Passat auto vs Audi auto

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Sat 4 Jun 2005 12:18
Passat auto vs Audi auto - GreatestDancer
Quick question - I've been looking to get a diesel saloon car and am interested in both the Audi A4 and VW Passat.

As I understand they're both based on the VAG B5 chassis and so are both fairly similar cars - the Audi basically having the better badge and perhaps slightly better interior.

My problem is I only have a budget of around £12k and want a diesel automatic. First of all, this seems to seriously limit my choice as there are lots of petrol automatics and diesel manuals but not many of both. So that's my first question - why is this?

My second question is this. Look at the following stats, all for the same engine - the 1.9tdi 130:

Car / combined mpg
Audi A4 manual 51
Audi A4 auto 48
VW Passat manual 51
VW Passat auto 39

Why the huge drop for the VW? I thought they'd be the same gearbox? Is the VW auto just a bad box? Does VAG fiddle the quoted numbers to steer you towards an audi? On motorway driving would the difference be this pronounced?

Cheers! Rich
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Sat 4 Jun 2005 13:12
Passat auto vs Audi auto - Quinny100
The Audi uses the Multitronic box which is based on a CVT transmission, whereas the Passat is fitted with a conventional autobox with a torque converter which are less efficient.
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Sat 4 Jun 2005 19:46
Passat auto vs Audi auto - bert-j
Fuel consumption on Passat auto diesels has been notorious for some years. You will probably be lucky to get 35 mpg. In my experience they're not very pleasant to drive as the old fashioned auto box seems to hunt up and down a lot. I'm sure that you have a reason for wanting an auto diesel but the manual 130bhp Passat is infinitely superior.
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