I'm a new owner of a 2001 VW Passat GLS V6 sedan (the "B5" generation of the Passat). It includes the Luxury package (Power tilt and slide glass sunroof, tinted glass, rear sunshade, 7J x 15" "Adelaide" alloy wheels, and Anti-theft wheel locks), the Cold weather package (Heated windshield washer nozzles and heated front seats), and the Monsoon sound system. At the time of this writing, I have put about 1,600 miles on the car in about 5 weeks of driving, mostly commuting.

I picked the Passat because it represented an outstanding value. Its performance, features, and amenities outclassed everything in its price range, and matched them for some more expensive vehicles. I was looking for a car that has a good level of performance, and the 190HP 2.8l V6 engine mated with a 5-speed manual transmission certainly delivers it. I wanted something comfortable, and my large frame fit in the Passat with room to spare, something I didn't see in most other cars I test drove. I got more luxury than I was looking for, with a very well-appointed interior.

It's hard to describe, but I love the feel of this car as I drive it. It feels solid and tight, and handles beautifully. The V6 engine, the first I've ever owned, is an absolute joy. It has plenty of low-end torque and pulls hard all the way to the 6500 RPM redline. It is also amazingly quiet from the passenger compartment. It corners very predictably, understeering slightly as you push it. There's plenty of feedback through the wheel and seat-of-the-pants, so the driver never feels isolated from the car. The drivetrain has traction control (it can be disabled) that has already helped me out in this cold, snowy winter.

The exterior styling is clean and distinctive without being weird or obtrusive. It does look a bit like the VW Jetta, especially from the rear, but it's more of a family resemblance than a copy. It's very attractive, and I've already received several unsolicited compliments on the look of the car.

The cockpit is outstanding. The front seats have simple adjustments, but the seatback angle and lumbar adjustments are a difficult reach. The wheel tilts and telescopes, so should be possible for just about anyone to find a comfortable driving position. The heated seats are extremely nice, as they warm up almost immediately, well before any heat comes from the climate control system. Speaking of which, the climate controls have rotary controls that are intuitive and work exactly as expected, but their unusually low position on the dash, behind the shift lever, make them a little hard to see and access at times. The dash itself is trimmed with real wood, which looks great and adds a richness to the interior.

The gauges are right where you expect them, with large and easy to read Speedometer and Odometer, plus a graduated temperature and fuel gauge. The rest of the gauges are indicator lights. At night, the dashboard displays in a unique blue background. Every control that you could conceivably need at night is easy to find with a red indicator light. This effect is utterly unlike the dashboard on any other car, and is very cool.

Also included is a multi-function trip computer that tracks your time, distance, current MPG and trip MPG. It also displays other information about the car, and even shows the outside temperature. The sound system head unit (the piece in the dash) is plagued with many small buttons that are difficult to use with gloved hands, but the sound is pretty good with the Monsoon speaker and amplifier upgrade. An in-dash CD player and/or a trunk-mounted CD-changer can be installed and will be controlled by the factory head unit.

The sunroof is a lot of fun. It has a rotary dial control. All you do is set the control to how far you want the roof either tilted (turn counter-clockwise) or opened (turn clockwise) and the control will automatically open it to your request.

There's plenty of room for 3 in the back seat. There are head restraints and 3-point seat belts for all three back seat passengers. I took several co-workers to lunch on day, and everyone raved about the room in the back seat.

The trunk is huge for a car of this size, and the rear seats split and fold down, leaving even more room. There is a power socket in the trunk, which is very convenient. A shelved storage cubby provides a place for a first aid kit, a CD changer, and the vehicle's tool kit. There are also 4 cleats in the corners of the trunk so you can add a storage net to keep small items from rattling around back there.

One very nifty feature is the key/remote/alarm system. The vehicle uses one key for all the doors, the trunk and the ignition. The key is built into the remote control for the vehicle security system. You press a button, and the key part swings out from the remote switchblade-style. The key has an electronic security device built into it, such that a copy made will not work unless it has the correct security device implanted in it. The security system is controlled by either the remote or the key, so you're never stuck if the remote battery dies. You can open or close all the windows in the car with one twist of the key in the drivers door. This system is very well thought out and engineered. Just don't lose your key - they are expensive and available only from a VW dealer.

The Passat lends itself to easy modification. Many aftermarket parts and modifications are now available, both from VW and other manufacturers, making it just a matter of cost as to how much you want to customize the look and function of the car.

I personally have not had any problems, but I have heard that reliability can be a problem is some of these cars, especially electrical problems. Also, VW dealers have a notorious reputation for incompetence, although the dealer I used has been all right so far.

This car is great for families. There's plenty of room for both kids and stuff. It's also great for someone who wants a sport sedan that doesn't look the part. This car is really a complete package - value, practicality, performance, luxury, comfort.