2.5L owners - happy with the engine?

[spongebob_squarepants]

How does the 2.5L do in the B7? Does it feel under powered when passing or merging onto freeways? Is it smooth at speed?

Are you 2.5L owners happy with your drive train in general?

It seems as though the 2.5L has earned a reputation as a solid performer, if not the most exciting power plant

[Veedubspeed04]

I've been happy with it. VW did a good job of tuning it and gearing it for drivability in the city. I suppose I should add that I have the 5sp manual, and haven't driven the automatic. Coming from the 2.8 30v V6 in my Audi, there's not too much between them under 3000 rpm, but above that the 2.5 really lacks power. It cruises fine on highway, but to pass on a two lane requires a downshift.

Overall it has exceeded my expectations, but I am looking for ways to add more top end power.

[ProtectedBy9mm]

Yup, love it. Nice balance of power for us guys who traded in their GTIs and can't afford tickets anymore
I LOVE the gears. D is sufficient, S is exactly what I expect it to be.

[capclassicv2]

I love it! Passing power takes some while to get used to (coming from the 2.0T) but it's perfectly fine for around the city and highway cruising. It doesn't feel inadequate as many people claim.

Speaking of passing power, I had to explain to a passenger why I put it in sport mode to pass. I would like to have more horsepower, but I didn't want to pay for the V6. But if you keep the revs in the power band, it's pretty decent.

[atcssg]

Shoot, I've got the automatic SE and I'm still getting tickets. I reach over to change the station and all of a sudden I've gone from 55 to 75. In all seriousness, I've never once been on the road in the Passat and wished I had more power. I live in lower Alabama and half my driving is merging onto 55-65mph roads from a dead stop coming off a county road. I'm just surprised that I'm still averaging 450 miles a tank the way I drive.

[Mazan]

I owned a 2010 2.5 jetta before, I have owned 4 mk4 TDI's and I own a Corrado VR6 chipped. Being in the market for an auto VW I have test driven the MK5 jetta TDI, the CC and the MK5 2.0turbo, yet when I drove the 2.5 on the New Passat I was GREATLY IMPRESSED of the low end torque it has, as long as you don't race it seems to have plenty of power and in my opinion the the 2.5 litter make the smarter buy. In my opinion the TDI is greatly overrated, why? here are the numbers,

it is only .3 seconds faster than the 2.5 from 0-60 (Quoting MotorTrend review of the 2012 Passat),

you will pay 5-7 grand more for that engine choice yet, if you crunch the numbers:

2.5 litter at 25 miles per Gal City/ HWY average at 15k miles/p year = 600 gal = $2,310 annual gas expense (at 3.85 p/gal)

TDI 2.0 at 35 miles p/gal City/hwy avrg at 15 miles p/year = 428 gal = $ 1,712 annual diesel expense (at 4 per/gal)

Difference $598 cost in fuel a year, so at this rate you will need to drive 10 years to make up for the extra 6 grand you have to pay up front for the “TDI”

Is this clear?

[irishpride]

I owned a 2010 2.5 jetta before, I have owned 4 mk4 TDI's and I own a Corrado VR6 chipped. Being in the market for an auto VW I have test driven the MK5 jetta TDI, the CC and the MK5 2.0turbo, yet when I drove the 2.5 on the New Passat I was GREATLY IMPRESSED of the low end torque it has, as long as you don't race it seems to have plenty of power and in my opinion the the 2.5 litter make the smarter buy. In my opinion the TDI is greatly overrated, why? here are the numbers,

it is only .3 seconds faster than the 2.5 from 0-60 (Quoting MotorTrend review of the 2012 Passat),

you will pay 5-7 grand more for that engine choice yet, if you crunch the numbers:

2.5 litter at 25 miles per Gal City/ HWY average at 15k miles/p year = 600 gal = $2,310 annual gas expense (at 3.85 p/gal)

TDI 2.0 at 35 miles p/gal City/hwy avrg at 15 miles p/year = 428 gal = $ 1,712 annual diesel expense (at 4 per/gal)

Difference $598 cost in fuel a year, so at this rate you will need to drive 10 years to make up for the extra 6 grand you have to pay up front for the “TDI”

Is this clear?

if my TDI only got 35hwy or city i'd trade it in. I traded a 2011 GTI in with the same thoughts you are typing and so far my fuel cost is cut in half. even with the passats tank being 4 gal more.

if the OP is just doing city only driving I would say ok, maybe not a TDI. but if not than TDI will save you money.

