| Volkswagen Passat | |
|---|---|
 Passat B9 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volkswagen |
| Also called |
|
| Production | 1973–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size car / large family car (D) |
| Layout | Front-engine, front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | |
| Successor | Volkswagen ID.7 (saloon) |
The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar and Carat — in saloon, estate, and hatchback body styles.
A "four-door coupé" variant of the Passat with a lower roof was released in the North American market in 2008 as the Passat CC, which was then renamed to Volkswagen CC. The CC was succeeded by the Arteon in 2017.
In January 2011, Volkswagen introduced a separate Passat model line, internally designated "Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan" or NMS, that was manufactured in the US at the Chattanooga assembly plant and in China at Nanjing by SAIC-Volkswagen. Developed to increase Volkswagen sales in North America, the Passat NMS is larger and costs less to produce,[1] and is sold in the North America, South Korea, China, and Middle East.[2] The separate B8 Passat model entered production in Europe in 2014, based on the MQB platform.
In 2019, the Passat NMS program was split into two as the North American one continued being produced on an older platform while the Chinese Passat moved on to the MQB platform, which resulted in Volkswagen marketed three models under the Passat nameplate globally at that time. The North American Passat was discontinued after the 2022 model year.[3]
Volkswagen ended the production of the saloon Passat for the European market in 2022. The B9 Passat, released in 2023, is only available in an estate body style. The Passat continues to be available as a saloon in China.
The "Passat" is one of several Volkswagen models named after a wind: "Passat" is the usual German word for "Trade winds".[4]
- ^ "VW's new midsize sedan is updated Passat, adds TDI option". CNET. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "VW turns to old name for new Chattanooga-made car". Timesfreepress.com. 10 January 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ^ Bomey, Nathan. "Volkswagen Passat discontinued: Another sedan is killed as cars give way to SUVs". USA TODAY. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
- ^ Perkins, Chris (31 October 2018). "Volkswagen's Odd Car Names Have Surprisingly Normal Origins". Road & Track. Hearst Magazines. Retrieved 29 September 2024.