Manufacturer Volkswagen Assembly Emden, Germany | Production October 1993–May 1997 | |
 | ||
Class Mid-size car / Large family car (D) Body style 4-door saloon/sedan
5-door estate/wagon Layout Front engine,
front-wheel drive or
four-wheel drive | ||
The B3 Passat was heavily facelifted in 1993 and although it was designated B4, it was not an all-new model. The facelift resulted in every external body panel being changed, except for the roof and glasshouse, with most obvious exterior change seeing the re-introduction of a grille to match the style of the other same-generation Volkswagen models of the era, such as the Mk3 Golf and Jetta. The interior was mildly updated and included safety equipment such as dual front airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners, although the basic dashboard design remain unchanged. The B4 sedan was replaced in late 1997 by the new B5 Passat.
Contents
The car was available with a Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine - an inline four-cylinder 1.9 liter turbodiesel, generating 202 newton metres (149 lbf·ft) of torque at 1,900 rpm and 66 kilowatts (90 PS; 89 bhp) at 4000 rpm. It carried a U.S. EPA fuel efficiency rating for the sedan of 45 miles per US gallon (5.2 L/100 km; 54 mpg‑imp) highway. Combined with a 70 litres (15.4 imp gal; 18.5 US gal) fuel tank, it had a 1300+ km (800+ mi) range on a single tank of fuel. The B4 TDI wagon saw less than 1,000 sales in the U.S. during its 1996 to 1997 lifespan.
B4 trim levels
In Europe, L, CL, GL, GT and VR6 versions were available; with the VR6 with one of the trims, for example a GL VR6. Only three trim levels were available in the United States: GLS, GLX and TDI. The GLX version carried Volkswagen's 2.8 litre VR6 engine. The GLS had a 2.0-litre 8-valve engine, while the TDI had the 1.9 TurboDiesel.
Canadian versions of the Passat were similar to models sold in the U.S. Unlike the U.S., however, Canadian models were offered with the AAZ 1.9-liter TurboDiesel, but for the 1995 models only. The 1.9-liter TurboDiesel was replaced by the 1.9 TDI (1Z/AHU) in 1996.
The only version sold in Mexico was the 2.8-liter VR6 gasoline in GLX trim level. These versions were more expensive than the Volkswagen cars built in Mexico, due to the import tariffs, and the fact the Passat was built in Germany.
B4 engines
The following internal combustion engines were available in the B4 Passat: