2009 Volkswagen Passat
midsize car / 4-door sedan
Award applies only to vehicles 4-door sedan and wagon models
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2006-10 models
Tested vehicle: 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T 4-door
The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2006 model year.
The frontal offset crash test ratings also apply to the station wagon version of the Passat, beginning with 2007 models, and the CC, a variant of the Passat sedan with a lower roofline and frameless side windows, beginning with 2009 models. The Passat sedan and wagon were discontinued after the 2010 model year but not the CC.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.
Smeared greasepaint above the dummy's head indicates where the head hit the roof rail and grab handle during rebound. Head accelerations from these hits were low.
Intrusion into the driver's space was minimal, and all leg and foot injury measures were low.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEF0529 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 4 |
| Left (cm) | 6 |
| Center (cm) | 6 |
| Right (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 6 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 2 |
| Rearward (cm) | -2 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 0 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEF0529 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 161 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 16 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.8 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 28 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.29 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.1 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 1.8 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 1 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.33 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.33 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 1.8 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 3.0 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 53 |
| Right | 125 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2006-10 models
Tested vehicle: 2006 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags
The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2006 model year and discontinued after the 2010 model year. The side impact crash test ratings also apply to 2007-10 models of the station wagon version of the Passat.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0527 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -14.0 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0527 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 168 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.2 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.0 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 41 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.9 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 28 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.78 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.43 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.3 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.4 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 54 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 19 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0527 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 283 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.5 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 31 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 33 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 29 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.00 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.65 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.4 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.7 |
| Combined force (kN) | 4.9 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 109 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -42 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2006-10 models
Tested vehicle: 2009 Volkswagen Passat Komfort 4-door
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 3,365 lbs |
| Peak force | 16,104 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.79 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 21 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 16 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 12.4 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 56 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 9 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 439 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.