2004 Volkswagen Passat Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Crash Test Rating

Source NHTSA

MPG (up to)

17 -27 City / 24 -38 HWY

Source FuelEconomy.gov

Horsepower

134 -270

Seats

Positive Owner Reviews

Ang D

I recommend this type of car. It's well made and reliable.

I love my car. It has a moonroof and decent storage in the back. I don't like that oil changes for this car are expensive.

Katy G

Cute, comfy, and convenient!

It is got plenty of room for all my hobbies. Affordable, convenient, and reliable. Drives well and is very comfortable. I haven't had any problems with it other than minor wear and tear, no expensive fixes. The a/c has gone out, but it is just a small leak. It also has nice roof racks to transport large items.

Michele P

Great gas mileage for in town or out of town trips!

I absolutely love my car. It gets great gas mileage. And came fully loaded. Heated seats, sunroof, leather seats, cruise control, and it is a v8 engine. A large and spacious trunk along with a spare tire. It came with the factory harman/kardon stereo system. And it sounds great. I highly recommend this car. The only 2 problems I have had with the vehicle upon purchasing are, I had to purchase a fan module for the ac. And the second, is I occasionally have problems closing the sunroof. I was told it needs a new switch. The overall rating of this car is and has been very good for me. And I highly recommend this vehicle to consumers.

Kathryn G

Great vehicle. Highly recommended.

No significant problems. Comfortable. Reliable, rare that it would have issues. Lots of space for transporting my many hobbies.

Chris W

Great vehicle, love the look and feel

Good runs excellent, have had a few problems but not to major, great car, had it about a year and a half now. Only thing wrong with it was the fuel pump went out and spark plugs had to be changed other than that good car, I would recommend this car for anyone

Cindy M

The traveling grandma mobile.

Reliable and durable. Gets around great in the snow. Many features include seat warmers and mirrors. Lots of room in the wagon for all my stuff. My grandkids have lots of room on the back seat. Awesome traveling vehicle. Its old but I still get comments about how clean it is.

Pat D

It is very functional and meets my needs.

The acceleration is very good which is important when driving in traffic. It is comfortable. It is compact without being too small. It has a classy style.

Austin B

It is a 5 speed so I get great gas mileage.

Great gas mileage, drive like a beauty. Very easy to get parts for. Interior is very up to date and it is a 5 speed which I love.

Negative Owner Reviews

Hannah B

Car was bought brand new so all the wear and tear has been personally done.

Constant electrical problems with warning lights, windows, and alarms. Engine problems regarding dust filters. Old and makes freaky noises.

Melanie P

Passat not making the grade

Electrical problems, fuses blow all the time, many times my lights do not work, radio/CD player is off and on, have had engine problems and it's currently not safe to drive. It has stopped running in the middle of intersections, at traffic lights and stop signs. It seems like it'll cost more to fix it than it's worth but I'm stuck with it at this point.

Rebecca S

Was nice now it is getting old and having more problems

Its ok for short distances wouldn't take on long road trip works for getting to work it as problems like a slow leak in antifreeze

Hannah B

Old, well loved, with lots of damage.

Has electrical issues, warning lights coming on when they shouldn't, electric windows do not work, ac only sometimes works, suspension issues. ABS system is failing. Alarm randomly goes off, manually have to lock doors, back passenger window does not roll down.

Laura G

2004 Volkswagen Passat GLS

I have had frequent coolant problems. The car is prone to overheating, even in winter. The coolant tank was replaced a few months ago, and I haven't had problems since then. The car has heated driver and passenger seats, although I have not used that feature. It responds well to both acceleration and breaking. However, I have some issues in which I cannot open the driver door after unlocking the car.

Tina F

I happen to love that the seats warm up very quickly

It is very comfortable rides smooth just have always had break system issues and has always been very gas consuming I thought it would of been much better. The heater coil had to be replaced but engine and transmission always has been fine.expensive for repairs

Aaron B

Repairs are an expensive nightmare.

