phaeton's Trip to the Dealer B7 Passat Edition

[R36FTW]

Disappointing, and IMO Audi and BMW are far better aesthetically.

[mini2]

I'm quite the opposite, kinda glad I didn't get the R36 a couple of months ago as I knew that drivetrain will make it through to the B7's. Aesthetically not as pleasing but the V6 highline will be a Q-ship.

[genkifd]

i sat in the new passat today - they had the new passat next the the CC. the new passat reminds me of the lancer.

the dash isnt much different - keyless entry, relocation of park brake, round gear stick and central clock location. nice.

the door trim more hard plastic and seats is slightly worse than the CC.

[deano646]

omg! this upgrade is so horrible its not funny. this car is soooo vanilla.

think a Golf R will be the replacement for my R36 unless they are a little more creative than this garbage!!

[Buzy_Robot]

I actually like the styling of the new B7 Passat. I much prefer this understated, albeit chiseled and even handsome look. I would suggest a bit of restraint, simplicity and even predictability in car design tends to bode well with a more conservative buying public. Current models such as the Subaru Liberty, Hyundai i45 and Kia Optima have gone for an overexaggerated look that screams "look at me" in a disconcerting way. Having said that, I do like the look of the current Mazda6 which exudes a futuristic Japanese aesthetic, coupled with a sporty elegance.

Being in the market myself for a new car, the B7 Passat grabbed my attention because it's the complete opposite of some of the more outlandish designs out there. Visually it gives the impression of a quiet confidence and dependability and really, isn't that an accurate representation of the Passat's true character? Excluding the driving excitement created by and captured in the visual cues of both the Passat CC and Passat R36, the other Passat variants are, to all intents and purposes, marketed on the basis of overall quality and technological innovation, rather than a compelling and/or provocative design language.