It used to be so simple in the automotive world. Cars were cars and trucks were…..uh….trucks. There were no crossover thingy-majigs or niche markets. And when it came to selecting a national origin of a new car; the choices were even more clear. Japanese cars were technologically advanced and well-made. The Koreans aimed for the thriftiest of shoppers. The Americans had the sumo-sized accommodations in the bag. And the Germans graced our roads with performance oriented, but pricey, status symbols. But things are no longer what they seem, and when a car that hails from the land of Autobahns and bratwurst starts off with a lower base price than its main Korean competitors, something is, as they say, “whack”! Volkswagen, having nearly lost its way in the American market two decades ago, is determined to seize its share of the 16 million cars sold in the US market annually. But to do so, they’ve fought back with larger interior dimensions and a lower price tag, addressing common complaints about the big V’s prior offerings. In fact, the all-new 2012 Passat’s base price is $7,000 cheaper than the outgoing models ($19,995 vs. nearly $28,000 on the 2011). This new version takes direct aim at the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, and Chevy Malibu. Uh oh, we’ve heard this approach before with the Jetta and the results weren’t so flattering; a mediocre car that felt cheaper than some of the Germans you’d find on Oranienburger Straße. With that dark cloud looming over, how does this transformation work on the new Passat?
Filed under: Volkswagen | Tagged: aviation, cars, chevy malibu, hyundai sonata, new passat, transportation, volkswagen passat | 1 Comment »
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