2007 Volkswagen Passat
Avg. Price Paid:$8,023 - $13,355
Original MSRP: $23,180 - $32,130
MPG: 23 City / 32 Hwy
Search Used Listings:

Volkswagen Passat Recalls & Reliability

These scores and this review are from when the car was new.

Scorecard

Overall: 2007 Volkswagen Passat U.S. News Best Cars 8.0
Critics' Rating: 8.3
Performance: 7.5
Interior: 8.0
Safety: 8.6
Reliability:
How we calculate scores
Research analyzed for this review

Pros & Cons

  • A fun sedan to drive within its class
  • Comfortable, user-friendly interior
  • Excellent safety features paired with stellar scores in crash tests
  • A high price among competitors, only "average" resale value
  • Disruptive noise levels from suspension system
  • Spongy brake feel hampers performance
  • Spotty reliability history

Research Other Years

Review Last Updated: 5/4/08

Recalls

There has been 1 safety recall issued from NHTSA.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUMRecall Date: 12/05/2006
  • Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE POWER ASSIST CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND THE DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE INCREASED EFFORT TO APPLY THE BRAKES POSSIBLY INCREASING VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 06V472000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 58800
  • Summary: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L ENGINE WITH 147 KW MAY HAVE A VACUUM LINE THAT MAY FRACTURE AND BECOME DISCONNECTED AT LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES.
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED VACUUM LINE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-893-5298.
  • Notes: VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. P7. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION?S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Reliability

Our reliability score is based on the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) rating or, if unavailable, the J.D. Power Predicted Reliability rating.

Dependability Ratings1 2007
Overall Dependability
Powertrain Dependability
Feature & Accessory Dependability
Body & Interior Dependability

1These scores come from consumer ratings of their vehicles after three years of ownership.

  • Key:
  • Among The Best
  • Better Than Most
  • About Average
  • The Rest

J.D. Power and Associates Power Circle Ratings do not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards. See JDPower.com for more information on Power Circle Ratings. Your experience may vary.

All information provided by J.D. Power and Associates is proprietary information owned by J.D. Power and Associates and is protected by U.S. and international copyright law and conventions. Reproduction of this information, in whole or in part, by any means is prohibited without the express written consent of J.D. Power and Associates, other than printing copies of the J.D. Power and Associates content by site visitors for their personal use. J.D. Power and Associates® is a registered trademark of J.D. Power and Associates.

Warranty

The 2007 Volkswagen Passat comes equipped with a basic warranty covering four years or 50,000 miles. Volkswagen also supports the Passat with a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Several reviewers raised questions concerning the reliability of the 2006 and 2007 Passat. "There's the troubling issue of reliability in some recent VW products," says MSN. "Reliability's the question mark," adds USA Today. "The previous Passat shows up as the very worst among family cars in Consumer Reports magazine's predicted reliability chart. The '06 is a new design. That can be good, or it can be otherwise."

Identifix, a respected company that collects long-term reliability data, identified significant problems with the engine on the 2002 and 2004 models (failures of the water pump and the engine vacuum hoses) and moderate engine problems on the 2003 model (failure of the Mass Air Flow Sensor).

Next Steps: Volkswagen Passat

  • To get local pricing, enter your zip code: Get Best Price Cancel
  • Search used Volkswagen Passat for sale (8,374 listings)
  • Find low financing rates for the Volkswagen Passat
  • See Affordable Midsize Cars rankings