Top Safety Pick +Top Safety Pick criteria

2016 Volkswagen Passat

midsize car / 4-door sedan

Award applies only to vehicles with optional front crash prevention

2016 Volkswagen Passat 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front: driver-side
G
Small overlap front: passenger-side
M
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: original test
G
Roof strength
G
Head restraints & seats
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
P
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Advanced

Seat belts & child restraints

Evaluation criteriaRating
LATCH ease of use
G

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention
  • Optional rear automatic braking

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2016-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2016 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T S 4-door

The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Beginning with 2013 models built after October 2012, the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed to deploy in small overlap frontal crashes to improve occupant protection. Beginning with 2016 models, the A-pillars and door sills were strengthened and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to further improve such protection.

Evaluation criteriaRating
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward structure. Additionally, the seat belt allowed excessive forward excursion of the dummy’s head and torso to the extent the head hit the steering wheel rim. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.
A

Action shot taken during the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well.

During the crash, the dummy's head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off to the left, and the seat belt allowed far too much forward movement of the dummy.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Small overlap front: passenger-side

Rating applies to 2016-19 models

Tested vehicle: 2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T S 4-door

The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Beginning with 2013 models built after October 2012, the side curtain airbags were reprogrammed to deploy in small overlap frontal crashes to improve occupant protection. Beginning with 2016 models, the A-pillars and door sills were strengthened and the side curtain airbags were lengthened to further improve such protection.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
M
Structure and safety cage
A
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
A
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the right side, allowing the head to move far enough forward to hit the dashboard. The side curtain airbag deployed and has sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structure and outside objects.
M
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G

Action shot taken during the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame and dashboard after the crash test indicates that the passenger’s survival space was maintained reasonably well.

The dummy’s head slid off the right side of the frontal airbag and moved far enough forward to hit the dashboard hard.

The passenger’s space was maintained reasonably well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2012-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2012 Volkswagen Passat S 4-door

The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
G
Leg/foot, right
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2012-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2012 Volkswagen Passat S 4-door with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags

The Volkswagen Passat was redesigned for the 2012 model year. Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Volkswagen.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
G
Pelvis/leg
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2012-22 models

Tested vehicle: 2012 Volkswagen Passat SE 4-door

Overall evaluation
G
Curb weight3,256 lbs
Peak force20,592 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio6.32

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seats

Overall evaluation
G
Dynamic rating
G
Seat/head restraint geometry
G
Technical measurements for this test

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • S trim equipped with Lighting package
  • SE trim equipped with Lighting package
  • SE with Technology trim equipped with Lighting package
  • SEL trim equipped with Lighting package
  • R-Line trim equipped with Lighting package
  • R-Line with Comfort trim equipped with Lighting package
  • SEL Premium trim
  • V6 SEL Premium trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED reflector
High-beam headlight typeLED reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
P
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

Technical measurements for this test

Trim level(s)

  • S trim
  • SE trim
  • SE with Technology trim
  • SEL trim
  • R-Line trim
  • R-Line with Comfort trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
High-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?No
Overall rating
P
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

Technical measurements for this test

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Optional Front Assist (with Autonomous Emergency Braking)

Package name

  • Optional Driver Assistance Package

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2016 models

Advanced
Advanced
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle failed to slow.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2015-22 models

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Vehicle trimSE
Seat type leatherette

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

It has 1 additional seating position with a tether anchor only.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Vehicle trimSE
Seat type leatherette
1 2 3
Rating iconRating
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

PositionRating
1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
2
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
none available
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
not too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
easy to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

About the child seat anchor evaluation