- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 3
- on record
- MPG
- 27
- combined
Open recalls on record
3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Volkswagen Passat
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 3
- Owner complaints
- 15
- Complaints citing a crash
- 1
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
3 Recalls 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
3 NHTSA campaigns 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.
- 19V218000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Atlas and 2020 Passat vehicles. An incorrect driver and/or front passenger side impact air bag may have been installed.
Consequence
In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen has inspected and replaced the side air bags, free of charge. The recall was completed in April 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y8.
- 20V533000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL:CUSHION
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020 Passat vehicles. The passenger frontal air bag may have been folded incorrectly affecting its deployment force. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence
An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began October 14, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AY.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 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
- No
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2020 Volkswagen Passat 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2020 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 2020 Volkswagen Passat, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
23
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,300
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 330 g/mi
How this compares
At 27 MPG combined, the 2020 Volkswagen Passat ranks 11th of 21 midsize cars EPA rated for 2020 — exactly the 27 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 $2,300, within $0 of the $2,300 typical for the class — roughly $11,500 over five years.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 330 grams per mile — about 5 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
15 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 15
- Total
- 1
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE5
- AIR BAGS4
- OTHER3
- FUEL SYSTEM1
- BRAKES1
Notable Issues
15 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves injuries. 1 report involves a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat, newest first.
- Recall
An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
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
23
City
34
Hwy
27
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,300
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An incorrectly folded air bag can deploy with too much force, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
Without the blocking cap, the headlight aim can be adjusted out of specification, reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
In an event of a side impact crash, an incorrect side airbag may not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.