Great Car: updated 6.4.08

I had an 06 touareg that I becoma very disillusioned with. My reviews are on here, and you can see that all the good turned to bad in a short period. The brakes and tires and gas mileage was getting ridiculous so I went back to the dealership to see if I could get out of my lease a year early.

We came to an agreement and I ended up in a 2008 VW passat 2.0L Turbo Komfort Series. WOW. I haven't driven a "car" for about 6 years, having been in a mercury mountaineer and then VW touareg for quite a while now.

The VW is very sleek. It has nice styling that is both sporty and sleek and luxurius. The features inside are nice not overstated and not understated either. It is a nice leather inside, rides really smooth, and has really good accelleration when needed. At like 55MPH it seems to be in silent coast, very quiet and very good handling. Like most VW lots of "hidden storage" great radios and great design. I am a little over 6 feet and the seat can fit me just fine and probably fit someone 6'6".

Now for some specs. 2.0L I4, 16 valve, 200 hp @ 5100 rpm
6 speed automatic transmission 19 mpg city / 28 mpg hwy. Gets about 31 MPG realistically on flat highway and 22 around town right now. That is with AC on, and full tank of gas. The interior is a brushed chrome accents and the typical VW indigo and red backlighting. Plenty of leg room, plenty of butt room, plenty of room for 4 full grown and overgrown adults. Pass through into trunk and seats fold down. Lots of cup holders and little hidden change drawars etc.

Suspension is interesting, feels pretty stiff at high speeds and a bit softer at slower speeds. The steering wheel is electronically assisted, so at slow speeds it is like driving a cadillac steering, and at high speed it is sport tuned. The engine runs real quietly for a 4 cylinder, even when the turbo comes into play there is no high pitch grunting like most 4 cylinders. Lots of cool features like a button you can press when in traffic that will prevent the automatic transmission from idleing at a 5mph coast so no brakes and no gas needed and no shifting into park.

Speaking of shifting, tip tronic standard and paddle shifters on the steering wheel for those who want to play around. Sat radio installed but not paid for, and the steroe is clear and crisp. The AM stations don't come in well (sports radio) but the FM and sat come in very well.

Overall..VERY quiet, very smooth ride. I know that after a little breaking in it will be better gas mileage. Recommend to anyone in the market for something a bibt nicer than perhaps an accord or camry...much nicer exterior and interior styling.

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I drive a LOT. So, I am writing this with 6500 miles ont he car now. Overall, VERY pleased, but some pros and cons to follow:
Pros:
-VERY quiet ride
-VERY smooth ride
-AMAZING accelleration for a 4 cylinder, from a stand still and even when digging deep when already going 75
-AMAZING torque and gear rations
-Did I mention VERY smooth ride?
-Great cornering
-Awesome stereo
-Comfortable inside
-Very roomy
-Looks great still
-MPG on highway better than advertised:31 MPG
-cool little features like one touch E-brake and like compartment for umbrella built in door and like compartment for manual tucked away out of glove box, or like auto hold which lets you take foot off break in traffic with no forward idle without putting in park, tiptronic shifting paddles on steering wheel.

Cons:
-Gas mileage around town not great: 18 MPG
-Premium gas

OVERALL: still a fun car to drive and well worth the deal I got on it. Go get yourself one, or wait until the turbo diesels come out that may get 55 MPG!!