The most successful midsize car

Elegant, comfortable, confident: For more than four decades, the Volkswagen brand has had a true endurance standout with the Passat. Designed for both families and professionals who put in a lot of miles on the road, the all-rounder with 29 million units sold has become the most successful midsize and company car in the world. Today the Passat is not only sold on every continent, it is also built in countless production facilities around the world. Unique versions and variants have emerged in Europe, China and the US.

1973: Market launch

The Passat demonstrated its dynamic personality immediately after being launched in 1973. For, as designed by Italian car designer Giorgio Giugiaro, the first Passat was – with its two or four doors and large tailgate – a hatchback sedan more versatile than any Volkswagen that had come before. At the same time, the Passat was at 4.19 meters in length not only shorter than the current T-Roc, it was also impressively spacious – a trend that continued in 1974 with the even more spacious Passat Estate.

Eight generations over more than four decades

Today, over eight model generations, the Passat has grown to a length of 4.88 meters .

Thanks to its successful design of stylish elegance and dynamic power, it was awarded one of the most prestigious honors in the design world in 2015: the “iF gold award” in the category “product”. The Passat’s interior also impresses with its modern and stylish appointments – from the use of high-quality materials to the application of digital assistance systems and its roomy dimensions. All this makes for a comfortable long-distance vehicle. Today, both the Passat hatchback and the estate are available in versions featuring not only conventional combustion engines, but also plug-in hybrid drive systems^5/6/7 that enable the Passat to function as an electrically powered zero-emission vehicle for short periods in primarily urban environments.