VW Passat CC vs BMW 420d
Discussion
By a strange twist of fate, our brand new M135i AND our VW California (both grey) are both in for paint issues; we've ended up with two medium sized coupes aimed at exactly the same market - Both are white, sport 19" alloys, have 2.0 diesel engines, cost a similar amount and are probably the choice of the distance company car driver who wants a bit more style.
BMW 420d
I've already given my views on this in the BMW section but I'll summarise here. "Ours" is a 420d Sport with extra 19" alloys and a few minor options retailing at around £35,000 all in. It has no satnav and a standard stereo with a manual box. It's VERY white and has 1200 miles on it is very new on a 63 plate.
Passat CC
We've had an issue with the paint on the VW California after the dealer serviced it and "washed" it - leaving hundreds of swirls and scratches. I kicked up rather a fuss and it appears that they are trying to placate me by lending me their best loan car. It has a DSG box and I don't actually know what engine it has but it sounds and pulls like a 2.0 diesel so I'll assume that's what it is. It has full leather and some nice little touches. Again I don't know the price but I'd guesstimate it as similar to the 420d Sport. It's on a 13 plate with 12400 miles.
The looks
Very subjective of course but both are clearly trying to achieve the same aim; take a fairly common saloon shape and turn it into a swoopy coupe that turns the "right" heads. In my opinion the BMW looks better from behind and in profile, the Passat has a better looking but less aggressive front.
The cabin
The 420d is well finished with red leather stitched black leather sports seats but this version, with no satnav, gets a cheaper looking media screen with a rather plasticky surround. Nav versions get a "solid" screen that looks better. The screen is well placed and operated by the i-drive controller. The system is very intuitive and easy to operate but takes a little getting used to.
This version also has the base spec stereo and it's pretty poor - tinny, lacking in bass and generally unpleasant. Our own M135i has the Advanced (mid option) speaker package and in a car of this calibre, I think it's an essential minimum option.
The back seats are very hard to get to with young kids and they look lost in them (aged 5 and nearly 3). They both find it claustrophobic with a very high sill line and dark glass making the poor things look a little like lost souls in a big black cave.
Up front things are better with more light and good sports seats but the materials are pretty much the same as a low spec 1 series which may irk some buyers.
Visibility is rather limited and with a low roof line and high sills, it feels a bit like you're driving a big tank; parking sensors are essential and AFAIK, standard.
The Passat is rather pleasant inside with much nicer looking seats and a few nice touches like a classy looking analogue clock. The light coloured headlining makes it feel lighter and airier (WHY do BMW insist on using black headlining in anything sporty including our M135i?!). Visibility feels better and our kids looks far more comfortable in the back and can see out properly. With rear doors, access is many times easier.
The stereo has loads of speakers and is pretty loud but (it may be the settings) the sounds is fairly average.
The media system has a small touch screen in the middle of the dash and is a lot harder to see and use; BMWs i-drive system is streets ahead. This model has nav which I haven't yet tried but VWs systems are usually fairly good. BT connection is excellent and it immediately found my iPhone music and streamed it with virtually no loss in sound quality; many BT music systems I've used have sounded dire.
Both have large but rather impractical boots.
The Performance
Again I don't have numbers for the Passat and I'm assuming it's the 170bhp diesel but the BMW 420d is a LOT quicker. The much lauded VW DSG box feels lethargic and hesitant to me; it may be an accomplished shifter and technologically advanced but I just don't like it and I've tried several. The BMWs manual box works far more effectively and while not one of the best, it's still pleasant to use - a slightly unusual issue is catching my size 10s on the clutch foot rest but this may just been my shoes. Needless to say, the 8 speed auto in our M135i is streets ahead of the DSG effort.
Both make a fairly unpleasant four pot diesel noise but the sound is well insulated in both.
