite new rivals (Mondeo, C4, Insignia, Laguna etc).

 

[Merc1]

Its really the Passat's price and VW's quality reputation, or lack thereof. That and the fact that VW doesn't have anywhere near as many dealers as Toyota/Honda/Ford etc.


M

 

[Mr Robert]

At least here, there is a notion that the Passat is an Audi in VW clothes and therefore sort of a bargain.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Its really the Passat's price and VW's quality reputation, or lack thereof. That and the fact that VW doesn't have anywhere near as many dealers as Toyota/Honda/Ford etc.


M

Exactly! Matter of fact how are VW parts price wise compared to Toyota?

 

[Centurion]

Mediocre quality , dated design and high prices...

The car is simply not compatible with the American auto market. Toyota, Ford and Honda have fared well in the USA due to devising a distinct car lineup for the North American market as opposed to just exporting cars sold in Europe.

I'm fond a Passat, it's a solid family car but compared with the large saloons on the American market it's simply not very competitive. It's underpowered, a bit lacking in size and underpowered. VW Golf suffer from the same problems as a Golf GTI cost has the same price tag as a 306hp Camaro. Pricing is simply out of the market.

 

[Merc1]

The Passat is a lot of things, but underpowered it isn't. It has a 200hp 4-cylinder standard, most if not all other cars in that class have 170-180hp 4-cylinders standard. Now for 2010 there is no V6, but every year until now it had a solid 280hp V6, which again outpowers all V6s from Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, etc. Power wasn't the problem. Price, dealer service, etc. are the Passat's problem. Mainly price. You can't sell a 40K car to people who shop in the 25-30K range.

The GTI and Camaro are way different buyers, not even comparable. Usually one will love one and hate the other, insert the car in question as you like. GTI competes with Mazdas Speed3, Honda Civic Si's and the like, not the Camaro.

M

 

[Yperion]

At least here, there is a notion that the Passat is an Audi in VW clothes and therefore sort of a bargain.

That couldn't be more false...according to the head engineer at my local VW-Audi dealer even for the models that share the same platform for example A3 and Golf , the Audi is far superior in build quality..."not even comparable" as he had told me...

 

[m-power]

That couldn't be more false...according to the head engineer at my local VW-Audi dealer even for the models that share the same platform for example A3 and Golf , the Audi is far superior in build quality..."not even comparable" as he had told me...

Audi is much more superior in build quality, but VW is improving greatly with time, and still there are lots of similarities.
The Passat CC is almost as permium as the A4; The price you have to pay in the A4 for the same kit found in the CC is IMO not justified.

Look at the CC interior vs A4 - The Audi still looks better, but not by a huge margin

 

[Centurion]

VW interiors are excellent. The plastics feel no less premium than the materials used in Audi, especially the recent Audi's which have taken a dip in interior quality.

 

[Giannis]

Most of the plastics in the new Golf VI are of superb (for its class) quality, but the lower dash and door plastics are hideous! Also the centre console of the Trendline are of very hard plastic and could be better screwed to its place. That said, the built quality of the Golf is way better than most of the cars in its class!

 

[mayham85]

i think the prblem is amerikan market is so far different from europe market. for example in turkish market first thing is fuel economy comfort and quality. an avensis will have fuel ecnomoy but has no quality and very bad driving. a passat will give all of them.

for example in turkey passat still cleans the market about 60-65 %.(even its the oldest one in the market.) in 2008 between 1st and 3rd months 2250 passat was sold and toyota (avensis) could only 99. honda dealers are wishing to find a fool to sale accord.(only 23 sold in the same time) ford mondeo sold 580. if we look at the prices 1,6 avensis is 51000 TL 1,4 TSİ passat is about 60000 TL but peaple are stil buying passat because of its prestige and quality. audi mercedes and bmw are so expensive according to passat so everybody who cant afford them looks for passat.

thats why i think price is not the only problem.

jap. procuders has same rpoblem in turkey in passat's class.( differnce is so big in turkey they only can sale 1,6 or 1,4 d4d 90 ps corolla. or 1,6 civic. any other models can not be sold in big numbers. its impossible.