If you’re familiar with what VW’s midsize sedan looks like, you’ll easily recognize the 2020 Volkswagen Passat. However, its lines are now sharper and crisper, with a more coupe-like roofline and a more aggressive grille. Underneath the new sheet metal is a wide array of improvements and updates that make this sedan even more competitive. The Passat is made in America, and benefits from German engineering to offer a unique and welcome mix of comfort, sportiness and value. As VW’s largest car, the Passat does battle with such heavyweights as the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata and Toyota Camry. The Passat isn’t a top seller in its class, but remains an attractive prospect, offering good performance, interior space and safety. Giving the Passat a leg up on its competitors is VW’s 2-year free-maintenance plan, in addition to its competitive 4-year/50,000-mile warranty. Although not as powerful as a Kia Stinger or Nissan Maxima, the Passat’s 2.0-liter turbo engine is a strong performer that gets 34 mpg on the highway. RELATED: Best Midsize Cars of 2020#8 in Best Midsize Cars of 2020
Used 2020 Volkswagen Passat Pricing
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors, but here's a general idea of what buyers are currently paying for used 2020 Volkswagen Passat models when purchasing from a dealership.
Original MSRP | KBB Fair Purchase Price (nat'l average) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
S Sedan 4D | $23,915 | $20,176 | ||
SE Sedan 4D | $26,765 | $20,687 | ||
R-Line Sedan 4D | $29,565 | $23,611 | ||
SEL Sedan 4D | $32,015 | $24,423 |
For reference, the 2020 Volkswagen Passat originally had a starting sticker price of $23,915, with the range-topping Passat SEL Sedan 4D starting at $32,015.
Which Model is Right for Me?
2020 Volkswagen Passat S
LED lighting
Forward Collision Warning
Blind-spot monitoring
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
17-inch alloy wheels
2020 Volkswagen Passat SE
Adaptive cruise control
Lane Keep Assist
Dual-zone climate control
Power-driver’s seat
Keyless entry
2020 Volkswagen Passat R-Line
19-inch alloy wheels
Tilt/slide sunroof
Chrome exhaust tips
Unique R-Line styling cues
2020 Volkswagen Passat SEL
Leather seats
Park Distance Control
330-watt premium audio system
Automatic high beams
Fender Audio
Driving the Used 2020 Volkswagen Passat
The Passat’s 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine has 174 horsepower, as it did before, and now has 206 lb-ft of torque. That’s an increase of 22 lb-ft, which isn’t that dramatic on paper but makes a difference on the road. Your only powertrain choice is this engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. That added power, as well as the 40-pound weight gain over the 2019 model means that fuel economy is lower for 2020 by two mpg across the board. This engine has plenty of power for the daily commute. The 6-speed automatic is fine, but power delivery wasn’t glassy-smooth when accelerating at lower speeds. It felt as if the turbo boost was out of sync with the transmission’s shifts, an issue that disappeared at higher speeds. An 8-speed automatic could potentially improve fuel economy while smoothing out those low-speed stumbles. That’s on our wish list for the Passat in the future. Steering was on the light side but felt accurate. The Passat is somewhat sporty, but its strong suit is its quiet, roomy, comfortable cabin and that huge trunk. The only unwanted sound we noticed was some engine noise.
Interior Comfort
The 2020 Volkswagen Passat benefits from a redesigned interior that emphasizes elegance. The new look is attractive and fresh, and serves to enhance everything we already liked about the Passat. Seat comfort is high, and the Passat’s driver’s seat is height-adjustable, so shorter drivers can get properly situated. Fit/finish is excellent, and the controls are well placed. Rear-seat space is cavernous. Even your tallest, highest-maintenance friends and family will have no complaints about sitting in the back seat. The infotainment system isn’t exactly class-leading, but it’s easy to use and offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as well as Bluetooth.
Exterior Styling
The Passat has long been attractive, clean and understated, but the update it receives for 2020 adds more attitude. The new Passat has a sharper, more aggressive nose, and now has a crisp body line along the sides and a more coupe-like profile. This VW sedan comes standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, with 18-inch units available on SEL models. R-Line models include unique front- and rear-end treatments and 19-inch alloy wheels for some German sports-sedan spice.
Favorite Features
STANDARD DRIVER ASSISTANCE PREMIUM FEATURES
Every trim level of the 2020 Volkswagen Passat comes standard with front-traffic assist with pedestrian monitoring, blind-spot monitoring and rear-traffic alert. There are additional safety features available, which come standard on the trim level just above the base model.
The Passat is a compelling value, but options like the 400-watt Fender audio system, heated front and rear seats, leather seating surfaces, and Park Assist give Volkswagen’s midsize sedan some luxury touches.
Standard Features
The 2020 Passat S includes a 174-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, 6-speed automatic transmission, front assist with pedestrian monitoring, blind-spot monitoring and rear-traffic alert, manual-seat adjustments, cloth seats, a 6.3-inch touch-screen infotainment system with 6-speaker audio, CD player, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, Bluetooth, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. All Passat models come with a 4-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that covers the entire vehicle including the engine and drivetrain, plus two years of free maintenance.
Factory Options
After the S, the trim levels are SE, R-Line and the top-line SEL. You can get 18-inch wheels, plus features such as Leatherette or leather seats, remote start and keyless access (neither of which comes standard), paddle shifters, power front seats, heated front seats, memory settings, dual-zone climate control, navigation, sunroof, and automatic windshield wipers. Additional safety features include adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, parking-steering assistant, park-distance control and automatic high beams. Almost every feature that’s considered optional throughout the line comes standard on the SEL model. The exception is the R-Line, which is the only trim level that comes with 19-inch wheels, a spoiler and rear diffuser, gloss-black accents and chrome exhaust pipes.
Engine & Transmission
For 2020 the Volkswagen Passat comes with one engine/transmission combination: a 174-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The torque was increased by 22 lb-ft over previous models. If you’re trying to decide between buying a 2019 Passat or a 2020, know that you’ll get more power in the 2020 model, but fuel economy is lower by two mpg across the board compared to 2019 models. (The 2019 Passat nets 25 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway.) The 2020 Passat is a front-wheel-drive sedan, and all-wheel drive isn’t available. 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
174 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
206 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700 rpm
EPA city/highway 23/34 mpg
KBB Vehicle Review and Rating Methodology
Our Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings. We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology. Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing. Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.) We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
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