Accord v. Passat

winegirlnc

Need some advice...trying to decide between a 2016 Accord EX-L and a Volkswagen Passat for my next car. We test-drove both yesterday and now I'm torn. My husband and I are longtime Honda enthusiasts (I'm currently driving a 2004 Accord that I bought new). I know the Accord's a solid, dependable choice and the 2016 is fun to drive. We also really loved driving the Passat, and frankly the Passat dashboard layout is far more appealing, but I'm a little concerned about reliability. Especially interested in hearing good/ bad experiences around recent-year versions of either car. Thanks!

Chrismax

had a 2012 passat and now have a 2015 passat. Have driven the accord as well. Passat seems to me to be more solid than the accord. I also like the simpler layout of the dash compard to the accord with its multiplt screens. Have had no issues with either passat. Mine is a lease and the dealership included the maintenance at 10K, 20K, 30k. The only thing i have done is put gas in the cars. good luck in your search.

carboy21

Accord. Only Passat I would buy would be the TDI

petrolhead2

WinegirlNC - I've owned multiple Volkswagen (Passat, GTI, Golf) and Honda cars (Accord, Prelude, S2000) so this is coming from experience on both sides. Simply put: the Volkswagen is slightly upscale and the Honda is considerably more reliable. Volkswagen has a larger umbrella of cars known as the Volkswagen Auto Group or VAG which also includes by extension (subsidiaries) Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Seat, Ducati and more. I bring this up because there is lots of common research and development benefits that get shared/passed between sister companies, many times there's simple brand engineering and other times it's genuine trickle down tech. Point is, Volkswagen products tend to punch about their weight because of the trickle down from the higher boutique brands. Smaller tangibles feel upscale and the car as a whole carries a 'premium quale'.

Honda, on the other hand, has only one greater brand: Acura, which posit's itself in the marketplace as the 'affordable' luxury brand. It's two distinctly different philosophies to solve the same problem: basic commuter transportation. What Honda does best is simplicity. The foundation of Honda (and many other Japanese brands) engineering is rooted in the K.I.S.S. - keep it simple stupid. This traces back to post-WWII on the resurgence of manufacturing, things needed to work to create a perception of reliability which is connected to quality.

I would recommend purchasing a Honda product over a Volkswagen product 9 times out of 10 unless you are 1) loyal to a brand 2) aware of typical VAG failure points (coil packs, regulators, fuel/water (Bosch) pumps, etc.) and willing to replace or 3) leasing or purchasing an extended warranty.

You'll find Volkswagen products have significantly lower residual values to their Honda counterparts - for good reason, you won't get much when selling your VW on the second hand market because of the aforementioned risk points. How much of a financial premium is it to suffer VW reliability? Honestly, not enough to mortgage the house - budget an additional $300-400 per year in maintenance for the VW over the Honda and you ought to be fine barring any falling satellites out of the sky. Perform due diligence when choosing your service center, as something like the DSG for instance can run between $600 to $1,200 for the 60k maintenance! If you're seeking the path of least financial pain - choose Honda, if you're seeking an upgraded experience - choose Volkswagen.

carboy21

If you're seeking the path of least financial pain - choose Honda, if you're seeking an upgraded experience - choose Volkswagen.

If you are of German ancestry and have a misplaced sense of German patriotism , .... choose Volkswagon

Simply put: the Volkswagen is slightly upscale

Only on a 'German' scale

petrolhead2

Carboy - not sure why you're butt-hurt about the comparison, I don't see any blind loyalty influences my words. I provided objective support to the subjective rhetoric that I (and every single publication) said about the Passat; the entry VW models benefit from the upper-scale VAG engineering efforts. I'm not saying that it is a better car or diminishes the Honda's production but there are tangible and intangible differences between the two. The Honda feels better than a comparable Chevrolet Cruze, and so does the VW over the Honda.

The scale we're talking about is an economic one - what else for $20k OTD are you gonna get?

Jingoism plays no part in this - these cars aren't made in Germany anyway. If you want to support Merkel and co then buy a 911. Or if you wanna go American then buy a Camry.

carboy21

The Honda feels better than a comparable Chevrolet Cruze, and so does the VW over the Honda.

I have driven both 2015 Honda Accord and 2015 Passat and no way did Passat felt "upscale " then Accord. That is where your bias comes in
VW benefits from Porche and Audi engineering ? You are making me laugh. Sales of VW in USA do not show those benefits . Americans must be "stupid" .

zigster38

If you've ever driven both these models, you would be wondering what the debate is. Accord is a better car, and Honda's engine engineering is second to none.

carboy21

zigster38 said:

If you've ever driven both these models, you would be wondering what the debate is. Accord is a better car, and Honda's engine engineering is second to none.

Agreed

Anyone who claims that VW Passat feels upscale to Honda Accord with the same level of specs ( top of the line )., is seriously a laughing stock or of German stock

kchomer

I own a 2013 Passat and it's a wonderful car. Smooth and stable cruiser at any speed - any speed. VW autobahn engineering shows at high speeds. HOWEVER, the market value of all VWs has fallen. My Passat (gasoline) is worth less than a comparable Malibu, and VW won't be compensating owners of gasoline cars. We now wait to see if the market climbs again after the diesel settlement. I'd buy a new VW to replace my wife's van but for the fall in market value. At this point, I'll wait or look elsewhere.