We brought the first review of the used current generation Passat model three years ago. As it is one of the most sought-after used cars in Czech bazaars, it is time to see if the German icon can age with dignity.
Aging with dignity means that the car is subject to aesthetic and mechanical wear and tear, but it does not stop driving. And when something goes wrong, it can be fixed easily, quickly and for a reasonable amount of money. Undignified aging, on the other hand, is full of unexpected failures, a futile search for spare parts and a service that understands the given model and will not fumble with repairs. This time, we went to an independent service center with the Passat, because the oldest pieces will be nine years old this year, and their future career will be determined by the ability of Czech car workshops to deal with common defects.
Everything the same, but different
In Svět motorů 12/2020, colleague Marek Oborník rightly stated that the basic mechanical arrangement (transverse front engine, single front axle, multi-element rear, front or all-wheel drive) has not changed between generations. However, there is almost nothing interchangeable with the previous B7 model (reviewed in SM 19/2015) – maybe just a couple of gearboxes and the basis of the 1.8 and 2.0 TSI units. By the way, these have evolved from absolute troublemakers into quiet and reliable engines and a kind of secret tip. If you have the opportunity to buy, for example, a 2.0 TSI (140 kW) model (on offer from June 2019), you don’t even need to read any further – have the service history, condition of the specific piece checked and go for it. The low and aerodynamic Passat is one of the cars where even a two-liter gasoline can handle long journeys in six liters.
However, all other drives were completely new in 2014, although the trade names (1.4 TSI, 2.0 TDI) are the same as the previous generation.
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