Unless you try driving in flood water....the air intake is very low. Someone that I worked with found out the expensive way. I've passengered in that one, its was very comfortable. Owned 2 Mondeos (a v6 and 2l Zetec), just bought (3 months ago) a 407SW tdi and its the best of the 3. (it must be noted that I didn't want a French car, a diesel or an estate - but for £500 with some M.O.T. how could I resist? It is ace.
I saw a W8 estate parked outside a gym in Gosforth when I was up visiting my grandparents, and I saw a saloon W8 closer to home while shopping in Stafford. Being the nerd I am, I found both times incredibly exciting.
Interesting watching this test, and thinking about the cars that competed with this 20 years ago, and thinking of 406, Primera, Mondeo, 75, S40 , S60 , Vectra, Passat, Laguna, Galant, 626, Xedos 6, 3 series, C class, lots of interesting family car choices unlike the crappy SUV or nothing options we have now
Buyers like SUVs, what can we say? I guess most buyers don't care about handling or aerodynamics, that favour the sedan (usually 10-20% better fuel economy than a SUV with the same engine) or estate, so it is what it is. 😑
@@Birmingham_racing That's true! Almost no VW Audi badged product is all that exciting (maybe the R8?). They are too obsessed with rounding off all the edges for a refined driving experience. Even then the Lamborghini version is more "let off the leash" and theatrical and over the top than the R8. At the other end of the price scale, you won't see a car like the Mazda MX-5 coming from VW, Audi, SEAT or Skoda -- it seems like the TT and Scirocco were the closest you are going to get. The company is far too "sensible" for affordable sportscar passion projects, sadly (though Porsche and Lamborghini do the high-end sportscars). Hmm, could the Porsche 924 have been the MX-5 beater if it had been badged as VW after all? Or would the pricing have always been too high?
I had R-reg Passat 1.8T from 2001 to 2010, bought it at 34k miles. Can't remember ever having done anything else to it except regular service. Only thing that went wrong was rear door mechanism and rear electric window. Great care free car.
"Exciting to drive" is relative and different for everyone. Do you want a solid reliable runabout or something that is more "exciting" and possibly prone to braeakdown"? If the answer to the last question was yes then you should not be in this sector. They were built as long distant cruisers and not "boy racers".
I drove both the Passat 1.9 Diesel and a Mondao 2.0 Petrol and the Passat was far more superior, the Torque was amazing the passat was hands down more exciting to drive, found the Mondao to be lackluster for a 2.0 petrol.
I had 2 Passats of this era; a 1.8 & 1.8T. I had the 1.8 when the Rover 75 was launched &, as I liked the look of it, borrowed a 75 for an extended test drive. The Rover was a nice car but didn't feel as 'together' as the VW, so I when it came time to swap I went for the Passat 1.8T (which I had up to an indicated 140mph on the autobahn & it felt like it still had more to give). My brother-in-law bought both cars from me & was as pleased with them as I had been.
I had a 1998 diesel red i as a company car. I thought I had really made it having only had Escorts and Mondeos previously. Although in retrospect it probably was pretty dull as the thing I was most excited about was the blue/purple dash lights !
The interior lights in these are great. Especially the small red down lights that illuminated the gear stick at night. I currently have a 15 plate CC and that still has the red downlight, but it was such a shame they got rid of the blue dash lights. The white just isn't the same.
These were everywhere growing up. We had a brief test drive in a 1.9 but my Dad chose the Rover 75. Special car. Just felt lovely going round Bolton in it on a dark winter's night. Had so much character, and everyone used to comment. In the Summer the paint used to really sparkle, and it would almost be a different colour. I always remember the indicator tick and the oval symbols. I remember it had a nice smell. We used to listen to The Brandenburg Concertos when we had it which really suited it. Did break down all the time though. A lot of times we had a Focus Zetec with a Hertz keyring on it. Once asked my Dad if I could sit in it with engine on. Clutch made horrendous noise. Thought I'd done it. Broke down on the way back from France a week later. We have a B6 Passat now. Excellent workhorse but no soul. Driving it is also extremely boring. I honestly can't remember it. 😅
Owned this exact car, same colour, year and engine and thought it was a very good all rounder. Smooth ride, smooth torquey engine. Handling not very sharp but I found it very capable on back road due to that ride and high speed body control. A very good family car and those seats were just so comfortable.
My dad purchased one that was 3 years old in 2005 (it was 2002 on a 51 plate) it was a 2.0 SE Estate. A really nice car, great load lugging ability plus we had a towbar fitted. It was a great car and it was immensely comfortable. Also had some nice kit including lovely velour seats and a 6 disc cd autochanger which I loved at the time / thought was super cool. In the end we had an issue with water getting into the engine via a blocked plenum chamber near the battery area under the bonnet. As a result this caused engine to knock and the big ends went. Still drove around for a few years but eventually the engine only ran on 3 cylinders so we scrapped it in 2022 for £350.
I've spent many, many, many hours of my life behind the wheels of various B5.5, B6 and B7 Passats. They do their job extremely well, in the most unentertaining way possible. For some bizarre reason, many of those Passats I drove had absolutely the worst headlights I've ever experienced. Like having two tealights mounted in holders instead of actual bulbs; utterly terrifying to drive on any unlit road at night.
This one brought back the memories! I grew up in an '05 Passat with the 1.9TDI in lavish Highline spec. Unfortunately it was taken off the road shortly after we sold it in 2011, cheers for the memories ET54 CXV.
Best company car I ever had, 03 plated tdi 130 estate. 107k miles in 3 years with absolutely no faults. Drove as good as the day it was new when it went.
The front wheel arches aren't rusty on this one, which is a good find. The foam against the top of the inner arches almost ensured water and hence rust on the top of the arches. Also watch for more water based fun with water running into the front and rear footwells as well as the scuttle panel. I remember my brothers one had all of these, the battery sat in a pool of water, so worth taking the scuttle panel off for a closer look
Drove the estate version today and I found it one of the more exciting cars that I have ever driven (says a lot of about my driving history) I found the build quality inside to be exceptional and there was something exciting about hearing the turbo whistle.
