1998 Volkswagen Passat GLS
When I first saw the freshly redesigned Volkswagen Passat in 1998, I instantly knew I was in love. How could one resist a car so attractive?
The broad sweep of the Passat's line was sensuous and smooth; its roof pillars slim and delicate; its front and rear fascias clean, unadorned, and iconic. The shape would have worked easily as well for a high-powered sports sedan and, with a spoiler and slick tires, would not have looked out of place on a race track. In a market full of boxy, anonymous, or overly ornamented sedans, the Passat was an instant classic, the kind of subtly aggressive yet elegant family car Jaguar would pen if its design team was not inextricably trapped by traditional design cues.
If possible, the interior was even more exciting. Instead of the mouse-fur velour and cheap plastics used by most of its family-sedan competition, the Passat's interior was lush and inviting, with flashy glints of metal trim, real-looking wood, sumptuous leather, heated seats, and the blue-and-red backlit instrumentation. Add in a punchy, torquey turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder (one of my favorite four-cylinders of all time) and the exotic semi-automatic transmission, and the Passat was a revelation--an inexpensive family sedan that looked, rode, and drove just like a much more expensive sports sedan.
This may all seem like old hat now, but it certainly was not so in the 1998 family sedan market. This was back when Altimas were still wimpy, disposable economy cars, before Accords had 268-horsepower engines, back when the Taurus was still one of the best family sedans around. Family sedans then were still considered merely utilitarian transport; not the stylish, powerful, pocket sports sedans they are now.
I'll argue that the 1998 Passat started that trend. Take a look at today's Altima and Accord and try to convince me they weren't heavily influenced by the 1998 Passat. Good luck--it'll be an uphill task. The Passat also signalled the beginning of Volkswagen's recent mini-boom among status-conscious buyers. After the Passat came a new, more stylish (albeit horribly unreliable) Jetta, and the New Beetle arrived at around the same time.
Of course, Volkswagen subsequently cluttered up the Passat's clean exterior with more chrome, a bigger grille, partially clear taillights, and other tacky filigree. The price also soared into the stratosphere. Ah, well--at least the purposeful original lives on in the used-car lot.
I must admit that part of my bias towards the Passat came from the fact that it was my very first test car and the first road test I wrote as a journalist. It's difficult to believe that was already a decade ago, but it was an incredible step forward at the time, and it excited me so much that I still maintain a place in my heart for it.
The video shows a proud owner walking through a silver Passat GLS with black leather--the identical twin of the car I tested a decade ago, still looking sharp. According to the owner, though, his car has an option that I've never seen elsewhere--automatic steering! I'm sure the military would pay a pretty penny for that kind of technology ...
EDIT: I also just added a classic '98 Passat commercial. This was during the time when VW's ads were right on the cutting edge of cleverness, though we hadn't yet reached the era of "Unpimp Ze Auto."
--Chris H.
Chris B. on February 07, 2008 at 10:47 AM
I owned a 1999 Passat GLS for four years. GREAT car. It drove like a dream, all of the interior features were well thought out and placed and I (unlike many other VW owners at the time) never had a single problem.
I agree that VW has lost its way in recent years. The new designs for the Jetta and Passat are both ugly. It's a shame...I could have been a customer for life.
Ben Lukoff on February 07, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Is that a TDI emblem on the back? Was recently in the market to replace my old '91 Subaru Legacy and wanted to go biodiesel, really did, but couldn't bring myself to pay nearly $30K for a couple-of-years-old Passat, nor did I want to spend too much to get back into a car with as many miles as the Legacy... So I got a Hyundai Sonata, should hold me for a few years till Asian diesels hit these shores.
