Outback vs. Passat wagon?

[basil]

Hi!

Since my husband got a new job with a very long commute in a northeast city that does a terrible job at snow removal, and we're trying to add a baby to our family which includes a small dog, it seems time to trade in my trusty 1999 VW Beetle for something more practical.

I've always liked driving my dad's VW Passat wagon, but they don't make it in AWD anymore and it's more than I want to spend. I guess I could buy a used one but we like to buy new and keep cars for 10+ years. Plus after owning a VW for 11 years, I'm tired of how much it costs to fix even little things that go wrong.

Do you think that the Outback is relatively comparable - in terms of cargo room, rear seat room, fit and finish? I'd probably go for the 2.5 CVT Limited model, which I know wouldn't be as fast as the Passat V6, but I'm OK with anything that's not slower than the Beetle or my husband's newish Honda Civic.

Anyone driven both of these and can compare?

[AWDFTW]

A quick search yields:

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/...sat-wagon.html

[basil]

Thanks. I read that, but it didn't seem to address my specific concerns so I was looking for additional opinions. I'm not going to buy a Passat, so I don't care about the relative reliability, just really want to know if the size is similar and if it is as nice inside. I know I could compare #s but that seems to only tell part of the story.

I know I could go to a dealer and sit in one, but that would require exposing myself to the sharks there and don't want to do that. And my dad's car is 1000 miles away so it's not like I could do a direct compare anyway.

[Kerplunk105]

My boyfriend has an 02 V6 Passat wagon, non AWD and I have the H6 04 Outback.

They have around the same power, space (cargo and people), gas milage, etc. The biggest thing I have found is that his VW is 10x more comfortable then my Outback.

I don't think you'd go wrong with either choice His Passat wagon was a recondition title too and he hasnt had a single issue with it!

If money is an issue, maybe look at an older outback or passat. Try and stick with a V6 engine-they seem to have less issues in the VW's.

[bigdadi]

There is a problem of steering wheel shaking on the new outback that Subaru cannot fix yet or a fix is coming in very near future. Maybe look in Forester.

[fatabbot]

Originally Posted by basil

Do you think that the Outback is relatively comparable - in terms of cargo room, rear seat room, fit and finish?

The OB should be comparable or better in terms of cargo and rear seat room. Fit and finish, probably not. However, the OB isn't THAT bad in that manner, either.

The OB won't handle near as well as the Passat, but has a smooth, quiet ride.

[steve10]

Originally Posted by bigdadi

There is a problem of steering wheel shaking on the new outback that Subaru cannot fix yet or a fix is coming in very near future. Maybe look in Forester.

The steering wheel shake/vibration is not in most Outbacks and, supposedly, there is a fix for it coming out this month (July) if your OB happens to have it. Mine does not have it and is rock steady at 70 MPH and I suspect most OB's also do not have it. If more vehicles had this vibration you would see it all over this forum.

I've had the 2011 OB for about a month now and feel it's a great car for what I want: AWD, comfort, and cargo space. The cost was about $24K. I've never been in a Passat so I can't help you there. We did drive a Forrester but my wife liked the ride in the OB better.

[Europachris]

I won't sugar coat it - I love VWs (and German cars in general). VW/Audi has the best interior fit, finish, and materials - period. They are the benchmark. My '02 Jetta wagon has an interior standard that most new cars are only just beginning to come up to. Furthermore, the ride/handling dynamics of German cars are simply my preference.

That said, I've been very impressed with our '10 Outback. We're close to 10,000 miles on it since the beginning of March and it's been flawless, and no shakes. The interior is well thought out, has good quality materials, and no squeaks or rattles. I'm not thrilled with the tan trim molding on the bottom door sills, but that's easily replaced with the black trim for low $$ and it looks good - that's on my list to do.

It averages 28mpg or better and is a very smooth and quiet highway cruiser. It handles pretty well for a tall, big (it dwarfs my Jetta in the garage) wagon, and in my opinion, is a screaming bargain for what you get for the money.

[tajsls]

I traded in my 2002 VW Passat wagon for the 2010 Outback. The VW had a better interior. You felt like you were in a higher class car then just a VW. The Outback's interior is not that bad though. Just not up to the VW.

The Monsoon sound system in the VW was much better then the base sound system in the Outback. The Outback's system is bad. I will be changing the radio and speakers when I get motivated enough to remove the interior door panels.

The 1.8T engine in the VW felt like it had much more power for merging in traffic. The 0 to 60 mph time was in the 8 second range vs the 2.5i engine which is in the 10 second range. So you do have to do a little more "planning" when merging onto a busy highway. However, I am getting a consistant 2 mpg (regular vs premium fuel is a plus too) better in the Outback which is pretty amazing when comparing an AWD car vs a FWD car. At least I think it is amazing. My daily travels back and forth to work keep me on two lane roads (with mostly 50 mph limits) so I don't miss the lower engine performance. I do have the MT so that does help the sporty feel factor.

The ride in the Outback is much smoother. The VW handled better in the turns. I did the rear sway bar mod on the Outback and it helped greatly. Enough so that I don't worry about high speed turns anymore.

Interior room in the Outback is much better then the Passat. I am 6' 1" and when I set the front seat for me in the Passat, there was very little leg room behind me for my kids in their car seats. When I set the seat in the Outback, my kids feet have plenty of room. There is actually more foot room for my kids then in my Suburban. Passenger and driver space is amazing compared to the Passat.

I feel the Pasat did have more cargo room behind the rear seats. This is probably because the rear seat room is so spacious. However, there is still plenty of room so it does not worry me.

It is also much easier to get in and out of the Outback because of the added ground clearance. I felt like my butt was dragging in the Passat. It is also much easier to get my kids in and out of the car seats because ground clearance and the space in the rear seat area. Having the ground clearance also helps when parking in fields for events you attend (festivals, fireworks, sporting events, etc.). It also gives a little better view of the road.

Another plus is that the A/C in the Outback is much colder then the Passat. For some reason, the A/C was undersized in the Passat Wagon. You can read about that in other VW forums.

Something I don't think others have mentioned is that there is a better view of traffic lights. In the Passat (and my Suburban), if I am the first at a traffic light, I can't see it without bending my head down. The roof line is in the way because I am taller. With the Outback, I have no problem seeing traffic lights.

Finally, the AWD vs the FWD is great. My Passat was always spinning the front wheels when the road was wet. The Outback sticks to the road, period. When the East Coast had the two blizzards this year, I took the Outback out and had no problems getting around. My Passat was scary in the snow, even with snow tires. I leave in a hilly neighborhood though. So I am biased on this point.

Overall, my Subaru is great. It does everything I need it to do as an everyday car. I do not have second thoughts about trading the VW for the Subie. It is not a perfect car, (mine stalls, exhaust system rattles when RPMs drop low, rocker panels have the sand blasted look) but it does everything I need it to do, economically and comfortably, right now.

[J3Flyer]

I also considered a VW Passat wagon but decided the styling was bland and I didn't like the idea of burning premium gas. The new Outback came along and I bought a 2011 in early July. It is in my opinion a much better buy and will be more reliable. Looks great too!

For a good comparison of the two vehicles, or any vehicles, go here: Compare New & Used Cars - Kelley Blue Book You will be able to put several cars side-by-side with data on the cars' dimensions and specs.

Good luck on your choice of vehicle. I am very happy with my choice.