First Drive: 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDI

The Volkswagen Passat has been around since 1973, serving as Volkswagen's mid-size/large family sedan. The Passat is in its seventh generation, which was released in 2010. In the North American and Chinese markets, the seventh generation Passat was released in 2011. While the new Passat is known as the Passat B7 worldwide, the new Passat is known as the Passat NMS (New Mid-size Sedan). The Passat NMS was named Motortrend's 2012 Car of the Year. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, this is one of six Volkswagen that were available for test drives.

As far as exterior styling goes, nothing special. It looks like your typical mid-size sedan. The front grill is standard for Volswagen. On the inside, the Passat felt roomy. I had plenty of leg room and head room behind the wheel. Other than that, nothing else noteworthy.

The Passat TDI is powered by a turbocharged direct injected 2.0L diesel engine that produces 138 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 seconds in 9.2 seconds. When I was behind the wheel of the Passat, I was comfortable. The Passat went smoothly over speed bumps. The car responds when I turn the steering wheel. The Passat has some zip to it. I had fun behind the wheel of the Passat TDI.

The Passat has been featured on The Middle, Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Continuum, Major Crimes, and Your Sister's Sister.

Overall, the Passat may look like your typical mid-size car. The interior and exterior are nothing special. Yet, the Passat TDI was very comfortable to drive in and I had fun behind the wheel. While the 2.0L TDI engine does not put out a lot of horsepower, the engine has a good amount of torque and it gives the car decent acceleration. The Passat handles the one curve on a side street well. I was so comfortable behind the wheel that I felt like I was on cloud. The Passat TDI is a good car. Now do I agree that with Motortend that the Passat is the 2012 Car of the Year, an award given out near the end of 2011, no I do not. The Passat was not my favorite Volkswagen to drive. Prices for the Passat TDI SE sedan start at $26,225. Prices for the Passat TDI SEL Premium sedan starts at $32,915. If you are in the market for mid-size sedan that comes with a diesel engine, give the Passat TDI a test drive. However there are better mid-size sedans out there for around the same price as the Passat TDI, and the Passat TDI does not stand out from the other mid-size sedans. But if you are interested in the Passat, with or without the TDI engine, give it a test drive.


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First Drive: 2013 Cadillac XTS

In 2011, General Motors and Cadillac ended production for both the Cadillac STS and DTS. In 2012, Cadillac came out with an all new full-size sedan, the XTS, to replace both the STS and DTS. The XTS also serves as the flagship car for the Cadillac brand. I first saw the Cadillac XTS at the 2012 Houston Auto Show and named it my best full-size Car to come out in 2012, and I did that before I drove the XTS. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, I got behind the wheel of an XTS. This was the first car I drove on Day 4 of the Houston Auto Show.

The XTS is just beautiful. The XTS has some sleek lines going along the side of the car. The rear slope is integrated nicely. The headlights are integrated nicely into the body. The interior is even better. The XTS has a luxurious and roomy. I was very comfortable behind the wheel. The feel like I am on a cloud when I am behind the wheel. I had plenty of leg room and head room. There are some features that I like. There is a heads up display that informs the driver what the speed limit is and also acts as a speedometer. The gauges are digital and can be customized to fit the driver's need. The middle gauge acted as a speedometer and navigation. This is the first time I have been behind the wheel of a car with the navigation located in front of the driver and not to the side. I have an external GPS device for my RAV4 and I have to turn to the side to look at it instead of looking ahead. In the XTS, I can look straight at the rood and at the navigation screen at the same time. This feature is something that needs to be on more cars. It is dangerous for a driver to have his or her eyes not looking directly at the road.

Powering the XTS is a 3.6L V6, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, that producs 304 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. The XTS goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, which is good for a full-size sedan. The car feels quick. The XTS has a soft ride, yet the XTS handles well. The car immediately turns when I turn the steering wheel. Over the five days, there were some vehicles that did not turn one way or another immediately when I turn the steering wheel. The XTS handles bumps well. I barely felt any bumps when I was behind the wheel. The XTS is a good car to be behind the wheel of.

Overall, the XTS is an amazing cars. I love the exterior styling. It is just beautiful. The interior is really nice. I felt very comfortable behind the wheel. I love that the driver can customize the gauges to fit his or her needs. I liked having the navigation screen directly in front of me when I was behind the wheel of the XTS. The XTS also has good acceleration. It is just an enjoyable car to drive. Prices for the XTS start at $44,075 and can go up to $60,385 for a fully loaded XTS premium sedan. That price may seem high, but compared to its German rivals, the XTS has a lot to offer for a good price. If you can afford it, get it. The XTS is an amazing car.

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