[Mazan]

Note that the mpg I am specifying are only "average" thinking you would drive 50%hwy and 50% city. Of course the TDI will give you 40 or greater easy on the HWY my 1.9L TDI has given me up to 46 mpg and that is running 18" rims on it. and my 2010 Jetta 2.5L regularly gave me 30 to 33.5 on the hwy ( I was driving 60k miles per year and was checking each and every tank) and also running other set of 18" wheel on it.....the numbers do not lie....as much as I like TDI it is over rated unless you are driving in excess of 50K miles a year and even then you will still need a few years in gas savings to make up for what you paid up front.

But then again is your own money, if you want to pay up front extra 6 grand for the fuel you will save in future years to come then....knock yourself out.

[brsexton]

I love mine. Have one in the Jetta and the Passat, I am getting very used to them. The only thing I don't like is the low growling noise they make at slower speeds when in 6th gear. It just sounds odd, but I've been told that is just the nature of the beast.

Oh and I got 600 miles to a tank of gas on my last road trip in the Passat. It was all interstate, but I was shocked I was also was on my best behavior throughout the entire trip and drove really well. That kind of MPG still amazes me for a car this size.

[D.Brown]

I think if it had a little bit more power on tap in the higher rpms it would be a flawless motor. I am happy with the fuel consumption and the around town drivability. Perhaps if they come up with some performance upgrades that don't break the bank I will be on board. Obviously a big money turbo kit or supercharger would be over the top but perhaps an I/H/E might bump it up just enough to be content with.

[turboDSG]

I think satisfied is a better word then happy. I'd be happy to have my 2.0T/DSG back in this car.

I feel that would take it from good to great. The 2.5 is fine though, great city engine, cruises easily even at high speeds, lots of low end torque but if you get on it, leaves a bit to be desired.

[spongebob_squarepants]

I'd love to get the VR6, but none of the dealers have them, where are they?

But a lot of my hesitation is cost too. There's a big price difference between a well-equipped 2.5L and the V6 SE.

I just don't want to buy a 2.5 and be disappointed with its power on a daily basis either...

[sti581]

Note that the mpg I am specifying are only "average" thinking you would drive 50%hwy and 50% city. Of course the TDI will give you 40 or greater easy on the HWY my 1.9L TDI has given me up to 46 mpg and that is running 18" rims on it. and my 2010 Jetta 2.5L regularly gave me 30 to 33.5 on the hwy ( I was driving 60k miles per year and was checking each and every tank) and also running other set of 18" wheel on it.....the numbers do not lie....as much as I like TDI it is over rated unless you are driving in excess of 50K miles a year and even then you will still need a few years in gas savings to make up for what you paid up front.

But then again is your own money, if you want to pay up front extra 6 grand for the fuel you will save in future years to come then....knock yourself out.

Dude I have read numerous replies from you about TDI's being over rated and you quantifying numbers. Not sure where your data is coming from. But you need more realistic values. I commute everyday and sit in traffic 5 days a week with AC ON. I do city and highway driving and I average on actual fill-ups and hand calculated about 45-46 mpg. Not sure how that is not an advantage of a diesel over gas.

The other thing I've noticed how you keep saying diesels are 6k above standard priced passats. I bought my tdi se for 25.5k. So what advantage is there for a 2.5? No offense to the owners of the 2.5. I just want this Mazen guy to understand real numbers vs fudging.

[Wagon05]

Dude I have read numerous replies from you about TDI's being over rated and you quantifying numbers. Not sure where your data is coming from. But you need more realistic values. I commute everyday and sit in traffic 5 days a week with AC ON. I do city and highway driving and I average on actual fill-ups and hand calculated about 45-46 mpg. Not sure how that is not an advantage of a diesel over gas.

The other thing I've noticed how you keep saying diesels are 6k above standard priced passats. I bought my tdi se for 25.5k. So what advantage is there for a 2.5? No offense to the owners of the 2.5. I just want this Mazen guy to understand real numbers vs fudging.

