- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 28
- combined
Open recalls on record
1 safety recall. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Volkswagen Passat
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 0
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
1 Recall on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.
- 21V812000high
Tire/wheel issue
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, and Passat vehicles. The front wheel bearing bolts may have been incorrectly tightened.
Consequence
The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect the tightness of the wheel bearing bolts and replace the bolts, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40R7.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 3 / 5
- Passenger
- 3 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.7%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Volkswagen Passat 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.7% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
24
City
36
Hwy
28
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,200
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 314 g/mi
How this compares
At 28 MPG combined, the 2021 Volkswagen Passat ranks 10th of 18 midsize cars EPA rated for 2021 — 0.5 MPG short of the 28.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,200, $125 more than the $2,075 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $11,000, a $625 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 314 grams per mile — about 4.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
No owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
Nothing on file. Newer model years often have few complaints simply because fewer cars are on the road yet.
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, newest first.
- Recall
The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
24
City
36
Hwy
28
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,200
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
The bolts may loosen and cause a loss of control, increasing the risk of a crash.