Volkswagen Passat Estate (2011 - 2014) 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech Highline 5d Owner Review
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In their own words
Bought this as an upgrade in size and interior spec from an ultra-reliable and responsive VW Golf Estate 2.0 TDI. The Passat was worth the money in terms of space and chewing up the miles but the constant faff about rear washers, phantom airbag warning lights, slippy windows etc has made me think I just want something plain and reliable like a Honda. It's also not mega-responsive when you want to enjoy yourself, although it will overtake very smartly in any situation. So perhaps I really want something sporty next like a Seat Leon ST. Either way, this car was me sitting on the fence and now I need think about which way to jump!
How reliable do you find the car?
In terms of the absolute essentials this car has been 100% reliable. Does infinite school runs, takes us camping to far off corners of France. Coped with minimal use during lockdown. Absolute workhorse. But the list of peripheral problems that we've had is very lengthy. The back windscreen washer leaks into the boot lock which triggers the alarm. VW said it would be expensive to fix (labour being the expensive part). So our remedy is to never use the back washer. Electric window on front passenger side and rear driver side slips off it's moorings and slips down. Cheap to fix but gone wrong twice. Faulty warning light for passenger seat airbag. Independent dealer diagnosed fault in warning light system but advised against fixing - minimal benefit for the cost. Repeated bulb changes required for front driver side daytime running light. Seems to go through tyres very quickly.Does the car do everything you expected it to do?
I expect my car to do the basics without worry. And it does. It lugs around roof boxes, a towbar fitting bike rack, family, tents etc without any significant difference to how hard you need to work the car at 70 (ish) mph. It is a real pleasure to drive on long journeys. The fuel consumption even on 50 mile solo journeys is disappointing. Unless I'm coming back from Cornwall with a strong south westerly wind I'm lucky to get near 50 mpg. Normally mid-low 40s. Got noticeably worse after the infamous diesel-gate VW recall and software reset! As I've already mentioned it is let down by the reliability of the stuff that isn't the engine.About their car
- Fuel type Diesel
- When purchased May 2017
- Condition when bought Used
- Current Mileage 116,000 miles
- Average MPG 43 mpg
