The best and worst Volkswagen Passat years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Volkswagen Passats old enough to judge (2005–2021), the 2011 and 2019–2021 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2006, 2009–2010 and 2013 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2021 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2006 Volkswagen Passat · 76.7 per 10,000 sold (2.5× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 100,000 miles; then body control and other modules.
2009 Volkswagen Passat · 132.0 per 10,000 sold (4.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Fuel pump and sending unit, typically around 97,100 miles; then timing chain, guides and tensioners.
2010 Volkswagen Passat · 137.6 per 10,000 sold (4.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 71,000 miles; then timing chain, guides and tensioners.
2013 Volkswagen Passat · 68.2 per 10,000 sold (2.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 57,250 miles; then wiring harness, grounds and connectors.
Years with the fewest complaints
2011 Volkswagen Passat · 7.0 per 10,000 sold (0.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Stalling and no-start, typically around 75,000 miles.
2019 Volkswagen Passat · 8.5 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Stalling and no-start, typically around 9 miles.
2020 Volkswagen Passat · 6.9 per 10,000 sold (0.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints.
2021 Volkswagen Passat · 7.4 per 10,000 sold (0.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 100 miles.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Volkswagen Passat year: 31.1 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Volkswagen Passat?
Among Volkswagen Passats old enough to judge (2005–2021), the 2010 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 137.6, about 4.4× a typical Volkswagen Passat year. The 2006, 2009 and 2013 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Volkswagen Passat?
The 2020 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Volkswagen Passats from 2005–2021: 6.9, against 31.1 for a typical year. The 2011, 2019 and 2021 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2010 Volkswagen Passat?
The most-reported problem on the 2010 Volkswagen Passat is airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 71,000 miles.
Why aren't the newest Volkswagen Passat years ranked?
The 2022 haven't been on the road long enough. Newer cars have fewer complaints mainly because they're newer, so ranking them would flatter them.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.