I was surprised at how the 2.5 performed (coming from 2.0 B6). It has enough power for me and cruises really well. Drove the TDI DSG and didn't find anything really superior and the 2.5 performance made it easy for me to decide. Don't drive enough for the mileage to make a difference (and I lease - so don't care about resale - or additional maintenance for diesel) . You will like the 2.5 in the Passat

[Mazan]

sti581...if the new 2.0 TDI gives you 45 mpg on city (wich I find hard to believe) and if the TDI's can be purchased for 25.6k at the stealer ship (which Is a good deal but still 4 grand more then the SE I saw in Dallas,Tx) then more power to you.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE TDI'S I just think some people think that by saving a few dollars on gas a year is going to really save them a lot of money when the reality is you pay all that money and more up front, unless of course you drive a LOT.

And I think the 2.5L is a great engine for the money.

[JJS119]

I am very happy with my 2.5. I live in NYC where its stop and go and the only time you can go over 50 is 10:00 at night. The 2.5 does sound good when you get on it, it is not as slow as I think it was going to be, but it is not a V6 either. Putting it in sport really helps with the shifts and if you have to get somewhere quick.

It's like the car knows when I am about to nail it, let off the gas, and nail it again. It drives better then my girlfriends 2009 Mercedes-Benz E350 (if/when she leaves the Benz stays since ) and I have not one complaint about my B7.

I should have got it with a manual, and a sunroof. Those are the only two mistakes I made. Thank God it is a lease. I treat hear nice, but at the same time like a rental because I don't care if I blow the trans. Hopefully in 3 years I can afford a loaded VW, or a new Audi.

[vwbrvr6]

For everyday around town driving it is very adequate. For on ramp merging, highway passing, getting out of the way, it is horribly underpowered. That is where my previous turbos shined.

My Civic does a better job for that.

[tdinerd]

I drove both the 2.5 and the TDI (both in manual transmission, the offering of which is one of the reasons I continue to buy VWs), and while I felt the 2.5 was adequate and priced lower (especially since they will deal on a 2.5 but not on TDIs), it just wasn't as fun to drive. It had decent power, but the torque of the TDI is just plain a blast. I came from a 2.0T Jetta, and the TDI isn't as fast, but equally as engaging. The 2.5 felt like the base model of any competent midsize sedan, not the premium car I've come to love and expect from VW.

As for mileage, I do probably 70/30 split city/hwy, and I drive like an aggressive jerk, and I still get 38.5 avg mpg on every single tank. And in my over 2,000 miles I've put on the thing, I'm still just about at the end of my third tank of diesel.

While the monetary value up front may seem like it returns less in the long run, do some investigation into used prices of 2.5 Jettas vs TDI Jettas (not much in used TDI Passats yet), and you'll see that your trade-in value is 10-15% higher over just 3 years. I sold my '06 TDI Jetta after just 3 years for 70% of its purchase price. After 3 more years, it was still worth over 50% of its purchase price. Show me another car that retains 50% of its value after 6 years and 100,000 miles. Honda can't even touch that. And neither can the Passat 2.5.

[sti581]

I drove both the 2.5 and the TDI (both in manual transmission, the offering of which is one of the reasons I continue to buy VWs), and while I felt the 2.5 was adequate and priced lower (especially since they will deal on a 2.5 but not on TDIs), it just wasn't as fun to drive. It had decent power, but the torque of the TDI is just plain a blast. I came from a 2.0T Jetta, and the TDI isn't as fast, but equally as engaging. The 2.5 felt like the base model of any competent midsize sedan, not the premium car I've come to love and expect from VW.

As for mileage, I do probably 70/30 split city/hwy, and I drive like an aggressive jerk, and I still get 38.5 avg mpg on every single tank. And in my over 2,000 miles I've put on the thing, I'm still just about at the end of my third tank of diesel.

While the monetary value up front may seem like it returns less in the long run, do some investigation into used prices of 2.5 Jettas vs TDI Jettas (not much in used TDI Passats yet), and you'll see that your trade-in value is 10-15% higher over just 3 years. I sold my '06 TDI Jetta after just 3 years for 70% of its purchase price. After 3 more years, it was still worth over 50% of its purchase price. Show me another car that retains 50% of its value after 6 years and 100,000 miles. Honda can't even touch that. And neither can the Passat 2.5.

Couldn't have said it better

[B7PassatSE]

It is what it is. It's got enough power for the around town commute to and from every day (100 miles round trip) and enough passing power for what I need around town. Where it lacks is on the long road trips of trying to pass at the 75+ mph mark.

Overall though, it's got enough and if you need some more just drop it in to S mode and let the transmission take up some of the slack.

Overall I'm doing better on MPGs than I expected as well, but you just have to remember it's a 5 cylinder not a twin turbo'd V8 so the power will be accordingly.