I had a B5 Passat 1.8T and really enjoyed it. It was smooth and went pretty well. However, it suffered the usual scuttle drains getting blocked by leave debris, that then allowed water ingress and a wet carpet and damaged electrical looms etc.
I had two 5.5 Passat, a 1.9TDi 130bhp 5speed tiptronic, and a 1.8 Turbo, also 5 speed tiptronic. The 1.8 had leather electric front seats, and integrated child seats in the rear bench seat. The diesel was always giving me 65.7mpg according to the trip computer, with a range of 740 miles range.
I had 2003 1.8T Passat . Lovely car to be fair but much preferred the 1.9 PD130 estate that replaced it. Unquestionably the best diesel engine ever made. Brilliant cars!!
It was a real sales argument and pretty unique for VW cars (all got it) at the time.... for us a bit more easily impressed by such gimmicks, such as impressionable youths that like to fit loud exhausts etc.
I had 2005 highline awx remapped to 160hp . When selling,car was at 380k kilometers,original turbo and clutch . Amazing cars,leather interior looked like there was 200k kilometers on it
That's so interesting! If you think the B5 is dull, the more modern VWs like the Mk5 Jetta are 10x worse IMO. At least the B5 has nicely weighted hydraulic power steering with some steering feel and nice tight suspension. I found the Mk5 Jetta 2.0TSI to be totally numb by comparison and didn't particularly like the fabled 6-speed DSG either (but that's 2.0TSI not GLI or GTI even though the powertrain is the same, so maybe the actual sports model is better?). I wonder if Matt would like the 2003-2008 Honda Accord (the CL9) with the 2.4L petrol and the manual? It's almost Type R-ish in how it feels, nice heavy hydraulic power steering, the suspension is relatively stiff, the 2.4L VTEC engine scoots the relatively lightweight car along nicely. The 2009-2012 Honda Accord (the CU2) is heavier, softer in feel and much less overtly sporty, however.
@@nickhaag7803 It's very curious! I think Charles, the HumbleMechanic's, car was a 1.8T 20-valve manual like this but an estate (and possibly all-wheel-drive). In the US, that would be considered an "enthusiast's car" outside the norm of the usual automatic Nissan Altimas and Chevrolet Malibus, so it's interesting to see the contrast to how it's viewed in the UK. Matt finding the suspension to be soft (and steering vague) could be because this car is on the 15" wheels, where the one I drove was on 17" wheels perhaps?
@TassieLorenzo couldn't agree more with this. My 2002 Fabia isn't dull. Not exciting but reasonably engaging and good steering feel. B5 Passat makes me fall asleep 😴
I'm not sure on the 'unforgivably dull' bit. Maybe classically understated. I bought my own company Passat. It's been to the South of France, Germany and Italy on holidays. Damn thing never missed one beat. Mileage was 228,862 when I moved it on. And I know it's still running today . I suspect the equivalent Mondeo and Rover 75 would have long since expired. I went mad after the Passat and ran an Alfa Romeo 2.0TS GTV as a company car. Let's just say I was forever grateful it was a company car . It was as unreliable as the media said, even though I wished it wasn't.
I have a W8 estate, it feels in a way like a smaller Porsche Cayenne, which I also have. They are largish vehicles, a bit floaty but your fillings will love you. When pressed they can pull up their skirts and do a mild impression of a dash. But with the right exhaust they can sound interesting. Cheap today as they fade into obscurity, I still think they have a little touch of class left in them, but then I might be biased... Thanks for the review of cars from an odd era of our past.
I had a 1999 B5 with the 1.8L Turbo from 2000 until 2023. Over those close to 24 years and 350,000 kms it ran great almost to the end. The 1.8L turbo is one of VW's best engines. I sold the car last year for $500 and bought another VW, this time with the non-turbo 2.5L 5-cylinder, another of VW's great engines.
2003 - the year I switched from a Passat 1.8T to a ZT CDTi. The Passat was comfortable but didn't like holding its battery charge. 2 main dealers couldn't fix it.
I've worked a lot on these cars as a VW/Audi specialist, and they are almost bulletproof. The 1.8 20VT is one of the best engines they ever made. Internals are overdesigned, they van handle a lot of power. So in stock form they have the same lifespan as a TDI. I have this engine in a A3 8L from '03, only the 180 hp version. The 150 has a low pressure turbo and the 180/210/225 have the high pressure turbo. I have the car for 16 years now and never had any issues with it. Same goes for my ur quattro. Everything went downhill quality wise after '03/'04 with the new platforms and engines. 80s and 90s VAG is really good.
Had a 98 in HK. Great build quality but lots understeer and once it got to 80k-electrical issues, engine oil leaks. Air con failed. Tossed it. Nice interior.
Love the VAG 1.8T, but personally, they shouldn't have put it anything bigger than the Golf! I think the 9n3 GTI with the 1.8t is just right The PD 1.9 is right at home in the Passat especially with all that extra torque I actually saw a Passant W8 4motion not too long ago, a very rare beast!
Decent car, which was on my company list back in 1998. Drove the impressive ad fast 1.8T several times plus the Alfa 156, Mondeo, Saab 9-3 and Aud A4. Ended up contributing to the monthy lease and getting the newly launched E46 323i. No regrets on that. Would have been very tempted by the Rover 75 had it been out a little earlier. The only one I drove was the smooth but lacking in torque 2.0V6. Lovely to sit in and look at, especially as it was the top of the range trim.
Av had 14 passats and 2 b5 passats. They may be boring car's the 1.9 Tdi PD is very reliable. Very comfortable everyone i ever had never broke down the last one i had was on 244thousand miles had no problems with it the engine ran like new. Cambelt and services fairly easy to do yourself. On the highline i had heated seats leather cup holders CD player electric windows all round. I really like them suspension was quite complex but work's really well. Quite heavy on cv joints The cambelt is not as hard as you say to do i have done 10 of the one's I owned myself and found them easier to do than some of the Vauxhalls of same year. Complaints about the Passat b5.5 water ingress from the scuttle panel normally into the footwell killing the CCM or breaking the wires leading to it. This is somthing that Vw should have told the owners about it was a service item and should have been cleaned at least once a year. Other things wires for electric windows and door locks breaking due to the lack of protection. Window regulators cables would snap due to window seal letting the water in down the side of the door and rusting the cable. I am currently running a Audi a4 avant b6 1.9 Tdi sport. Very similar to the Passat very tuneable. I have it remapped to 170hp. Enjoyed your review Matt I thought I would add my experience. 😊
My 2001.5 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T (B5.5) is still my daily driver today in August 2024. Original owner, original engine. 303k miles now. Sticker on driver door says car production date was December 1, 2000.
