MT Editor-At-Large Arthur St. Antoine takes a look at one of the sportiest contenders in our 4-cylinder family sedan comparison
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00:00 Here's the lone European entry in this comparison test, the 2008 Volkswagen Passat Turbo.
00:11 As the name implies, it's a turbocharged engine, the only one in the group.
00:14 A 2.0-liter four making 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque.
00:19 Although all the cars in this comparison test have automatics and it is available with the
00:23 Passat, we were not able to get a test car that had one.
00:26 So this one has a six-speed manual transmission, the only one in the group.
00:30 However, if you want the automatic, it's a nice six-speed available for about $1,000
00:34 more.
00:35 Base price for this Passat Turbo, just under $24,000.
00:39 The only option on this test car, heated front seats, that's about $225 extra if you put
00:43 on the automatic transmission.
00:44 You're just about $26,000 all up.
00:47 Some of the included standard features on the Passat Turbo include 16-inch alloy wheels,
00:51 a nice CD player with MP3 capability, a nice leatherette that looks a lot like leather
00:57 on the interior.
00:58 Basically, the Passat Turbo covers all the essentials with that standard price.
01:02 Exterior styling, it's definitely got that European flair.
01:06 Very clean on the outside, very Volkswagen-looking.
01:09 A very nicely sized car, too.
01:10 A lot of room inside.
01:11 And inside, beautifully detailed.
01:14 Nice little accents of glossy materials, great steering wheel, nice and meaty, and a very
01:20 pleasurable place to conduct the business of driving.
01:22 The combination of that 2.0 liter turbo four, the most powerful engine in this group, and
01:26 the German-tuned chassis really made the Passat Turbo stand out in our handling loops.
01:31 The chassis is tremendous.
01:32 It's got a lot of grip, great steering feel, and yet it definitely absorbs road impacts,
01:37 so it's actually quite a comfortable car to be in as well.
01:40 And there's no getting around the fact that the Volkswagen pins you back nicely.
01:43 You really appreciate that power when you're working your way up through the gears.
01:47 On the test track, the 2008 Volkswagen Passat Turbo turned in the best times in the field.
01:53 Zero to 60, 6.6 seconds and a quarter mile in 15 flat at 95.5 miles per hour.
02:00 Again, the fastest car in the test by a notable margin.
02:04 Around our Motor Trend figure eight test, the Volkswagen posted a lap time of 27.2 seconds
02:09 at 0.62 G average.
02:11 On the skid pad, 0.83 average G, braking, 60 to zero miles per hour in 122 feet.
02:20 Compared with some of the other cars in this group, the Passat Turbo is really the driver's
02:24 car delivering that very special German feel, great looking exterior package, handsome interior,
02:31 perhaps the best road manners of the group, and also roomy and a good value as well.
02:35 A very, very tough car to beat here.
02:37 This is definitely going to be one of the top contenders.
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