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In love with the 2011 VW Jetta? It’s tough to imagine, but I’ll certainly concede that it’s possible. Anyway, if you love the new Jetta, you won’t be able to stop yourself falling for its big brother, the forthcoming Passat-replacement. On the other hand, if you think the new Jetta looks like a stock photograph of a vanilla ice cream cone, or if it inspires you as much as an insurance firm’s mission statement, this New Midsize Sedan might leave you a bit cold. On the other hand, there is a silver lining to the Passat’s blandification: Volkswagen has finally figured out how to make the Phaeton look like a distinctive, innovative, upscale design.
64 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: You Can Passat But Will You Notice It? Edition...”
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It looks to me like a mix of a 92 Camry (front end), a 2nd gen Taurus (sides) and a very inspired rear end.
Sigh. The previous one looked much better.
Agreed. It’s the answer to the question: What if Proton did a mash-up of bland 90s mid-sizers?
I’m guessing the engineers got the order to “make something like the ’90s Camry, Accord and Taurus. The Americans bought 800,000 of those, didn’t they?” and this is the result of those poor befuddled souls doing their best at “working towards the (VAG) fuhrer.”
They should call it the Pamry- which sounds like a remedy for menstral cramps.
Look everyone, it’s a German Toyota Avalon. If Buick sedans are too ‘edgy’ for you.
Horrible. Makes the restyled Avenger look hip. Looks like the box the 2010 Sonata came in.
What are they thinking???
The BLAHification of VWoA continues…
The ‘new’ Euro Passat looks just about the same, or just as bland anyway.
I’m glad the old Kia/Hyundia designers were able to find work in this tough economy…
Ironically, I think the head Kia designer is an ex-VW guy.
The fact that the Koreans are producing some of the best designs (mainstream or otherwise) is an interesting turn of events.
The KiA guy is Peter Schreyer, and he’s from Audi.
Reliability issues (I used to own a Passat) have kept me away until now.
Now the looks will keep me away too. That back end is just blah.
Will it sell? If it’s less expensive and has higher quality in the mechanicals and electrical, (hey, maybe they shifted where the money went, right?) then maybe in a year or two when word gets out.
Put a TDI and a manual in this and I might consider it. MIGHT.
I hear you about VW reliability issues… when a Passat goes bad, it goes bad in a very expensive way. But at least the B5’s like the one I used to own looked nice, and made you feel (at least initially) that you had stepped into a nice car. This thing? Styling that makes an Accord look good with modern German (lack of) reliability. I am sure people will flock to buy that!
At this rate, the next New Beetle is going to have an air-cooled boxer and swing axles.
I literally can’t imagine what they could possibly do to make it any more bland than it is.
Apparently good designers add to the cost at VW.
Zing! That’s a great snide remark.
That “2011 Mediocrity” ad just went from snide to prescient
Honda Accord redux, anyone?
It really does make me worry about what these guys would do to Alfa Romeo if they got their hands on it…
If they put Walter da Silva back on it, it will most likely be ok designwise. I’d just rather have FIAT put some real money into Alfa, design some RWD platforms and sprinkle a hint of Ferrari tech into their engines, so that for the first time since the 70s, we’d finally have a true competitor to the smaller BMWs in my lifetime. A new big model based on the 300C is not going to cut it, it’s too big, not sporty enough and purists will lament its pedigree. They need a newly designed RWD 3 series killer. I think they’re underestimating the potential market for that car and what it could do for the brand, but then I could be wrong, I know Alfa has a pretty abysmal reputation in the US so that’s probably one of the things holding them back (that and lack of funding at the moment).
Side profile looks just like an Impala. Ouch.
Is induced narcolepsy an integral part of VW’s market domination plan? Seriously, Audi’s are conservatively restyled, but this is taking conservative to a whole new level…looks like the anonymous ‘anycar’ they’d use in an auto insuarance commercial.
Next to Honda, I nominate VW for the “most losing it’s mojo” award, at least in the US market. Bland, watered-down boring-mobiles may initially sell if they price is right, but the long term damage to the prestige and value of the brand is not worth the trip to the bottom.
How delusional is VW mgt if they think that hundreds of thousands of people will buy a VW over a Toyota or Honda (or now, a Hyundai or Kia) if they just make their cars vanilla enough. VW’s high maintenance and unreliable quality rep will easily kill most of those intended sales, as so many Asian sedan buyers are just looking for a reliable transportation appliance.
And while they cheapen out and decontent their cars…their hipness/cool/Euro-image will also take a nosedive, and they’ll lose the hipster/young urban/auto enthusist and entry-level yuppie market as well. Way to eliminate ALL of your customer base.
How do you say ‘idiots’ in German?
It resembles one of the VW-SAIC re-skins of the MK2 Jetta they’re still selling, which for the record means that it is ugly/bland/derivative/etc…./etc…./etc…..
http://jalopnik.com/5467600/chinese-vw-jetta-facelift-comically-bad/gallery/
Relax boys. VW is becoming juniors department at H&M. Just keep walking. There’s nothing there for you.