Although not a company car driver at the time I opted for the Mondeo 2 .0 TDCi estate that was brilliant back in the day. The driving dynamics were brilliant for the size of the car even in the diesel powered version. I still miss it believe it or not. I had it for a decade. The Passat always had better residuals but the cost to service and spares were at the time quite costly compared to the old Ford. At the time the Rover 75 was not on my shopping list and that seems odd looking back. Thanks for sharing.
Great video as always, in fact a stunning video considering the raw material you are working with here. An excellent minicab perhaps but so forgettable I can imagine parking it at the supermarket and then taking the bus home.
My Grandad had a Maroon 90's B5 passat as a company car when I was a kid, it was the one with the previous style head and taillights, and it also had the 1.8T, the only thing that went wrong on it for him was the Turbo went, so it had to be replaced, it was a really comfortable car from what I remember. I think if someone wants a VW that's exciting, a Golf is the one to go for, imagine the acceleration if VW put that 1.8T engine from the Passat into the golf. Of all the Passats, the B5/5.5 has always been my favourite.
If you'd asked me back in 2003 I'd have taken the Mondeo over any of them. Ask me now and I'd take the 75, the only one that's a proper future classic.
One of the best cars I owned the vw passat 04 plate with 220 tho miles on clock bought it for £450 of my English pounds ran it for 5 years passed every mot with nothing needed the only think I did to it was service brake pads all round once and a few tyres that was it great car
Had a blue version of this same car. This thing has a weird one way rubber valve for the floor drains, that doesnt work. Do you love electrical problems? Whats that you say, lets put a very fragile computer at the lowest spot of the floor near a drain? Of course thats a good idea.... 😁
I love these. I had a 2001 Tdi 130 which I traded for a new X type v6 after a year. The Jag had so many faults I traded back to a new Passat TDi after 4 weeks. I kept Passat no2 for 4 years and around 100k miles before replacing it with a mk5 golf which was nowhere near as good. A taxi company bought the Passat and ran it to over 300k miles. I drove a few 1.8Ts, very smooth compared to the diesel but a bit flat on performance I felt
The seats are a demonstration of how much ergonomic understanding has moved on. They feel so comfortable when you first sit in them but after 200 miles, you'd rather be sitting in the comparatively sparse seats you'd find in the Up!
I'd largely forgotten that I'd driven a Passat of this generation. However, this review definitely brought back some memories, particularly the pitching when accelerating or braking. This feature I attributed to the engine being way out front and the springing being rather soft; as it was a company car I would guess that it also had a very hefty diesel engine that would exaggerate the effect. I drove an Audi A4 2.8 V6 Quattro a few years later, which I assume was on the same B5 platform. That was a much nicer car.
I did lots of miles in Passat’s 1.8t 2.0 8v and many diesel’s my favourite being 1.9tdi pd130. But driving wise I did prefer the Mondeo but although just as reliable I prefer the vw diesel engines
Everyone I knew that could choose a company car back then they all chose the Vw Passat 1.9tdi Remember going round every dealership with my mate looking at everything going he finally went Passat too
Had a fair few in different guises, diesels mostly. Had a brand new 1.8T Sport in 2002, same colour silver, lovely motor - and with its own sport cloth interior and sport steering wheel ( no velour). Think I paid £15k brand new discounted price !! How times change. After only a year I went back to a diesel for motorway economy.
My dad had several of these Passat’s mostly 1.8T’s I think, test drove a V5 that I remember he was disappointed with, he was never into diesel. Can still smell the leather when I think of it, I remember it was very softly sprung as a rear seat passenger. Travel sickness ahoy.
13:00 I remember asking my Nan what that word meant as a kid when reading about the Flopsie Bunnies and lettuce! She gave me a dictionary and told me to look it up, I've loved it ever since!❤ 🐰 🥬
These cars drive briljant. Thats why you get them. The multilink suspension and the longitudinal mounted engine are some of the ingredients for that. They just don't make them like that anymore. For me this is automotive peak times. Lots of trim levels lots of engine options. Great comfort but stil a car you feel when driving. Back when car manufactors and cars had a identity. I am completly speaking for myself here😉.
We had a 115 PD TDI one of these in estate form... brilliant car... but ultimately the electronics began to die. The mechanical parts were fine and it would achieve an easy 55mpg on a run. In terms of the Mondeo and the Rover, the Passat was the car that they tried to catch up with. Volkswagen upped the game considerably with the Mk5 Passat and Mk4 Golf in terms of build quality and caught other manufacturers napping in the late 90s early 00s. Ford used the Passat as their benchmark for the Mondeo. Longitudinal engine is due to shared underpinning with the Audi A4... which obviously had quattro as a option.
During the 2000s i always thought Passat drivers were the best on the road. They'd outgrown the dickish Audi/ bmw aggressive driving and just wanted a nice calm cruiser.... and drove accordingly.
In the hot weather of the southern USA the interior plastics do not hold up well at all. The soft touch surfaces started bubbling and peeling almost from delivery. That said, I’ve had 2 of them (my son drives one now) and they are all around great cars and not so bad to maintain….if you can fix it yourself and not pay someone else to do it
I drove the slightly later mondeo TDCI and that was alot of fun for a diesel .Never driven a passat so cant comment but the mondeo was bloody good frankly so would be my pick and was trimmed well and looked a bit rackish compared to the passats.
I did see them as a bit boring and predictable when new. Our local Traffic Branch was using some Volkswagens at the time and did have a dark blue W8 for a while which was quite cool. The thing is that the facelift styling has aged really well and seems a nice Retro Daily nowadays. I reckon 85% were TDIs over here but I wood love a 1.8T or a 2.0 litre petrol just to be a bit more interesting. Very good review.
