2016 Volkswagen Passat

The 2016 Volkswagen Passat is a midsize sedan designed for the American lifestyle, featuring a winning combination of design, interior and cargo space, class-leading technology, available driver assistance systems, and powerful engines.

The 2016 Passat features more aggressive styling than its predecessor, with a new hood, front fenders, grille, front and rear bumpers, trunklid and available LED headlights and taillights. In short, the only sheetmetal that remains unchanged is the roof, the doors, and the body side stamping.

Slimmer headlights, a more substantial four-bar grille, and the muscular, domed hood all work together to give the Passat a wider, more planted stance from the front. At the back, the new car has a premium European-style flush rear license plate area. A new chrome strip on the trunk makes the rear lights appear lower, enhancing the grounded appearance, while chrome on the window surrounds, bumpers, and door trim adds to the premium nature of the design.

For the first time, Volkswagen is offering an R-Line(r) version of the Passat. This 2016 sporty model features unique rocker panels, a stylized front bumper with contrasting black accents, a modified rear diffuser, and 19-inch anthracite Salvador aluminum-alloy wheels shod with 235/40 ZR rated tires.

Inside, the 2016 Passat gets an extensively upgraded interior, for a more sophisticated look and feel. A new instrument panel features two large gauges and the center stack incorporates VW's latest infotainment system. The 2016 Passat 3.6-liter VR6(r) engine makes 280 horsepower -- one of the highest outputs in the midsize sedan class.