The quality of the Passat's interior was exposed, and the once "rich and handsome" no longer existed
As we all know, the Passat used to be a representative of the domestic mid-to-high-end models, with unlimited scenery. But just a few days ago, a second-hand 200,000 Passat was dismantled video went viral on the Internet, watching this "rich and handsome" being dissected alive, netizens found that its inner light has long been gone.
At the beginning of the video, the workers used hydraulic shears to cut the body of the Passat in half, watching this "iron lump" worth 200,000 yuan being split alive, netizens sighed "It's really a tyrannical thing". When the body was disassembled, everyone's shock came.
It turned out that this seemingly expensive Passat had a staggering quality of internal materials. The A-pillar of the body is welded from the most common steel pipes, the door lining is also the cheapest foam material, and even the plastic parts of the center console are made of the most inferior PP material. "The interior of the 200,000 car is so much stronger than the 100,000 car. An old driver said bluntly after watching the video. Some netizens joked, "The inside of this car is really different from its value of 200,000 yuan!" ＂
This "inside of the Passat" is nothing new. As early as a few years ago, many car owners complained about its interior materials and workmanship quality. For example, the layout of the center console is disorganized, and the operation is very impersonal; The gluing process of the car door is also very general, and it will crack and fall off after a long time.
It can be seen that Passat, the former "rich and handsome", is now much worse inside. In the face of the fierce competition of the current models of the same level, it is difficult to impress consumers with a beautiful appearance alone. If Volkswagen does not adjust its product strategy in time and improve the internal strength of the Passat, I am afraid that it will soon be abandoned by the market.
The Passat is expensive to repair and maintain, and it is no longer cost-effective
In addition to the poor quality of interior materials, the maintenance cost of the Passat is also a major pain point that car owners complain about.
Judging from that video, the Passat's engine compartment wiring is messy, and the wiring harness is fixed at random, which dooms it to be difficult to repair. What's more, some of the Passat's core components also have a high failure rate, which brings a lot of trouble to car owners.
For example, the ignition coil is a big "roadblock" for the Passat. Many car owners have reported that within a few years of their cars, the ignition coils have been striking one after another, and replacing a new set of ignition coils will cost thousands of yuan for materials alone.
Another example is the sensor, which is also one of the "banes" of the Passat. Some car owners complained that their own Passat's throttle position sensors, crankshaft position sensors, etc., have all been replaced without exception, and the price is not cheap, at least a few hundred yuan for each change.
"This Passat has a lot of problems, and it's also very troublesome to repair, it's a wallet killer. Many car owners said helplessly.
What's even more infuriating is that even if it is a minor repair, the maintenance cost of the Passat is "outrageously" high. According to some data, the annual maintenance cost of the Passat is among the best in the same class of models, with an average annual cost of more than 5,000 yuan.
The Hyundai Sonata's gearbox is much more stable and durable, with few major overhauls. The difficulty of dismantling and repairing Toyota Leling is also far simpler than that of Passat, and the maintenance cost is naturally relatively low.
It can be seen that today's Passat has "spent a lot of money to do a defective product", and its high maintenance cost has seriously reduced its own cost performance. In this way, it is naturally difficult for consumers to accept it.
The Passat product strength is insufficient, and Volkswagen needs to adjust its strategy in time
From the poor quality of the materials used in the interior to the high cost of repairs and maintenance, the Passat's problems are dragging down its overall product strength. In the current fierce competition of models of the same level, it is difficult to impress consumers with a beautiful appearance alone.
By comparison, today's mainstream mid-to-high-end models can be described as "eyeing the tiger", ready to pull down the Passat, a "veteran", at any time. For example, Guangqi Honda's Binzhi, although its positioning is slightly lower than that of the Passat, the interior materials and workmanship quality are excellent, the handling performance is also quite good, and the price is affordable, which naturally attracts many young consumers.
Another example is Toyota's Corolla, although it is less powerful than the Passat, but its reliability and durability are notoriously good, and the maintenance cost is relatively low, which is undoubtedly a good choice for consumers who pursue cost performance.
Like Volkswagen's own Golf, Sutar and other models, in terms of interior hardware and handling performance, it is also much stronger than the Passat, and the price is cheaper than the Passat, so it has naturally become the first choice of many consumers.
In the face of such fierce market competition, Volkswagen may soon be abandoned by the market if it does not adjust the Passat's product strategy in time and improve its overall strength.
It is not difficult to improve the product strength of the Passat. First of all, Volkswagen should fundamentally improve the body structure and interior materials of the Passat, so that it matches its mid-to-high-end positioning; To optimize the Passat's performance configuration, improve its handling and fuel economy; Thirdly, great efforts should be made to improve the reliability of the Passat and reduce its failure rate and maintenance difficulty.
Only in this way can the Passat truly regain its former style and occupy a place in the competition of models in its class. Otherwise, this former "rich and handsome" can only be given the nickname of "empty appearance".