@furious matt -- I believe that the engine not transverse bc it makes it easier to allow for four-wheel drive to the platform, like the 4motion models and also for the Audi A4/S4 having 4wd options. Subaru flat-fours + sixes being longitudinal, make it likewise easy to have 4wd. Otherwise, the 4wd setup on transverse cars is a bit more complex, so it may also be cheaper when longitudinal. cheers
I came very close to buying the last of this style Passat before I bought my 3rd Gen Mondeo, I’d never had a Ford before nor a VW , the VW on test felt solid enough but a bit something missing, the Mondeo on the other hand hand felt very different, more feedback more of a drivers car, who knows I may buy a Passat one day, despite being a little dull I kinda like them, always see this era VW as quite solid, although the Mondeo several years in is a great vehicle.
The Rover 75 looks classy and that dash board on the Rover 75 with the wood very classy this is boring but they say most Toyota's are boring but there reputation for reliability certainly makes up for there boringness but this VW is dull we would have got them in Australia but couldn't compete against the Toyota Camery which were made in Australia
Good old car them. Watch out for the boot, it can have hinge problems and it flies open and busts the back window 😢 how do I know that 😮 Second hand hinges are like hens teeth in the scrapyards as it's a known fault.
Fond memories.... had a 1.9tdi, not sure what was wrong with it but was gutless... till you hit 3k and it would kick you up the ass, like the power delivery on an old 2 stroke motorbike 😂 was hilarious
Would like a Superb review. Second generation (B6, Typ 3T; 2008-2015). First gen was just rebadged VW. Second generation they had more own styling. Bigger back doors and room for passenger i remember.
I spent many hundreds of miles in various Passat hire cars between Herts and Glasgow for work. It was a great car for big miles, but not a daily for me, too big and unwieldy. And dull, the blue dash was the only exciting thing! I'd probably pick a 75, over this, a Mondeo was more fun on the safe drive, but the VW was more comfortable
I strictly fall into the Mondeo camp. I owned not one, but three Mk3 Mondeos. If I was picking the cars it'd be a 1 - Mondeo, 2 - Rover and 3 - Passat.
A lot of people rate these in terms of reliability over the B6 that replaced them. Affirmatively uninspiring I will agree, but with a plethora of never-to-be-repeated petrol and diesel variants (pun not intended) and the 'old family dog' attachment and dependability (given regular servicing and maintenance is upheld) it makes for as others here say, a great used all-rounder. I'll never forget my V5 wagons.
BRING BACK VELOUR!!! I miss velour. Last car I had with it, a 300zx Twin Turbo was supremely more comfortable with velour trim than anything with leather on it.
I think VWs are a bit dull but very easy to live with. I'd say same applies to my mark 7.5 golf estate. Once you get to mark 8 it starts to fall apart usability wise. Mark 7 really well laid out, control weights are lovely and its comfy cruiser. But it doesn't excite. There is no reward for revving the 1.5 turbo or pushing on in the bends. Just safe mild understeer. I therefore can't love it but i can certainly like it. Excellent daily driver and have my cooper S convertible for fun on the weekends.
I don’t know what was going on in my head when I replaced a brilliant Xantia with a Passat 1.8 20V SE . A dreadful ownership experience, car did its job adequately , though extremely dull , the dealers were on another level for incompetence , including one that damaged the car , it must have been like it when it came in , no it f***ing well wasn’t ! Glad to see the back of it and will never have another Volkswagen.
The VW would be my first choice for longevity, though. I have a 2003 Golf V5. Some niggles but providing the vvt / cam chain doesn't screw me over, at 157k miles, it feels like it could do 300k and another 20 years. I'm seeing lots of similarities with the interior of the mk4 Golf. Same era, I know, but surprisingly similar inside. Was the longitudal engine to allow for 4WD (4motion / quattro) on this platform ? My Audi 90 20v has a longitudinally orientated engine, and that was to allow for the quattro variants.
1.9 tdi passat one of the best diesel cars ever made built like a tank
And incredibly boring
@@cappaculla yes they locked like a tractor 🚜 I agree
Yes I had the 1.9 TDI b5.5 estate model in a silver blue. Had it remapped, made it so much better to drive..
Yea but it's like a Duracell battery 🔋 it goes on and on 😁
Unless you try driving in flood water....the air intake is very low. Someone that I worked with found out the expensive way. I've passengered in that one, its was very comfortable. Owned 2 Mondeos (a v6 and 2l Zetec), just bought (3 months ago) a 407SW tdi and its the best of the 3. (it must be noted that I didn't want a French car, a diesel or an estate - but for £500 with some M.O.T. how could I resist? It is ace.
I saw a W8 estate parked outside a gym in Gosforth when I was up visiting my grandparents, and I saw a saloon W8 closer to home while shopping in Stafford. Being the nerd I am, I found both times incredibly exciting.
Interesting watching this test, and thinking about the cars that competed with this 20 years ago, and thinking of 406, Primera, Mondeo, 75, S40 , S60 , Vectra, Passat, Laguna, Galant, 626, Xedos 6, 3 series, C class, lots of interesting family car choices unlike the crappy SUV or nothing options we have now
sadly true
Buyers like SUVs, what can we say? I guess most buyers don't care about handling or aerodynamics, that favour the sedan (usually 10-20% better fuel economy than a SUV with the same engine) or estate, so it is what it is. 😑
And the Citroen c5 with hydractive suspension
@danielrussell446 my apologies, I tried to list them all but forgot a couple, yeah the C5 and Audi A4
@@tug1345 no worries you did a great list well done!
The Passat is never known to be excited but brilliant daily drivers
How about the rare W8-powered model? 😃
@@TassieLorenzo don't think that's exciting at all from the reviews I've read just fast
@@Birmingham_racing That's true! Almost no VW Audi badged product is all that exciting (maybe the R8?). They are too obsessed with rounding off all the edges for a refined driving experience.
Even then the Lamborghini version is more "let off the leash" and theatrical and over the top than the R8.
At the other end of the price scale, you won't see a car like the Mazda MX-5 coming from VW, Audi, SEAT or Skoda -- it seems like the TT and Scirocco were the closest you are going to get. The company is far too "sensible" for affordable sportscar passion projects, sadly (though Porsche and Lamborghini do the high-end sportscars).
Hmm, could the Porsche 924 have been the MX-5 beater if it had been badged as VW after all? Or would the pricing have always been too high?
