Never mind for a moment the diesel doldrums the company is currently embroiled in, Volkswagen was already on thin ice in the States.
Just as its bread-and-butter Jetta and Passat models were Americanized in hopes of better sales through lower prices, rivals suddenly paid attention to their German counterparts and made cars that were decidedly upmarket. The Ford Fusion is basically more German than the Passat Americans get. And after initially strong sales, the Tennessee-built Passat has languished.
While the looks have only just changed for 2016, the Passat has been consistently refined since it went on sale four years ago. In the face of a host of new or revised rivals – and with its unique selling point in the class, the TDI, currently out of the game – does the power of German engineering finally shine through to elevate America's Passat?