mochi mochi on February 08, 2008 at 12:10 AM
I nearly bought a Passat in 2000. It was a great looking car and a great performing car. The V6 in the car I tested was powerful and smooth. Subsequent versions of the Passat lost all the subtle perfection that was achieved in the 1999-2001 models. The current love of my life, my little red civic si, won my heart and so the Passat did not come home with me. ( For readers who know of my ride... good news the Si just passed emissions testing - fyi to civic owners who decide to significantly increase their compression ratios... it will make your engine sing but your NOX levels will rise... be forewarned)
Steven Koch on February 10, 2008 at 02:08 PM
We loved our '98 Passat V6 at first, but after a few years there were a lot of niggling problems - trim around the doors coming unglued that the dealer refused to fix, expensive components failing early. Poor service from *both* area (Albany, NY) dealers. I decided I would never buy another VW after about 5 years with the Passat. The Honda dealer only reluctantly took the car as a trade-in.
Chris Hafner on February 11, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Steven Koch: "We loved our '98 Passat V6 at first, but after a few years there were a lot of niggling problems"
Evidently this has pretty regularly been the case. It's a real shame because the car is so nice.
Mike on March 10, 2008 at 12:31 PM
Just sold my '99 Passat last year. It was the first brand new car I bought - just in time for the birth of my first child.
While there were a few problems out of the gate - for example, the radio was replaced twice in the first 18 months, as was the battery - it settled down after that and provided years of reliable service. Better to have the problems while it's still under warranty, than later!
The elegant design, the solid feel, and that slick transmission made me feel like a king.
SCOTT H on April 02, 2008 at 10:56 AM
WE HAD AN 01 PASSAT GLX WITH THE V6 THAT LOOKED JUST LIKE THE ONE FEATURED IN THIS ARTICLE. LOVED THE CLEAN STYLING AND PERFECT PROPORTIONS. RIDE AND HANDLING WERE SUPERB. BEAUTIFUL FIT AND FINISH IN AND OUT. PLASTIC WATERSHIELD UNDER ENGINE CAME LOOSE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. LOVED THE RED/BLUE DASH LIGHTING...GREAT "MONSOON" STEREO. VERY RELIABLE, BUT REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE COSTS WERE VERY HIGH
RJG on March 10, 2009 at 01:16 PM
I remember in 1998 going to VW to look at the old boxy jetta. Then, I saw the Passat. At first, I was getting a loaded jetta, then a stripped down Passat, then I finally ended up with the V6 Passat in black with beige leather.
I've had my share of problems. I think 4 controller arms were replaced (1 was a recall), the moonroof broke, driver's side heated seat stopped working, and a bunch of other problems.
The car still looks great and feels great after 130K miles, but lacks power and the timing belt might need replaced soon. It's a really tough choice because it looks so nice still...
Choices. Choices. Choices.
RJG on April 15, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Update on my 1998 Passat GLS V6:
I decided to look at some new cars.
Honda Accord - Nice Car, but everyone has one. Not a fan of the console
Toyota Camry - Feel real old driving that one.
Nissan Altima - Nice Car, but didn't excite me.
Mazda 6 - Would have bought this car....
However, I decided to keep my Passat. It cost $2000 flat for repairs including the shocks and struts, timing belt, thermostat, water pump, and coolant tank.
Don't know if I overpaid... but its done. The car rides real nice now. Hopefully, this car can last me 5 more years!!!!
Suresh on September 23, 2009 at 07:10 AM
Dear Members,
I m a newbie to cars and was looking at buying a used car. I came across this...98 VW Passat GLS, 240K miles (all highway) Great condition, great gas mileage. New tires, power windows, power locks, sun roof, automatic transmission, has 15,000 miles new tires on all wheels and new brakes on front wheels in the past year.
What would be a good price to pay and are there any specific things I should look at before clunking down the cash?
Please advice
Hal Meeks on November 08, 2009 at 06:04 PM
I am looking for a posted video of a (1998?) VW Passat commercial. I think it was in German but it could have been English/American. It had a test driver running a Passat through its paces on a track negotiating several obstacles (sheep and soccer balls). Finally the driver gets distracted by a blow-up doll in a swimsuit while a robotic mom and baby stroller walk in front of the car. The car stops safely and the test track manager smiles - a classically funny commercial!