I had a Passat 1.8T Sport 99T with spoilers and a Passat 1.9TDI 130bhp SE 4motion both were great car's .
This is the generation that made me love the Passat my brother had a couple of 1.9 about 15 years ago brilliant cars
For the same power and some better noise, there was the VR5, I had one in my Golf and that was so much fun!
Great cars for towing trailer’s especially 1.9 turbo diesel better built than the later monstrosities . Great channel Matt!!!
I had R-reg Passat 1.8T from 2001 to 2010, bought it at 34k miles. Can't remember ever having done anything else to it except regular service. Only thing that went wrong was rear door mechanism and rear electric window. Great care free car.
"Exciting to drive" is relative and different for everyone. Do you want a solid reliable runabout or something that is more "exciting" and possibly prone to braeakdown"? If the answer to the last question was yes then you should not be in this sector. They were built as long distant cruisers and not "boy racers".
I drove both the Passat 1.9 Diesel and a Mondao 2.0 Petrol and the Passat was far more superior, the Torque was amazing the passat was hands down more exciting to drive, found the Mondao to be lackluster for a 2.0 petrol.
The engine orientation was due to the Torsen 4wd system offered in the A4 quattro and Passat 4Motion models.
I had 2 Passats of this era; a 1.8 & 1.8T. I had the 1.8 when the Rover 75 was launched &, as I liked the look of it, borrowed a 75 for an extended test drive. The Rover was a nice car but didn't feel as 'together' as the VW, so I when it came time to swap I went for the Passat 1.8T (which I had up to an indicated 140mph on the autobahn & it felt like it still had more to give).
My brother-in-law bought both cars from me & was as pleased with them as I had been.
I had a 1998 diesel red i as a company car. I thought I had really made it having only had Escorts and Mondeos previously. Although in retrospect it probably was pretty dull as the thing I was most excited about was the blue/purple dash lights !
The interior lights in these are great. Especially the small red down lights that illuminated the gear stick at night. I currently have a 15 plate CC and that still has the red downlight, but it was such a shame they got rid of the blue dash lights. The white just isn't the same.
These were everywhere growing up. We had a brief test drive in a 1.9 but my Dad chose the Rover 75. Special car. Just felt lovely going round Bolton in it on a dark winter's night. Had so much character, and everyone used to comment. In the Summer the paint used to really sparkle, and it would almost be a different colour. I always remember the indicator tick and the oval symbols. I remember it had a nice smell. We used to listen to The Brandenburg Concertos when we had it which really suited it. Did break down all the time though. A lot of times we had a Focus Zetec with a Hertz keyring on it. Once asked my Dad if I could sit in it with engine on. Clutch made horrendous noise. Thought I'd done it. Broke down on the way back from France a week later. We have a B6 Passat now. Excellent workhorse but no soul. Driving it is also extremely boring. I honestly can't remember it. 😅
The most underrated used family car ever
Especially the high line 130 pd
Owned this exact car, same colour, year and engine and thought it was a very good all rounder. Smooth ride, smooth torquey engine. Handling not very sharp but I found it very capable on back road due to that ride and high speed body control. A very good family car and those seats were just so comfortable.
Love the spin doctors "pocket full of kryptonite" reference which was the most interesting part of this review!
My dad purchased one that was 3 years old in 2005 (it was 2002 on a 51 plate) it was a 2.0 SE Estate. A really nice car, great load lugging ability plus we had a towbar fitted. It was a great car and it was immensely comfortable. Also had some nice kit including lovely velour seats and a 6 disc cd autochanger which I loved at the time / thought was super cool. In the end we had an issue with water getting into the engine via a blocked plenum chamber near the battery area under the bonnet. As a result this caused engine to knock and the big ends went. Still drove around for a few years but eventually the engine only ran on 3 cylinders so we scrapped it in 2022 for £350.
I had a 53 plate 1.9 tdi same colour good car never let me down in the 6 years I owned it pulled my caravan no problem
I've spent many, many, many hours of my life behind the wheels of various B5.5, B6 and B7 Passats. They do their job extremely well, in the most unentertaining way possible. For some bizarre reason, many of those Passats I drove had absolutely the worst headlights I've ever experienced. Like having two tealights mounted in holders instead of actual bulbs; utterly terrifying to drive on any unlit road at night.
This one brought back the memories! I grew up in an '05 Passat with the 1.9TDI in lavish Highline spec. Unfortunately it was taken off the road shortly after we sold it in 2011, cheers for the memories ET54 CXV.
Best company car I ever had, 03 plated tdi 130 estate. 107k miles in 3 years with absolutely no faults. Drove as good as the day it was new when it went.
The 1.8T engine was great. My dad had an A4 and ran one to 200000 miles. Only servicing needed😊
It's not the worst Passat and certainly not as dull as the current one or the one that was recently on sale.
The front wheel arches aren't rusty on this one, which is a good find. The foam against the top of the inner arches almost ensured water and hence rust on the top of the arches. Also watch for more water based fun with water running into the front and rear footwells as well as the scuttle panel. I remember my brothers one had all of these, the battery sat in a pool of water, so worth taking the scuttle panel off for a closer look
dont think they fitted the foam to the top of arch on the petrol powered passat, my 1997 B5 1.8T doesnt have them fitted and is still rust free
@@racer4ever30good stuff. don't replace it with a B5.5 like in the video
Drove the estate version today and I found it one of the more exciting cars that I have ever driven (says a lot of about my driving history) I found the build quality inside to be exceptional and there was something exciting about hearing the turbo whistle.
I strangely like that, a lot. Especially the comfy velour seats and cassette/CD changer.
It’s the head units that make it for me
I had a B5 Passat 1.8T and really enjoyed it. It was smooth and went pretty well. However, it suffered the usual scuttle drains getting blocked by leave debris, that then allowed water ingress and a wet carpet and damaged electrical looms etc.
I had two 5.5 Passat, a 1.9TDi 130bhp 5speed tiptronic, and a 1.8 Turbo, also 5 speed tiptronic. The 1.8 had leather electric front seats, and integrated child seats in the rear bench seat. The diesel was always giving me 65.7mpg according to the trip computer, with a range of 740 miles range.
