Compare the2024 BMW 4 Series Gran CoupeVS 2022 Volkswagen Passat

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Passat doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4 Series Gran Coupe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Passat doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Passat doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Passat doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Passat only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Passat doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the 4 Series Gran Coupe and the Passat have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe weighs 423 to 800 pounds more than the Volkswagen Passat. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles longer than the Passat’s (12/unlimited vs. 7/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4 Series Gran Coupe for 1 year and 16000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Passat (3/36,000 vs. 2/20,000).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s reliability 31 points higher than the Passat.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4 Series Gran Coupe third among compact premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Passat isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 57 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Volkswagen is ranked 23rd.

The 430i Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 81 more horsepower (255 vs. 174) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 206) than the Passat’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The M440i Gran Coupe’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 208 more horsepower (382 vs. 174) and 163 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 206) than the Passat’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Regenerative brakes improve the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Passat doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Passat doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Passat.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Passat doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Passat:

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Passat are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the 4 Series Gran Coupe has larger standard tires than the Passat (245/45R18 vs. 235/45R18). The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Passat (F:245/40R19 & R:255/40R19 vs. 235/45R18).

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Passat R-Line’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 4 Series Gran Coupe offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Passat’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the 4 Series Gran Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Passat doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Passat’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Passat’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Passat (112.4 inches vs. 110.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 4 Series Gran Coupe is .7 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Passat.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe is 5.1 inches shorter than the Passat, making the 4 Series Gran Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s hatch uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the cargo area. Its intrusive beam hinge reduces the Passat’s useful trunk space.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the 4 Series Gran Coupe has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by waving your foot, completely leaving your hands free. The Passat doesn’t offer a power trunk, so its trunk has to be closed manually.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Passat uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the 4 Series Gran Coupe is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Passat. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Volkswagen. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 33% lower rating, Volkswagen is ranked 28th.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Passat doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Passat has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

If the windows are left open on the 4 Series Gran Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Passat can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

Laser headlights, optional on the 4 Series Gran Coupe, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the Passat’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Passat has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 4 Series Gran Coupe keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Passat doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Passat doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 4 Series offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Passat doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The 4 Series Gran Coupe’s optional Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Passat Limited’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The BMW 4 Series comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Volkswagen Passat isn’t available as a coupe or convertible.

The BMW 4 Series outsold the Volkswagen Passat by over 15 to one during 2022.