[D.Brown]

Still waiting on some mods to see if these cars respond well to a little extra flowage.

[Jim_NM]

Mazan, your math is way off. Per the 2013 VW website:

2013 Passat SE =$25,845 MSRP
2013 Passat TDI SE + $28, 225 MSRP

A difference of $2380, not $6000

[sti581]

Mazan, your math is way off. Per the 2013 VW website:

2013 Passat SE =$25,845 MSRP
2013 Passat TDI SE + $28, 225 MSRP

A difference of $2380, not $6000

Amen

[Mazan]

Mazan, your math is way off. Per the 2013 VW website:

2013 Passat SE =$25,845 MSRP
2013 Passat TDI SE + $28, 225 MSRP

A difference of $2380, not $6000

Yet when I when to check out real life prices there is a huge difference, Example two weeks ago there were a couple of 2012's 2.5L SE auto advertised on Auto Trader for $21k (at least the black ones with one interior I was looking for) and the TDI in my town, equally equiped were going for 27k and salesman did not want to negotiate prices....that is where I am coming from

[spongebob_squarepants]

OP here. I test drove a 2.5 SE. Quieter than the 2.5 in our MkV Jetta, and very similar in that it's quick enough for around town duty but runs out of steam when you need to pass at freeway speeds.

The car is very comfortable and well put together. It's quiet at speed, and I've grown to like the odd growl of the I-5 engine.

Cornering is okay, but let's face it, it's pretty big and you feel the weight of the car. Still, for what the car is supposed to be, I think handling is just fine. It's not a GTI and it isn't supposed to be one.

The styling, to me, looks better than the Mk V Jetta styling that never really grew on me since it's '05 debut. The styling seems to really do well with the elemental metallics like Tungsten and Reflex silver. These colors, to me, make the car look rather rich and classy.
I agree with the sentiment that this car has an understated styling that will age well. It'll still look good in 5 or 10 years IMO.

But the 2.5L, in this vehicle, doesn't cut it for what I want in a car. Just a bit too slow when it comes to roll-on acceleration. I should be ordering a VR6 model shortly, just trying to decide on color and have the dealer locate or order me one.

[VWsurprise]

i own a 2.5l passat manual and have been satisfied with the performance. The engine wont pin you back to the seat regrdless how much you floor it, but nevertheless is not that bad if you shift constantly. you wont have issues passing at highway speeds. the thing that is impressive abt the car is the suspension, chassis and the way it can handle corners while still being a comfortable and soft ride. there is some bodyroll which is pronounced at higher speeds but still managable with some getting used to. the shifter is a bit notchy but super accurate. overall good handling car in spite of less than impressive acceleration. hope this helps.

[aufmitterspeil]

I love it! Solid, reliable and I'm getting over 26mpg combined every tank! The power is okay, but I didn't buy my NMS B7 for straight-line performance. I seriously don't get why everybody loves to hate this motor so much... Yeah it's not made in Germany but who gives when it has such a solid reliability record??

[redstapler95]

I like the engine. It has an odd number of cylinders, which makes it quirky. I was impressed with it when I first test drove a Rabbit a few years back so it didn't bother me that the Passat has it. The torque is amazing through 1st and 2nd, but it seems to fall flat in 3rd and above. I'm not too bothered since it keeps me in check since I tend to drive like a maniac sometimes. The slowdown gives my brain some time to think: do I really need to get onto the gridlocked freeway faster? On the flip side, this isn't the slowest car I've driven. I've had older cars that would accelerate as fast as molasses in January when floored so I have the patience to ramp up my speed. Hopefully maintenance is easy once the warranty and carefree maintenance runs out.

[provenflipper]

My wife and I drove both the 2.5L and the VR6 when shopping for her Passat. The VR6 sounded awesome and offered great acceleration, but reaffirmed my belief that 280hp is way too much for FWD. I kept chirping the tires on accident, and the VR6 seemed to handle worse than the 2.5.

In the end, we bought the 2.5, as the wife was more than comfortable with the power and ride the 2.5 provides. She was coming from a 2009 EOS, so she was used to a more sporty ride and the power of the 2.0T, but she's still happy with the 2.5 Passat.

The 2.5 Passat has plenty of power for cruising and definitely encourages more cruising and tame driving than my R does. I usually merge onto the freeway in S and then put it in D once I get up to speed. No complaints here from me once you understand that the car does exactly what its supposed to.