The fifth generation of Volkswagen Passat was officially unveiled in 1996 when the German carmaker Volkswagen rolled out a new sedan version of the popular model.
Although it was presented to the European public in 1996, it only arrived in North America in 1998. What’s interesting is that the car is based on the same platform as Audi A4, being also equipped with a front-wheel drive system, just like the Audi model. The car received a ocuple of awards until 2000 when it got facelifted, including the “Best Family Car” award of Auto Express New Car Honours in 1999.