Car of the decade – VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
The fifth generation Passat, produced between 1996 and 2005, has been awarded the coveted title of Large Used Car of the Decade by the used car assessment experts , CAP.
The ‘all-new’ Passat, exposed to the public at the 1996 Paris Motor Show, was hailed as a step forward in the upper medium class setting new standards for quality , improvement , styling and performance. These betterments were recognized at the time with the Passat receiving a string of industry accolades including the prestigious European Car of the Year at the 1997 Auto 1 awards.
Mark Bulmer from CAP Black Book explained: ‘The Volkswagen Passat is a byword for quality , and the model launched in 1996 was a huge step forward in every area most important to the trade and the used car buyer. Volkswagen’s concentration to feature meant that this Passat presented the sense of a prestige automobile but at a mainstream purchase price. Legendary dependability means a deserved name as a dependable ‘workhorse’ and robust engineering and build quality means it is a safe bet even with mileage into six figures.’
Bulmer continued: ‘The new variety of diesel engines offered a leap forward in terms of the balance between performance and economy, a blend at the very heart of success in the used car market. This quality set the 1996 – 2005 Passat apart from many other cars in its sector which could often prove prohibitively costly to live with. By providing esteem quality at a normal price this Passat also inclined other companies to up their game in terms of the quality ~ excellence ~ eminence} of their own vehicles ’
Commenting on the honor , John French, National Van Leasing Manager for Dropside Vans Volkswagen United Kingdom : ‘The Passat has always performed strongly and is well recognized on the used market with the strength of the brand image and residual values both ensuring high demand.
Now in its (6th ~ sixth generation}, the Passat was firstly marketed back in 1973 and, over this 36 year period, has become one of the most successful models for Volkswagen. To date, more than 16 million Passats have been manufactured worldwide with over half a million being supplied to customers in the UK.
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