I like these better than the B6 modlel that came after. They look better and the wings on the b6 rust really badly!
VAG Reflex Silver. Is that the oldest metallic paint shade in continuous production?
I had 2003 1.8T Passat . Lovely car to be fair but much preferred the 1.9 PD130 estate that replaced it. Unquestionably the best diesel engine ever made. Brilliant cars!!
Love the blue dials reminds me of my bora
It was a real sales argument and pretty unique for VW cars (all got it) at the time.... for us a bit more easily impressed by such gimmicks, such as impressionable youths that like to fit loud exhausts etc.
I used to drive these, Mondeo's, Vectra and 3 series BMW as company pool cars. Passat by far my favourite. Comfort, power, quality. Perfect car.
Always liked in the estate, would happily have one now, but would prefer a highline spec, and probably go for a diesel.
I had 2005 highline awx remapped to 160hp . When selling,car was at 380k kilometers,original turbo and clutch . Amazing cars,leather interior looked like there was 200k kilometers on it
I had the choices you outlined at the begining of the video, went for an Alfa Romeo 156 1.8TS
funnily enough I made the same choice in 2005 (but a 2.4 Lusso)
Not a huge VW Fan but really do like these generation of VW's from the Mark 4 Golf, Bora and Passat.
A excellent review as always Matt.
Unforgivably dull, I’ve never been so underwhelmed by a car as much as mine did. Thank you for confirming my thoughts, Matt!
That's so interesting! If you think the B5 is dull, the more modern VWs like the Mk5 Jetta are 10x worse IMO. At least the B5 has nicely weighted hydraulic power steering with some steering feel and nice tight suspension. I found the Mk5 Jetta 2.0TSI to be totally numb by comparison and didn't particularly like the fabled 6-speed DSG either (but that's 2.0TSI not GLI or GTI even though the powertrain is the same, so maybe the actual sports model is better?).
I wonder if Matt would like the 2003-2008 Honda Accord (the CL9) with the 2.4L petrol and the manual? It's almost Type R-ish in how it feels, nice heavy hydraulic power steering, the suspension is relatively stiff, the 2.4L VTEC engine scoots the relatively lightweight car along nicely. The 2009-2012 Honda Accord (the CU2) is heavier, softer in feel and much less overtly sporty, however.
So dull I lasted all of a minute before I went off to watch paint dry.
@@nickhaag7803 It's very curious! I think Charles, the HumbleMechanic's, car was a 1.8T 20-valve manual like this but an estate (and possibly all-wheel-drive). In the US, that would be considered an "enthusiast's car" outside the norm of the usual automatic Nissan Altimas and Chevrolet Malibus, so it's interesting to see the contrast to how it's viewed in the UK.
Matt finding the suspension to be soft (and steering vague) could be because this car is on the 15" wheels, where the one I drove was on 17" wheels perhaps?
@TassieLorenzo couldn't agree more with this. My 2002 Fabia isn't dull. Not exciting but reasonably engaging and good steering feel. B5 Passat makes me fall asleep 😴
I'm not sure on the 'unforgivably dull' bit. Maybe classically understated. I bought my own company Passat. It's been to the South of France, Germany and Italy on holidays. Damn thing never missed one beat. Mileage was 228,862 when I moved it on. And I know it's still running today . I suspect the equivalent Mondeo and Rover 75 would have long since expired. I went mad after the Passat and ran an Alfa Romeo 2.0TS GTV as a company car. Let's just say I was forever grateful it was a company car . It was as unreliable as the media said, even though I wished it wasn't.
Love these 2000 era reviews you do 😍 👌
I have a W8 estate, it feels in a way like a smaller Porsche Cayenne, which I also have. They are largish vehicles, a bit floaty but your fillings will love you. When pressed they can pull up their skirts and do a mild impression of a dash. But with the right exhaust they can sound interesting. Cheap today as they fade into obscurity, I still think they have a little touch of class left in them, but then I might be biased... Thanks for the review of cars from an odd era of our past.
I had a 1999 B5 with the 1.8L Turbo from 2000 until 2023. Over those close to 24 years and 350,000 kms it ran great almost to the end. The 1.8L turbo is one of VW's best engines. I sold the car last year for $500 and bought another VW, this time with the non-turbo 2.5L 5-cylinder, another of VW's great engines.
I've got a 1.9tdi Bora similar interior, but I prefer my body styling
I used to have a pd130 bora se
VW bora was great my dad had loads mainly low spec model he had a 130pd sport at one point it was doing nearly 1000miles a day it never missed a beat
2003 - the year I switched from a Passat 1.8T to a ZT CDTi. The Passat was comfortable but didn't like holding its battery charge. 2 main dealers couldn't fix it.
I've worked a lot on these cars as a VW/Audi specialist, and they are almost bulletproof. The 1.8 20VT is one of the best engines they ever made. Internals are overdesigned, they van handle a lot of power. So in stock form they have the same lifespan as a TDI. I have this engine in a A3 8L from '03, only the 180 hp version. The 150 has a low pressure turbo and the 180/210/225 have the high pressure turbo. I have the car for 16 years now and never had any issues with it. Same goes for my ur quattro. Everything went downhill quality wise after '03/'04 with the new platforms and engines. 80s and 90s VAG is really good.
Had a 98 in HK. Great build quality but lots understeer and once it got to 80k-electrical issues, engine oil leaks. Air con failed. Tossed it. Nice interior.
Love the VAG 1.8T, but personally, they shouldn't have put it anything bigger than the Golf!
I think the 9n3 GTI with the 1.8t is just right
The PD 1.9 is right at home in the Passat especially with all that extra torque
I actually saw a Passant W8 4motion not too long ago, a very rare beast!
Decent car, which was on my company list back in 1998. Drove the impressive ad fast 1.8T several times plus the Alfa 156, Mondeo, Saab 9-3 and Aud A4. Ended up contributing to the monthy lease and getting the newly launched E46 323i. No regrets on that. Would have been very tempted by the Rover 75 had it been out a little earlier. The only one I drove was the smooth but lacking in torque 2.0V6. Lovely to sit in and look at, especially as it was the top of the range trim.
