2015 Volkswagen Passat vs. Its Competition

John Voelcker

The VW Passat is in the thick of the family four-door segment, besting most of them on size and almost all of them on fuel economy as a TDI.

The Nissan Altima is a formidable entry here: entry-level models have enviable fuel economy of up to 38 mpg highway, interior space and comfort are excellent, and new features bring it smartly up to date, as does its handsome new look, although some won't like the continuously variable transmission's droning to get that efficiency.

The Honda Accord got a revamp last year with an ingenious new plug-in hybrid model, but in overall dimensions it's only marginally different from the previous car.

The Camry's a bit smaller, especially in its back seat, but its Hybrid model now has higher fuel economy than ever, with admittedly more complexity and much less driving enthusiasm than the Passat TDI.

Hyundai's Sonata and Kia's Optima bristle with styling confidence and tons of standard features; we don't recommend the hybrid versions for their under-refined powertrains; the Sonata is new this year, and includes an Eco model with a well-sorted dual-clutch auto.