I like how they grafted the headlights of a XV20 Camry onto the body of a XV30 Camry. Very original, VW.
This one makes the current Camry look like sex on wheels.
Inoffensive and Built to Stay That Way.
I don’t find the styling any worse than the current Passat.
Rear quarter window/D-pillar look like the current Chevy Impala.
The current one never really grew on me, either. It’s like a slightly fancier Camry. This is no better, no worse in the overall design department…which is subjective.
Passats have never been flashy. From “Dasher” to “Quantum” to “Passat” (I know they are all “Passats” almost everywhere outside NA), it’s always been sensible and boxy. Nothing wrong with that. Flashy designs age quickly, whereas the Giugiaro-designed first gen Dasher/Passat still looks good today.
To go even further, Volkswagen has never been flashy. With the possible exception of Karmann-Ghia, nobody would accuse most of the air-cooled VW’s of even being consciously “styled.”
Volkswagen should call the NMS the “New K70”
Looks like the last ford taurus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2008_Ford_Taurus_SEL_.jpg
also reminds me of the last Ford Fusion.
Then again Jay Mays did supervise the design of the Taurus and the ’98 B5 Passat that the B7 Passat is derivative of.
I’ll give the new Jetta this: it looks better in person than it does in photos, and the lighting details are actually quite nice. I’ll reserve judgement.
Am I the only one that actually kind of likes “bland” and “understated” styling? I’m having trouble finding anything overtly wrong with this picture.
Honestly, it might look better in photos if it had larger wheels and a color other than primer gray.
Tankinbeans;
Just you and everyone over 65.
I guess I’m 43 years too young. I agree that this would look much better in another color. Perhaps that electric blue that was featured on the Kia Forte reviewed quite a few weeks ago. For me, alone I guess, I prefer simple shapes instead of tons of jarring angles and weird proportions that many designers seem to use in order to, hopefully, hit on something that is “striking.” This is all my opinion and as they say “opinions are like…”
I’m actually okay with the understated Jetta, though I’d say the NMS styling is definitely to the “bland” side of “understated.” Fact is I’d be fine with all of it, if they took the design money they saved and spent it on performance and trim that doesn’t fall off (B5 Passat, I’m looking at you). I am definitely down for a Wolfsburg-in-sheep’s-clothing. But this vanilla box doubtless comes with the full decontent kit – drum brakes, torsion beams, lowest-bid switchgear – which is anathema to the middle income Euro-snobs (myself included) who are the VW core.
As an owner, I’ve always talked trash about VW cost-to-own with the qualification that it’s worth it for the design and driving ergonomics. Now, I’ll likely just be talking trash. I’m sure I’m not alone. If I were a VW dealer, I’d be crapping my silk undies. Looks like the Golf will be the last VW standing.
Okay. That makes sense. Make the car worth driving (I won’t use the requisite buzzwords) and I’d it. If the car is, in my opinion, worth driving “bland” or “boring” styling wouldn’t send me packing. But, since I don’t plan on ever buying new it’s kind of a moot point.
@PartsUnknown
Even the smaller wheels have advantages. Better ride, and cheaper tires.
Oversized wheels are the “new bland.” Everybody has them. Why not go back to normal sized wheels. Nostalgic, with more character!
KitaIkki
I hear you, but I’m not advocating 22″ dubs. The pic above looks like 16 inchers on a mid-sized sedan. Even a bump to a nice 17″, 5 -spoke wheel would do the trick in terms of filling out the wheel wells.
The Toyotafication of VW continues. This is just depressing! Rather than leading the market (like the Koreans are now doing), VW seems to be following yesterday’s market leader.
Some are stating that this in not the NMS, but a car for the Chinese market. Lets hope that is the case!
http://news.cheshi.com/gcxc/201012/277276.shtml
Well, the new Jettas are flying off the lots, I hear. So a lot of people, myself included, may be eating some crow after this car comes out too. If they follow the same decontenting approach and drop the price way down, it may work. I think this will be tougher to do here than with the Jetta though. The last Jetta interior was always as nice or better than the current Passats. And the Corrolla has crappier interior than the Camry. And the Accord is even better.
I don’t see engines going beyond the 2.0T either, because it would clash with the CC if it had “sports sedan” variants. So this will be strictly put against the I-4 Camcordatas, which means it has to be dirt cheap.
I don’t think it’s fair that everyone keeps comparing the Accord, which has a beautiful, stylish, even aggressive design, to the Camry and Passat. To be honest it’s the best looking car in this segment as far as I see. The Passats have always been boring (mid 70’s not so bad, and outgoing generation a little blink of light) Camrys have never resembled anything exciting, but Accord have had a good looking car for almost every second generation. I will try my best to hate this generation of Passat as much as I’ve hated the others before it.
So I’m not the only human who likes the Accord?
Or are you being sarcastic?