The handling
Another surprise; while it's RWD vs FWD, the rear tyres on the 420d seem to both spin and lose grip more easily than expected; I've had the TCS light on several times with fairly moderate driving and fishtailed out of a few junctions. Yes the conditions here in Cornwall are abysmal but I expected the huge 19s to grip far more; it may be that they are run flats or it could be the chassis? Certainly my old E91 335d never got out of shape so easily. However the brakes are very good and mistakes easily corrected.
The Passat is actually very good - I haven't managed to step it out of line and grip seems better. It does wash a little wide on tight bends but it alls seems controlled and composed. While I prefer RWD, I think the Passat is actually more composed than the 420d.
Overall
It's a close run thing TBH and although the Passat in now getting on a bit, it's actually a very good car. More comfortable, more composed and possibly more luxurious.
The BMW has a lot more brand desirability and is a better looking car as well as going and stopping more quickly but IMO it doesn't all go BMWs way; which doesn't happen very often.
BMW 420d
I've already given my views on this in the BMW section but I'll summarise here. "Ours" is a 420d Sport with extra 19" alloys and a few minor options retailing at around £35,000 all in. It has no satnav and a standard stereo with a manual box. It's VERY white and has 1200 miles on it is very new on a 63 plate.
Passat CC
We've had an issue with the paint on the VW California after the dealer serviced it and "washed" it - leaving hundreds of swirls and scratches. I kicked up rather a fuss and it appears that they are trying to placate me by lending me their best loan car. It has a DSG box and I don't actually know what engine it has but it sounds and pulls like a 2.0 diesel so I'll assume that's what it is. It has full leather and some nice little touches. Again I don't know the price but I'd guesstimate it as similar to the 420d Sport. It's on a 13 plate with 12400 miles.
The looks
Very subjective of course but both are clearly trying to achieve the same aim; take a fairly common saloon shape and turn it into a swoopy coupe that turns the "right" heads. In my opinion the BMW looks better from behind and in profile, the Passat has a better looking but less aggressive front.
The cabin
The 420d is well finished with red leather stitched black leather sports seats but this version, with no satnav, gets a cheaper looking media screen with a rather plasticky surround. Nav versions get a "solid" screen that looks better. The screen is well placed and operated by the i-drive controller. The system is very intuitive and easy to operate but takes a little getting used to.
This version also has the base spec stereo and it's pretty poor - tinny, lacking in bass and generally unpleasant. Our own M135i has the Advanced (mid option) speaker package and in a car of this calibre, I think it's an essential minimum option.
The back seats are very hard to get to with young kids and they look lost in them (aged 5 and nearly 3). They both find it claustrophobic with a very high sill line and dark glass making the poor things look a little like lost souls in a big black cave.
Up front things are better with more light and good sports seats but the materials are pretty much the same as a low spec 1 series which may irk some buyers.
Visibility is rather limited and with a low roof line and high sills, it feels a bit like you're driving a big tank; parking sensors are essential and AFAIK, standard.
The Passat is rather pleasant inside with much nicer looking seats and a few nice touches like a classy looking analogue clock. The light coloured headlining makes it feel lighter and airier (WHY do BMW insist on using black headlining in anything sporty including our M135i?!). Visibility feels better and our kids looks far more comfortable in the back and can see out properly. With rear doors, access is many times easier.
The stereo has loads of speakers and is pretty loud but (it may be the settings) the sounds is fairly average.
The media system has a small touch screen in the middle of the dash and is a lot harder to see and use; BMWs i-drive system is streets ahead. This model has nav which I haven't yet tried but VWs systems are usually fairly good. BT connection is excellent and it immediately found my iPhone music and streamed it with virtually no loss in sound quality; many BT music systems I've used have sounded dire.
Both have large but rather impractical boots.
The Performance
Again I don't have numbers for the Passat and I'm assuming it's the 170bhp diesel but the BMW 420d is a LOT quicker. The much lauded VW DSG box feels lethargic and hesitant to me; it may be an accomplished shifter and technologically advanced but I just don't like it and I've tried several. The BMWs manual box works far more effectively and while not one of the best, it's still pleasant to use - a slightly unusual issue is catching my size 10s on the clutch foot rest but this may just been my shoes. Needless to say, the 8 speed auto in our M135i is streets ahead of the DSG effort.
