Volkswagen has officially discontinued the Passat for 2023. This has been an ever-changing journey for Volkswagen to reach this point. They began designing the new Passat in 2011 but soon scrapped it in 2012 due to a failure of its steering system. It was in 2016 that they finally reworked the new Passat and put it on sale early in late 2019 as a 2020 model.
It is still being determined why Volkswagen decided to discontinue the Passat line. Still, some say its discontinuation may signal to move from sedans towards crossovers and electric vehicles instead of traditional engines.
Its first generation lasted from 1973-1979, its second generation from 1979-1988, its third generation from 1988-1997, its fourth generation from 1997-2004, and finally ending with the fifth generation from 2004 until 2023.
Volkswagen's decision to discontinue the Passat may signify changing times. Electric vehicles are becoming more popular in the car market as more manufacturers create new models and develop them into new technology, including semi-autonomous driving technologies such as "lane assistance," where cars will steer themselves to keep within their lane.
Volkswagen decided that the mid-size Passat didn't have enough differentiating it from the other competitors in gas-powered sedans, especially at a time when SUVs are growing in popularity not only among consumers but also among auto insurance companies and regulators as they require higher levels of safety ratings.
Volkswagen's move to discontinue its gas-powered Passat and focus on electric vehicles is no surprise given the company's recent investment in Volkswagen's Electrify America charging station network, which is a significant incentive to electrify its line of cars. This new charging infrastructure, along with increased incentives for consumers, will significantly accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. And with the momentum growing in favor of electric cars, Volkswagen is making an intelligent bet that it can speed up the transition toward electric vehicles while addressing issues like increasing demand for bigger cars alongside declining interest in smaller sedans.
The best way to ensure a longer life for the Passat is to replace it with an electric vehicle. The Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless standard is gaining popularity and will slow down aging-related factors. Also, since electric vehicles use much less fuel than gas cars, they will last forever.
For these reasons, Volkswagen's push into the electric car market will likely be successful. This push could easily affect other car companies as auto insurance companies are starting to require higher safety ratings to issue more EV policies. For further inquiries on this, you can visit our dealership in Florida.
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