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• Pros Roomy cabin; refined and quiet ride; powerful and fuel-efficient engines; top safety scores. Steel portal frame buildings. • Cons Touchscreen is smaller than most competitors; sluggish response from DSG transmission; fuel-efficient diesel option on hold until emissions issues can be worked out. • What's New for 2016 The Volkswagen Passat receives a mildly revised exterior, updated center stack and full leather seating on upper trim levels.

A rearview camera is now standard, and newly available safety features include a lane departure warning system, a blind-spot monitor and frontal collision warning with automatic braking. A standard USB port replaces Volkswagen's proprietary plug for connecting smartphones and media players. There have also been a few trim changes, including the addition of a sporty R-Line model. Review When the current-generation Passat was first unveiled for the 2012 model year, Volkswagen purists cried foul.

The Audi-lite exterior styling of the outgoing Passat was replaced by more generic sheet metal. The previously high-quality interior materials were downgraded, and similar cuts were made in the engine bay.

Gone was the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and automated clutch transmission shared with the GTI. In its place was an anemic 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that made it difficult for the Passat to get out of its own way. The Passat's once-vaunted handling supremacy in the midsize class shifted in favor of a comfort-oriented setup that left the sedan clumsy in the corners. It was a sedan aimed squarely at the mainstream, with a lower price that allowed the Passat to better compete with the Camrys and Accords that dominated the segment.

Sales went up and while they lagged behind the class leaders, the Passat still contributed healthily to Volkswagen's bottom line. So when it came time to refresh VW's second best-selling car in the U.S., the automaker characteristically chose to play it safe. It's hard to tell, but the 2016 Volkswagen Passat received a minor styling refresh this year. You'd have to be an eagle-eyed Volkswagen aficionado to notice the differences between the 2015 and 2016 models in terms of body styling. Exterior changes are mostly limited to a domed hood, revised headlights, LED taillights and chrome window trim.

The upgrades are more apparent from behind the wheel. The top trim level now gets full leather seating rather than a leather/simulated suede combo. Several design elements are borrowed from the 2015 Golf, including a revised steering wheel and instrument cluster. On SE models with the Technology package, as well as the SEL and SEL Premium trims, smartphone integration comes in the form of an upgraded version of Volkswagen's called App-Connect.