I really liked it until a month after we bought it (used) and all the parts started breaking down. Now we're dealing with very expensive repairs because It's a German car. When it worked properly, it a pleasure to drive. Now It's a headache.

Kate P

Repairs are an expensive headache! It's a really nice car while it works, but heaven forbid you need to fix anything.

We got it used, and for the first three weeks it was wonderful. Smooth ride, powerful, very nice interior. Then we started having transmission issues, then we had to replace all the rubber pieces on the undercarriage, then something with the engine that cost over $1,000 to fix, and now the locking mechanism is broken. It's been one repair after another, and being a Volkswagen, they aren't cheap fixes.

Volkswagen Passat Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

GL Sedan

134 HP 33-33 MPG 5 Seats

GL Wagon

134 HP 33-33 MPG 5 Seats

GLS Sedan

134 HP 33-33 MPG 5 Seats

GLS Wagon

134 HP 33-33 MPG 5 Seats

GLX Sedan

190 HP 23-23 MPG 5 Seats

GLX Wagon

190 HP 23-23 MPG 5 Seats

W8 Sedan

270 HP 21-21 MPG 5 Seats

W8 Wagon

270 HP 21-21 MPG 5 Seats

Photos may not match model

2004 Volkswagen Passat Owner Reviews

3.75

44 Reviews

Write Review

5 stars

36%

4 stars

16%

3 stars

39%

2 stars

1 star

Moliquia F on April 3, 2021

It's an ok car, could be worse.

It's ok. There's some kinks like in all cars. I found that the most annoying thing about the car is it being turbocharged.

Rebecca S on April 2, 2021

Was nice now it is getting old and having more problems

Its ok for short distances wouldn't take on long road trip works for getting to work it as problems like a slow leak in antifreeze

View All Reviews (44)

Ranks #15 Midsize Cars by Owners

The 2004 Volkswagen Passat has an average owner rating of 3.75 out of 5 which ranks it #15 of 16 other Midsize Cars.

2004 Toyota Camry Solara

4.49

2004 Subaru Legacy

4.47

2004 Volkswagen Passat

3.75

Ranks #3 Midsize Cars by Fuel Economy

The 2004 Volkswagen Passat has a combined MPG of 30 which ranks it #3 of 17 other Midsize Cars.

2004 Honda Accord

34 MPG

Tie

2004 Toyota Camry

32 MPG

Tie

2004 Volkswagen Passat

38 MPG

Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat A Good Car?

It is a great car. It is comfortable to drive, gets excellent gas mileage and has comfortable passenger room

Robert M.

How Reliable Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat?

It has been very reliable. I have had no problems without. I have had some minor repairs after fender benders and usual maintenance done to it but nothing unusual

Sarah B.

Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat A Good Value?

It has been so long I am just estimating. I think it was somewhere in the 18,000 to 22,000 range when I bought it

Roberto T.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2004 Volkswagen Passat transmission fluid type?

Answer: The 2004 Volkswagen Passat transmission fluid type is Dexron VI. The transmission is one of the most important parts of the vehicle. You will come into problems at some point. Hard shifts may arise and that is...

What's the 2004 vw passat oil type?

Answer: The 2004 VW Passat oil type iS5w-30. Your oil needs to be changed eventually. Every 5,000 to 10,000 miles is a good rule of thumb. If You don't change it, there will be problems with the engine. Having high...

See all Frequently Asked Questions

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated

*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

2004 Volkswagen Passat Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

Positive Owner Reviews

Negative Owner Reviews

Volkswagen Passat Models

2004 Volkswagen Passat Owner Reviews

Ranks #15 Midsize Cars by Owners

Ranks #3 Midsize Cars by Fuel Economy

Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat A Good Car?

How Reliable Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat?

Is The 2004 Volkswagen Passat A Good Value?

Related Articles for 2004 Volkswagen Passat

Frequently Asked Questions

Safety & Reliability