Av had 14 passats and 2 b5 passats. They may be boring car's the 1.9 Tdi PD is very reliable. Very comfortable everyone i ever had never broke down the last one i had was on 244thousand miles had no problems with it the engine ran like new. Cambelt and services fairly easy to do yourself. On the highline i had heated seats leather cup holders CD player electric windows all round. I really like them suspension was quite complex but work's really well. Quite heavy on cv joints The cambelt is not as hard as you say to do i have done 10 of the one's I owned myself and found them easier to do than some of the Vauxhalls of same year. Complaints about the Passat b5.5 water ingress from the scuttle panel normally into the footwell killing the CCM or breaking the wires leading to it. This is somthing that Vw should have told the owners about it was a service item and should have been cleaned at least once a year. Other things wires for electric windows and door locks breaking due to the lack of protection. Window regulators cables would snap due to window seal letting the water in down the side of the door and rusting the cable. I am currently running a Audi a4 avant b6 1.9 Tdi sport. Very similar to the Passat very tuneable. I have it remapped to 170hp. Enjoyed your review Matt I thought I would add my experience. 😊
My 2001.5 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T (B5.5) is still my daily driver today in August 2024. Original owner, original engine. 303k miles now. Sticker on driver door says car production date was December 1, 2000.
Had a b5 20valve turbo sport estate, had a remap on a dyno, solid reliable, loved that car
Although not a company car driver at the time I opted for the Mondeo 2 .0 TDCi estate that was brilliant back in the day. The driving dynamics were brilliant for the size of the car even in the diesel powered version. I still miss it believe it or not. I had it for a decade. The Passat always had better residuals but the cost to service and spares were at the time quite costly compared to the old Ford. At the time the Rover 75 was not on my shopping list and that seems odd looking back. Thanks for sharing.
Great video as always, in fact a stunning video considering the raw material you are working with here. An excellent minicab perhaps but so forgettable I can imagine parking it at the supermarket and then taking the bus home.
My Grandad had a Maroon 90's B5 passat as a company car when I was a kid, it was the one with the previous style head and taillights, and it also had the 1.8T, the only thing that went wrong on it for him was the Turbo went, so it had to be replaced, it was a really comfortable car from what I remember.
I think if someone wants a VW that's exciting, a Golf is the one to go for, imagine the acceleration if VW put that 1.8T engine from the Passat into the golf.
Of all the Passats, the B5/5.5 has always been my favourite.
If you'd asked me back in 2003 I'd have taken the Mondeo over any of them. Ask me now and I'd take the 75, the only one that's a proper future classic.
One of the best cars I owned the vw passat 04 plate with 220 tho miles on clock bought it for £450 of my English pounds ran it for 5 years passed every mot with nothing needed the only think I did to it was service brake pads all round once and a few tyres that was it great car
Had a blue version of this same car.
This thing has a weird one way rubber valve for the floor drains, that doesnt work.
Do you love electrical problems? Whats that you say, lets put a very fragile computer at the lowest spot of the floor near a drain? Of course thats a good idea....
😁
My ‘03 A4 3.0 had same
Very easy to tune that engine.
I had a 2006 polo gti with that engine. A simple APR tune got 147kw/320Nm up from 110kw/250nm
I love these. I had a 2001 Tdi 130 which I traded for a new X type v6 after a year. The Jag had so many faults I traded back to a new Passat TDi after 4 weeks. I kept Passat no2 for 4 years and around 100k miles before replacing it with a mk5 golf which was nowhere near as good. A taxi company bought the Passat and ran it to over 300k miles. I drove a few 1.8Ts, very smooth compared to the diesel but a bit flat on performance I felt
The seats are a demonstration of how much ergonomic understanding has moved on. They feel so comfortable when you first sit in them but after 200 miles, you'd rather be sitting in the comparatively sparse seats you'd find in the Up!
I'd largely forgotten that I'd driven a Passat of this generation. However, this review definitely brought back some memories, particularly the pitching when accelerating or braking. This feature I attributed to the engine being way out front and the springing being rather soft; as it was a company car I would guess that it also had a very hefty diesel engine that would exaggerate the effect. I drove an Audi A4 2.8 V6 Quattro a few years later, which I assume was on the same B5 platform. That was a much nicer car.
I did lots of miles in Passat’s 1.8t 2.0 8v and many diesel’s my favourite being 1.9tdi pd130.
But driving wise I did prefer the Mondeo but although just as reliable I prefer the vw diesel engines
Really willing you to get to 100k,,you’re such a lovely Chap
I had two diesel Passats B5 one saloon and one estate. Great cars ❤
Everyone I knew that could choose a company car back then they all chose the Vw Passat 1.9tdi
Remember going round every dealership with my mate looking at everything going he finally went Passat too
Had a fair few in different guises, diesels mostly. Had a brand new 1.8T Sport in 2002, same colour silver, lovely motor - and with its own sport cloth interior and sport steering wheel ( no velour). Think I paid £15k brand new discounted price !! How times change. After only a year I went back to a diesel for motorway economy.
try a year 2000 seat toledo v5, same platform, same dash different animal. I had one.
SEAT, back when they were the Spanish Alfa Romeo
@@furiousdriving yup. the 170hp v5 is quite interesting if you can find one
the toledo was based on the golf platform not passat
My dad had several of these Passat’s mostly 1.8T’s I think, test drove a V5 that I remember he was disappointed with, he was never into diesel.
Can still smell the leather when I think of it, I remember it was very softly sprung as a rear seat passenger. Travel sickness ahoy.
13:00 I remember asking my Nan what that word meant as a kid when reading about the Flopsie Bunnies and lettuce!
She gave me a dictionary and told me to look it up, I've loved it ever since!❤ 🐰 🥬
These cars drive briljant. Thats why you get them. The multilink suspension and the longitudinal mounted engine are some of the ingredients for that. They just don't make them like that anymore. For me this is automotive peak times. Lots of trim levels lots of engine options. Great comfort but stil a car you feel when driving. Back when car manufactors and cars had a identity.
I am completly speaking for myself here😉.
