Do you know them all? Nine generations of Volkswagen Passat (1973-2024)

Predecessor: Volkswagen 411/412 (1968-1974)

What? Volkswagen 1500/1600 Passat predecessor or 411/412? We go to the end. It also had a four-cylinder air-cooled boxer engine at the rear, with a capacity of 1679 (411) or 1795 cm3 (412). The 411/412 was available as a two-door, four-door (like the first Volkswagen) and as a Variant.

Because the engine was placed in the back, the luggage space was limited. You can store those extra suits up front, but the designers had to devise a trick to achieve this. Because of the long front overhang, the 411 was nicknamed the Coat Bear. The 411/412, which was received as a boring car at the time, became a flop.

First generation Volkswagen Passat (1973-1980)

Everything changed in Wolfsburg with the Passat B1, which was launched in 1973 as a two-door hatchback and three-door hatchback. Volkswagen had new management and started to modernize under the leadership of Rudolf Leiding. The star designer of the time Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the bodywork, the technology came from Audi 80. This meant that the inline four-cylinder engine was ‘normally’ located at the front and that a maximum power of 85 hp was sent to the front wheels.

The Passat was going to be marketed as the Volkswagen Type 511, but in the end they thought the real name would be better. The Passat brought Volkswagen back into the spotlight, and the enthusiastic public in Western Europe immediately embraced the car.

Second generation Volkswagen Passat (1980-1988)

Thanks to the success of the first Passat, Volkswagen hesitated to make a modern car. Technically the second Passat (B2) remained the same, except for a different rear axle. However, the car became bigger (and the difference was 30 cm) and wider (7 cm). In the US, the Passat was in the showroom as the Quantum.

If you thought the Passat was too cheap, the dealer at the time would lead you to the more luxurious four-door Santana. The technical cream of the crop was the Passat Formula E, which had a start-stop system. There was a button on the windshield handle that you could use to turn off the engine. When the accelerator pedal was pressed after the clutch was depressed, the engine restarted.

Third generation Passat (1988-1993)

History repeats itself: Passat B3 was also nicknamed Coat. Volkswagen showed courage in the field of design. For better aerodynamics, the grille disappeared from its traditional place between the headlights and towards the front bumper. A good Volkswagen customer almost choked on his Buckler beer with so much nonsense.

For the first time, the Passat was no longer available as a five-door, but as a sedan and Variant. Although the production version of the hatch was also almost ready. Due to the differently positioned engines, the Passat B3 was known as a space wonder and even the sedan had a folding rear seat. From 1991, the 174 hp Passat VR6 was the top model. To give the brown rust monster no chance, the body was made of galvanized steel.

Fourth generation Volkswagen Passat (1993-1997)

This is really a deep facelift. It seemed as if Volkswagen itself was afraid of coati, because the Passat B4 is more of a bear to handle. Volkswagen said it was surprised by the response to the bold B3. And so there was another recognizable grille and Happiness-ish nickname that sounds ‘happy face’.

1.9 TDI with 90 hp – an impressive amount of power for a diesel engine at that time – was very popular. On the highway you were impressed by the 2.8 VR6 (174 hp), which completed a hundred runs in 8.7 seconds and needed 13 seconds in fifth gear for an intermediate run from 60 to 100 km / h. But the top model of the entire Volkswagen range was the four-wheel drive Passat Synchro (184 hp, only as a Variant).

Fifth generation Passat (1996-2005)

When this Passat came on the market, the Spaniard José Lopez was a powerful man in the management of Volkswagen. The strong image that Volkswagen had long been known for was severely damaged by Lopez’s aggressive austerity measures. These were at the expense of quality and the previous Passat B5 facelift model was not particularly known for its reliability.

Noise and noise suspension weapons were especially a thorn in the side of the owners and employees of the warranty department. Corrosion also occurred frequently again. And while this Passat was more widespread and luxurious compared to its predecessor. With the facelift of 2000, Lopez and quality problems disappeared.

Volkswagen Passat sixth generation (2005-2011)

If the third generation had a hidden grille, the sixth Passat is completely familiar with it; there was a wide shining border around it. At the rear, the Passat received horizontally placed light units, which continued into the trunk lid. The starter button was the cream of the crop back then, but you had to pay extra for it. As with the hands-free system, although the smartphone had not yet been invented.

DSG transmission engines with direct injection were also new. Volkswagen put a lot of effort into making the BlueMotion diesel models more economical, but it didn’t take any gimmicks to do so.

Snack: Volkswagen Passat CC (2008-2016)

Purists hate the term ‘four-door coupe’ because, in fact, there is no such thing. In 2008, the Passat CC (Comfort Coupé) came on the market, as a sporty and expensive alternative to the regular Passat. It was longer and lower than the Passat B6 on which it was based. Walter de’Silva was allowed to paint.

To emphasize that this Passat was not for the plebs, two seats were placed in the back instead of the back seat. After the facelift of 2012 it was called only CC, only Russia continued to use the old name. The (Passat) committee did not succeed. However, he received a beautifully designed successor with the Arteon, but even the good version of the Bullet Brake did not bring the expected success.

Volkswagen Passat of the seventh generation (2010-2015)

They do this well at Volkswagen: technically everything remained the same on this Passat, but the bodywork was modified from top to bottom. Externally, the Passat was again in line with the Golf introduced two years earlier. The four-wheel drive 3.6 FSI VR6 (299 hp) provided sports car performance with a top speed of 250 km/h and a 0-100 sprint in 5.4 seconds.

At the time, off-road style variants of station wagons were in style, as well Volvo XC70 and Audi A6 Allroad. Volkswagen participated with the slightly higher Passat Alltrack. This is also the Passat generation whose TDI diesel engines had the famous cheat program.

Eighth generation Volkswagen Passat (2014-2023)

In 2012, the Volkswagen Group introduced the MQB platform, a standardized platform that can reduce the production time of the car by 30 percent. The Passat B8 was longer than its predecessor, but the space was used better. For the first time, the Passat was also launched as a plug-in hybrid. If the driver becomes ill, the car can drive itself to the emergency lane and turn on the hazard lights.

Caravan drivers were particularly pleased with the trailer assist, which allowed them to drive the caravan back to a suitable location via the Park button and mirror adjustment button. Passat B8 was the first car in the world to be able to park freely forward in a parking space.

Passat of the ninth generation (2024)

Built in the Czech Republic and based on the Skoda Superb. Spacious is spacious, but there is only one body style available and that is the station wagon. It is available as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid and not with a diesel engine in the Netherlands.