I refrain from admitting it here, but I like the new Accord also. I actually bought one. Maybe we could form a support group…
I’m looking forward to the GEN IX Accord coming up in a couple years. I had a GEN VII for about 3 years and I liked it for the most part. If I recall styling on that one wasn’t a strong point on the blogs. I thought it looked nice (as a coupe – the taillights on the sedan weren’t good in my opinion).
Also, are the revised taillights for the current sedan cribbed from the Japanese market Inspire (I believe that’s what they call it over there)? I’m surprised they didn’t flip the turn signals and brake lights around which is what they’ve generally done with mid-cycle updates. Although in GEN VII they flipped the turn signals and brake lights for a couple years and then they went LED for a couple years. I’m not sure what they’re doing.
I’m sorry, I forgot to check if the US Accord was the same as the Euro one, but, unfortunatly it isn’t… Seems the Euro Accord is an Acura TSX to you. Still, lots better than any Passat or Camry.
@Zykotec
And the TSX is substantially smaller, and aimed at a different crowd, than either Passat or Camry. TSX and Jetta would be more apropos, since they’re very similar in size, options, performance, and (almost) pricing.
The Euro Accord (according to Wiki it’s ther same as a TSX) is roughly the same size as a Passat, if not on the outside, at least it is on the inside, so that would make the US Accord huge (by european standards) Either that or the US Passat is also a separate model (which I’m quite sure it is not) The Jetta allthough ‘blown up’ considerably since the beginning is still a Golf with a ‘backpack’, which makes it Civic territory over here. (and well, apart from the Hybrid model theh Civic is also a separate Euro model, looking nowhere as boring as,… well, any other car on the marked today, even if it’s a 5 year old car.
(sorry if there’s two reply’s here, some don’t show up so I’m trying again)
The Euro Accord (or TSX) is not substantially smaller than the Passat, the Jetta is a Golf with a backpack, so it’s the same class as a Civic, but luckily we don’t get the Civic sedan over here , only the absolutely stunning (even after 5 years) Euro Civic hatchback.
Since I live in America, I’m only interested if it comes with the cheap-assed interior materials that plague the 2011 Jetta. That is, after all, what Americans are supposed to want.
I think the new Jetta design works very well…my concern is when you scale it up 30%, it’s like enlarging a photocopy.
There’s a good reason the MkIV and B5 looked a lot different (mainly because of unrelated platforms, but I digress) and the MkV/VI and B6 look different. It’s best to avoid the old “One sausage, three sizes” design quagmire.
It seems like the convential wisdom here is that VW has no clue what they’re doing. I’m not conviced that this Passat replacement and the new Jetta will be flops. Americans buy a lot of bland sedans and the previous Passat and Jetta models were only bit players in the market. If VW prices these right, backs them up with some major marketing, they could well grab market share (especially while giants Honda and Toyota seem to be floundering). Personally, I prefer the clean, “bland” styling over the overwrough Korean and Japanese models. If they offer this is a wagon and a TDI, I would be very interested (but not holding my breath!).
I think the consensus is that they’ll be commercially successful, at least for a while, but will pay the price in brand equity in the long run. I personally think they’re way overreaching their grasp and damaging the high content “Euro coolness” that made people here like them in the first place (questionable reliability and everything).
FWIW, they are not building a wagon for the US, but there will be a tdi sedan (which I totally support, since we need more affordable diesels in our collective portfolio of car engines).
The previous cars were bland, but had some kind of “style”. They even looked a bit “luxurious”.
Bland styling can be done well, and I show the 92-96 Camry as an example. Bland and handsome, still looks good today.
I don’t think we’ll be replacing our B6 Passat wagon with one of these anytime soon. Definitely a step backward in the styling department, for this and the new Jetta.
I’m glad those old Toyota designers that were kicked out last year when Toyota profits shrank got a new job somewhere. Both this and the virtual clone Jetta are as plain, generic and bland as you could possibly get!
Behold. The all-new Volkswagen Passé.
IF they are trying to make Volkswagen difficult to spot they succeeded. There is no way with designs like this they are going to increase their volume like they want to do. Sure plenty of bland looking cars have sold well, but with the Jetta no only did they take away any resemblance of character but they took away other things, looks like its continuing with the Passat.
Just another reason not even to consider a VW. I don’t want something flashy but I also don’t want something completely boring.
It looks way too much like the current Chevy Impala from the side, as others have mentioned. I guess it will compete with the 2011 Mediocrity Sedan. Isn’t it just a facelift of the recently discontinued B6 Passat?
They could give it a little bit of personality if they brought back “La Cucaracha” door and seatbelt chimes. I’m sure VW has a stash of them from the ’90s somewhere. Add a “La Cucaracha” horn, and it’s exactly the car that Homer Simpson wanted!
Did someone actually describe the Accord as “beautiful, stylish, aggressive”??? Funniest thing I’ve read in a while.
I admit I was wrong, but here in Europe they badge the Acura TSX as ‘Honda Accord’, so over here that statement is true. The US Accord is as mentioned still a lot better than the Passat.
Boring. Looks a lot like the 98 Passat.