2018 Volkswagen Passat GT

The 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT packs a whole-lotta sports sedan into a ridiculously reasonably-priced package.

The Passat GT’s exterior and interior Euro-styling beckons its luxury sister-brand Audi with every detailed element of fit and finish.

Randy Halcomb from Ontario Volkswagen recently invited me for an afternoon test drive of the 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT. In this iDSC Podcast he joins me for a detailed and exciting review.

And, as a special bonus for iDSC Podcast listeners, Randy shares his personal cell phone.

If you’re interested in the Volkswagen Passat GT, or curious about another model in the German carmaker’s line-up, you can reach Randy directly @ 909-772-1728 or email him @ RHalcomb [at] OntarioVW.com.

***Transcript***

Recorded July 17, 2018 at in Ontario, CA

2018 VW Passat GT

Tom: I got to drive the 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT. And that's a top-of-the-line sport version of the Passat, and V6 engine with 3.6 liter, 280 horsepower, putting out 258 pound feet of torque.

Randy: It definitely had enough giddy up and go. It's very responsive. As soon as you touch the gas.

Tom: Welcome to iDriveSoCal, the podcast all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. Tom Smith here with my good buddy, Randy Halcomb from Ontario Volkswagen. Randy, thanks for joining me again.

Randy: Hi, Tom. Thank you for having me again.

Tom: We are out at Ontario Volkswagen in the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario, California. And this little ditty that we're about to head down the path of -- It's cute, isn't it? This little ditty we're about to head down the path of. Vehicle review, the 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT. I just drove that thing, and fun, F-U-N.

If I can take a page out of the Professor's little playbook here. Well, I got to drive the 2018 Volkswagen Passat GT. And that's a top-of-the-line sport version of the Passat, and V6 engine with 3.6-liter, 280 horsepower, putting out 258 pound-feet of torque. And as Randy can attest as he drove with me in this test drive, I had a hard time not chirping the tires every time we came from a dead stop to accelerating. It was fun.

Randy: Yeah. It definitely had enough giddy up and go. It's very responsive. As soon as you touch the gas, almost a little too responsive, it kind of felt. So, take a little while to get used to.

2018 VW Passat GT Value

Tom: Yeah. The tires just chirped a little. I didn't stay on it in a sense that they were sliding too much, but that's a very, very fun car. The price point on the 2018 Passat is kind of ridiculous. I mentioned to Randy, every time I hit the accelerator, I realize the sticker, just MSRP, doesn't make sense. I mean, the MSRP on the vehicle is how much?

Randy: It was like $30,000, somewhere in that range of low 30s. To think of getting a vehicle with 280 horsepower for $30,000, a German-engineered is unthinkable.

Tom: Yeah, yeah. Beautiful car too. It has that that Volkswagen red line on the grill that is oh so distinctive, as well as oh so sharp. The one that we drove was silver or gray. I'm not exactly sure what Volkswagen is calling that color.

Randy: Yeah, it was the silver.

Tom: But the outside of the vehicle is just absolutely gorgeous. The sport wheels, very cool. Nice accent with the red brake calipers that can be seen through the sport wheels, also very cool.

That red line with the bold black grill, I think, they call it a honeycomb, if I'm not mistaken, it just really, really is a sharp look to the exterior of the vehicle.

And in going inside the vehicle, the carbon fiber accents, very cool as well. And the seating and overall comfort, very sporty, but, yet,