- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 29
- combined
Open recalls on record
1 safety recall. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2019 Volkswagen Passat
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 12
- 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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.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.
- 19V389000high
Lighting issue
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2020 Volkswagen Passat and 2018-2019 Atlas vehicles. The blocking cap disabling the adjustment of the headlight's horizontal aim may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, block the headlight horizontal adjustment, free of charge. The recall began July 16, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L9.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2019 Volkswagen Passat.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 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
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2019 Volkswagen Passat 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2019 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 2019 Volkswagen Passat, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
25
City
36
Hwy
29
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,100
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 302 g/mi
How this compares
At 29 MPG combined, the 2019 Volkswagen Passat ranks 7th of 23 midsize cars EPA rated for 2019 — 2 MPG better than the 27 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,100, $450 less than the $2,550 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,500, a $2,250 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 302 grams per mile — about 4.5 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
12 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 12
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE4
- BRAKES3
- ELECTRICAL2
- FUEL SYSTEM1
- SEAT BELTS1
Normal Range
12 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2019 Volkswagen Passat, newest first.
- Recall
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and 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
- Midsize Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 2L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
25
City
36
Hwy
29
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,100
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.