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Review : VW Passat B7 ( 2011 – 2015 )

Just like Miley Cyrus tried to convince us that she is different, the VW Passat B7 doesn’t fool anyone. It’s just an heavily facelifted Passat B6. Or is it?




In 2011 VW took the old Golf V and facelifted it into the Golf VI. So they took an Passat B6, sent it to a beauty salon, improved the reliability and they presented the result as a whole new car – VW Passat B7. Much like people that make all sorts of resolutions on New Year’s Eve – the “new year, new me” b/s.


Statistics show however that most people forget their new year resolutions in the first 15 days of the new year, and yet the VW Passat B7 is still among us and doing a fine job. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a VW Passat B7 fan, on the contrary.


“I’m 45 years of age, I got 2 kids at college, a well paying job and a passion for sport. I got 3 bicycles!”


VW Passat B7, more than any other generation of Passat, is made for middle aged people that want a comfortable transport that is geared for family needs, whilst keeping it sober. The sort of guy that partied off his 20’s and now he’s a family man. He wakes up at 7 in the morning on Saturday and hits the gym. The sort of guy that eats salads during the weekend and then stuffs himself on weekends with steak and a shelf of Fosters. The sort of guy that always has tissues and medicine stuffed in the armrest.


VW Passat B7 rear autodrivel


What’s new in the B7 Passat?


A lot of improvement on the side of reliability. Now you can take on trips that are over 200 kms in safety. A lot of new technology such as Bluetooth connectivity, rear view camera, adaptive cruise control and other complicated words that I don’t understand. And yes, you can retrofit everything to the old B6 Passat. Oh yeah, and you get a clock on the dashboard because a smartphone is too advanced for you.


Engines VW Passat B7


Petrol



  • 1.4 TSI EA113 of 122 horsepower – The smallest engine available on the VW Passat B7, this engine can comfortably move your bottom from meeting to meeting. Also, best to avoid engines before 2013, when the timing chain issues has been solved.

  • 1.8 TSI EA888 of 160 horsepower– If you need to move your bottom from meeting to meeting faster, then this engine is for you. Beware of the oil consumption though, which can reach up to 1 litre / 1000 km.

  • 2.0 TSI EA888 of 210 horsepower– This Johnny Sins of an engine eats up fuel, oil and kilometers. VW say that they solved the issue in 2013, but we all know what VW means by this.

  • 3.6 FSI EA390 of 300 horsepower – In a land where everybody is scared of taxes, in a land where most buyers are middle aged, I seriously doubt that a lot of them wish for an sports VW Passat B7. Good to know that it exists, but that’s about it.


Diesel



  • 1.6 TDI EA189 of 105 horsepower– Stolen from the Golf VI, this engine has issues with the turbo, EGR and DPF if it’s driven in town more than 200 meters. Moreover, it’s as strong as a college girl that survived the entire week on water, bread and hope.

  • 2.0 TDI EA189 of 140, 170 and 177 bhorsepower – Aahh, the Passat and the 2.0 TDI go hand in hand like beer with absinth. Now you got common-rail technology, but still beware of bad fuel as that will give the high pressure fuel pump a kick in the nads.


VW Passat B7 interior autodrivel


General issues VW Passat B7



  • As always, take extra care of the DSG automatic gearbox. Change the oil and filter every 60.000 kms and make sure you sing nursery rhymes to the Mechatronic unit in order to keep it happy. As for the manual gearbox, the 2.0 TDI tends to eat the clutch so badly that it takes the gearbox with it.

  • Diesel engines come with a dual mass flywheel made out of cheese so make sure to have some money put aside for this, as all diesel Passats from this generation suffer from this.


 


VW Passat B7 front autodrivel


Verdict VW Passat B7.


I’m not a fan of the Passat B7. Still, in a half-assed attempt to write some words and to please the 2 regular readers, I’ll say that the VW Passat B7 is the spiritual successor of the Audi A4 B7, a car which I do respect.


VW Passat B7 – a discreet car, comfy, that can be very luxurious and very expensive, but also anonymous. Not everybody wants a discreet and anonymous car, but it’s nice to know that VW still offers such options. Maybe because VW still clings to it’s old ways, when everybody else is moving forward, such as the Mondeo or the A4 B8. But if you insist on something discreet, you can go for the B7 – a middle aged car for middle aged people.


Which engines do I recommend? For the VW Passat B7, I would say that the 2.0 TDI is the most balanced engine for this kind of car. If you insist for a petrol engine tho, the 1.8 TSI still remains king of the hill.

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Write an answer
  • Minorkle

    2023-10-18 20:44:46

    My 2014 Passat is a jewel. 1.8 TSI with automatic transmission. Runs great, handles well. Excellent reliability and gas mileage

  • Walhalla

    2023-02-19 15:48:19

    I still enjoy using my Passat B7, 1.6 TDI manual that I bought brand new in 2014. Simply, this car is amazing. There are zero problems and still fresh like it just came out of the factory…