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Good," frontal; "good," side; "marginal," rear
Four stars, frontal; five and four stars, side
SAFETY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Good," frontal; "good," side; "marginal," rear
IIHS
Four stars, frontal; five and four stars, side
NHTSA
The 2008 Volkswagen Passat offers a generous list of standard safety features, some of which are optional on rival mid-size sedans. And it especially stands out in providing optional ($350) rear side-torso airbags, a feature that’s offered in only a few vehicles at any price. The rear bags, a $350 option, “supplement the side air curtains by protecting the torso,” reports the Detroit News.
Automobile makes note of the extensive safety gear, including “six air bags, active front head restraints, ABS, brake assist, stability control, and traction control,” and CNET adds, “There are seven crash sensors: three internally in the air-bag control unit, two in the front doors, and two in the lower C-pillars.”
CNET also made note of the optional bi-xenon headlights with Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) on their test car. “We found it very useful at night, as not only do the headlights swivel with the steering to illuminate the road ahead even around corners, but auxiliary cornering lights cover what are too often blind spots to the side with bright light in sharp turns, such as into a driveway. The standard LED taillights are also praiseworthy.”
Conclusion
The 2008 Volkswagen Passat offers a range of safety features virtually unrivalled among other mid-size sedans, along with reassuring results in the major crash-test programs.