Both make a fairly unpleasant four pot diesel noise but the sound is well insulated in both.
The handling
Another surprise; while it's RWD vs FWD, the rear tyres on the 420d seem to both spin and lose grip more easily than expected; I've had the TCS light on several times with fairly moderate driving and fishtailed out of a few junctions. Yes the conditions here in Cornwall are abysmal but I expected the huge 19s to grip far more; it may be that they are run flats or it could be the chassis? Certainly my old E91 335d never got out of shape so easily. However the brakes are very good and mistakes easily corrected.
The Passat is actually very good - I haven't managed to step it out of line and grip seems better. It does wash a little wide on tight bends but it alls seems controlled and composed. While I prefer RWD, I think the Passat is actually more composed than the 420d.
Overall
It's a close run thing TBH and although the Passat in now getting on a bit, it's actually a very good car. More comfortable, more composed and possibly more luxurious.
The BMW has a lot more brand desirability and is a better looking car as well as going and stopping more quickly but IMO it doesn't all go BMWs way; which doesn't happen very often.
Edited by Vladimir on Friday 24th January 13:12
Interesting review Vlad. I have bookmarked the CC to look into for our next car. The sensible side of me always consider the Passat when we change vehicles, and each time, I buy something else as I have not been convinced by the Passat's interior. Having say that, I had a Passat 10 years ago, and it was a great car (Highline edition), but God, did it bore me! The CC does indeed have a better interior, and dare I say, feels more luxurious. Just need to consider the usual VW issues that drop up regarding reliability etc.
They must have improved the chassis of the CC since the first one as I found that abysmal, stodgy and roly-poly even with the dampers in sport. One of the most disappointing cars I've driven actually - lovely interior, fairly awful to drive. Even getting back in my E36 afterwards seemed a massive step up in chassis dynamics.
Interesting review.
In a similar vein, my wife recently took delivery of her 320d xdrive auto. By no means is it optioned to the gills, but it does has sat nav, the M-sport package, leather, heated steering wheel (her mandatory requirement!) and heated seats. I guess it is kind of middle of the road for options.
At the same time, my 6 series went in for some work and I was loaned a 320d manual with no option boxes ticked.
The two cars were like chalk and cheese.
The auto was a much, much nicer drive - faster, easier and much more suited to the engine.
The interior of the M-Sport with the options selected was a world away from the cheap feeling interior of the base car that I had on loan.
It is actually very clever of BMW to make a car so option dependent that one really has to spend money to get something that you can live with.
In a similar vein, my wife recently took delivery of her 320d xdrive auto. By no means is it optioned to the gills, but it does has sat nav, the M-sport package, leather, heated steering wheel (her mandatory requirement!) and heated seats. I guess it is kind of middle of the road for options.
At the same time, my 6 series went in for some work and I was loaned a 320d manual with no option boxes ticked.
The two cars were like chalk and cheese.
The auto was a much, much nicer drive - faster, easier and much more suited to the engine.
The interior of the M-Sport with the options selected was a world away from the cheap feeling interior of the base car that I had on loan.
It is actually very clever of BMW to make a car so option dependent that one really has to spend money to get something that you can live with.
The BMW should be better really. The CC is just a big Jetta/Golf with pretty conventional front strut suspension and the rear end is all steel pressed trailing arm/lower wishbone stuff - multi link though...
The BMW will have aluminium bits and bobs and no doubt multilink front suspension as well which is no doubt a more expensive set up.
The BMW will have aluminium bits and bobs and no doubt multilink front suspension as well which is no doubt a more expensive set up.
James_G said:
Nice review, thanks. Ironically your neighbours probably now think you've gone up in the world, what with them both being white and having silly oversized alloys.
Tee hee! TBH most are holiday homes and empty at this time of the year.Just under £70k of cars currently on the driveway. It'll be £87k (for anyone silly enough to pay retail) when we get ours back… Yes that is a bit daft.
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