Difference Between Jetta and Passat

Jetta vs. Passat

Foremost, it is best to describe what a Jetta and a Passat really is. Both car models are actually two different cars manufactured by Volkswagen. For the sake of discussion, it is best to describe the two models at a time when they were at their peak (2006). This article also specifically details the differences between the Jetta GLI and a Passat 2.0T.

The Volkswagen Jetta was originally launched to fit into the sedan marketplace, but it is barely over the niche of the smaller type of family car. To date, this car model has been marketed in different generations, like the Atlantic, Jetta City, Fox and Vento, among others. Actually, there was a time when Volkswagen named their cars according to different winds, and that’s why Jetta is actually a Germanic term that means ‘jet stream’.

Secondly, the Passat is another car model from Volkswagen. Unlike the Jetta (a compact or somewhat small family car), the Passat actually belongs to the middle or larger class of family cars. That’s why many car lovers dub this model as the ‘stretched Jetta’. Regarding the origin of the car model’s name, the Passat is another Germanic term, that literally translates as ‘trade wind.’

With regards to style, the Passat boasts of a ‘not so imposing’ instrument panel. Truly, this is a major plus to the blocky panel set-up of the Jetta. Moreover, it is said that more drivers judge the Passat as, aesthetically, the more beautiful car than the Jetta, most especially its newer version, that is seen to be more elegant and trendy than its classy predecessors.

In terms of passenger accommodation, the Jetta may be the winner. Due of the car’s size, the Passat has a larger trunk, but its rear seats are said to be inferior to those of the Jetta. It is because the Jetta’s rear seats are not mounted so close to the car floor. The result is a better view of the front to those seated at the back, and more comfortable legroom. Conversely, the Passat’s rear seat is somewhat mounted too close to the floor, making thigh support poorer, and the headrests of the front car seats block the view. Lastly, with all these features, it is quite obvious that the Passat is more expensive; about a couple of thousand dollars more than the Jetta.

In summary, although the Jetta and the Passat are two of the boldest cars from Volkswagen, they are very different from one another because of the following reasons:

1. Etymologically, Volkswagen’s Jetta means ‘jet stream’, whereas the Passat translates to ‘trade wind’.

2. The Jetta is relatively smaller, or a little shorter, than the Passat (stretched Jetta, approximately 9 inches longer).

3. The Passat does not have an imposing instrument panel, whereas the Jetta has a blocky panel.

4. The Passat has better accommodation for its rear passengers due to the position of its rear seats, when compared to its Jetta counterpart.

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