We had a 115 PD TDI one of these in estate form... brilliant car... but ultimately the electronics began to die. The mechanical parts were fine and it would achieve an easy 55mpg on a run. In terms of the Mondeo and the Rover, the Passat was the car that they tried to catch up with. Volkswagen upped the game considerably with the Mk5 Passat and Mk4 Golf in terms of build quality and caught other manufacturers napping in the late 90s early 00s. Ford used the Passat as their benchmark for the Mondeo. Longitudinal engine is due to shared underpinning with the Audi A4... which obviously had quattro as a option.
During the 2000s i always thought Passat drivers were the best on the road. They'd outgrown the dickish Audi/ bmw aggressive driving and just wanted a nice calm cruiser.... and drove accordingly.
Front fog lights will probably be on the main light switch. The China-market lwb version was the Škoda Superb in Europe.
In the hot weather of the southern USA the interior plastics do not hold up well at all. The soft touch surfaces started bubbling and peeling almost from delivery. That said, I’ve had 2 of them (my son drives one now) and they are all around great cars and not so bad to maintain….if you can fix it yourself and not pay someone else to do it
The interior of my Aunt's example in a tropical climate literally disintegrated... The dashboard/glovebox, centre console and so on just crumbled.
Its not dull its a blank canvas for modification. Love them.
Blue dashboard light matches the orange MIL light ;-P
Great cars I had two I didn’t think they were dull either better than a mondeo etc
I drove the slightly later mondeo TDCI and that was alot of fun for a diesel .Never driven a passat so cant comment but the mondeo was bloody good frankly so would be my pick and was trimmed well and looked a bit rackish compared to the passats.
I did see them as a bit boring and predictable when new. Our local Traffic Branch was using some Volkswagens at the time and did have a dark blue W8 for a while which was quite cool.
The thing is that the facelift styling has aged really well and seems a nice Retro Daily nowadays.
I reckon 85% were TDIs over here but I wood love a 1.8T or a 2.0 litre petrol just to be a bit more interesting.
Very good review.
Remember a friend of mine's Dad having a 2002 one of these - had blown it's engine by 2008!
@furious matt -- I believe that the engine not transverse bc it makes it easier to allow for four-wheel drive to the platform, like the 4motion models and also for the Audi A4/S4 having 4wd options. Subaru flat-fours + sixes being longitudinal, make it likewise easy to have 4wd. Otherwise, the 4wd setup on transverse cars is a bit more complex, so it may also be cheaper when longitudinal. cheers
I came very close to buying the last of this style Passat before I bought my 3rd Gen Mondeo, I’d never had a Ford before nor a VW , the VW on test felt solid enough but a bit something missing, the Mondeo on the other hand hand felt very different, more feedback more of a drivers car, who knows I may buy a Passat one day, despite being a little dull I kinda like them, always see this era VW as quite solid, although the Mondeo several years in is a great vehicle.
1.9 AWX for the win....love my Highline one 54 plate 155k miles....needs a clutch tho!
Just got rid of my Octavia with that turbo engine. 24 years old and 326.000 kms and still going without real problems....
The Rover 75 looks classy and that dash board on the Rover 75 with the wood very classy this is boring but they say most Toyota's are boring but there reputation for reliability certainly makes up for there boringness but this VW is dull we would have got them in Australia but couldn't compete against the Toyota Camery which were made in Australia
Good old car them. Watch out for the boot, it can have hinge problems and it flies open and busts the back window 😢 how do I know that 😮
Second hand hinges are like hens teeth in the scrapyards as it's a known fault.
Fond memories.... had a 1.9tdi, not sure what was wrong with it but was gutless... till you hit 3k and it would kick you up the ass, like the power delivery on an old 2 stroke motorbike 😂 was hilarious
Lo Matt, Nothing to add to your expert review. No excitement but as comfy as you got back in the day. thanks for vid Later 😂
Would like a Superb review. Second generation (B6, Typ 3T; 2008-2015). First gen was just rebadged VW. Second generation they had more own styling. Bigger back doors and room for passenger i remember.
I spent many hundreds of miles in various Passat hire cars between Herts and Glasgow for work.
It was a great car for big miles, but not a daily for me, too big and unwieldy.
And dull, the blue dash was the only exciting thing!
I'd probably pick a 75, over this, a Mondeo was more fun on the safe drive, but the VW was more comfortable
Can’t beat a good old basic car 👍
I strictly fall into the Mondeo camp. I owned not one, but three Mk3 Mondeos. If I was picking the cars it'd be a 1 - Mondeo, 2 - Rover and 3 - Passat.
A lot of people rate these in terms of reliability over the B6 that replaced them. Affirmatively uninspiring I will agree, but with a plethora of never-to-be-repeated petrol and diesel variants (pun not intended) and the 'old family dog' attachment and dependability (given regular servicing and maintenance is upheld) it makes for as others here say, a great used all-rounder.
I'll never forget my V5 wagons.
BRING BACK VELOUR!!! I miss velour. Last car I had with it, a 300zx Twin Turbo was supremely more comfortable with velour trim than anything with leather on it.
Loved my 04 tdi highline 130bhp
I think VWs are a bit dull but very easy to live with. I'd say same applies to my mark 7.5 golf estate. Once you get to mark 8 it starts to fall apart usability wise. Mark 7 really well laid out, control weights are lovely and its comfy cruiser. But it doesn't excite. There is no reward for revving the 1.5 turbo or pushing on in the bends. Just safe mild understeer. I therefore can't love it but i can certainly like it. Excellent daily driver and have my cooper S convertible for fun on the weekends.
I don’t know what was going on in my head when I replaced a brilliant Xantia with a Passat 1.8 20V SE . A dreadful ownership experience, car did its job adequately , though extremely dull , the dealers were on another level for incompetence , including one that damaged the car , it must have been like it when it came in , no it f***ing well wasn’t ! Glad to see the back of it and will never have another Volkswagen.
Yes, the Rover 75 has the charm but in reality, I'd take this every time.
Excellent review Matt
The VW would be my first choice for longevity, though. I have a 2003 Golf V5. Some niggles but providing the vvt / cam chain doesn't screw me over, at 157k miles, it feels like it could do 300k and another 20 years. I'm seeing lots of similarities with the interior of the mk4 Golf. Same era, I know, but surprisingly similar inside.
Was the longitudal engine to allow for 4WD (4motion / quattro) on this platform ? My Audi 90 20v has a longitudinally orientated engine, and that was to allow for the quattro variants.