2021 Volkswagen Passat: MPG and fuel economy
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 28 combined MPG, with 24 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. That lands well below the average for cars in the Midsize Cars class in the same model year.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- Returns 20% worse combined MPG than the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2021 model year (34.8 MPG class average).
- The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD at 142 MPG.
- The Volkswagen Passat has gained 7 MPG since its first rated model year, the 1990 Volkswagen Passat at 21 MPG.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 28 MPG |
| City MPG | 24 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 36 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $2,150 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 314 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Regular |
How the 2021 Volkswagen Passat compares
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat returns 28 combined MPG. Cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year average 34.8 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 20%.
The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD at 142 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Volkswagen Passat alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2021 model year (across all classes) returns 27.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2021 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 535.7 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,075 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $2,150 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $3,583 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Volkswagen Passat
The EPA has rated the Volkswagen Passat across 32 model years, from 1990 Volkswagen Passat through 2022 Volkswagen Passat. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
The 1990 Volkswagen Passat returned 21 MPG. The most recent 2022 Volkswagen Passat returns 28 MPG. That is an improvement of 7 MPG over 32 model years, the kind of gain that usually comes from smaller engines, hybrid systems, or aerodynamic redesigns.
Compare against other Midsize Cars for 2021
If you are cross-shopping the 2021 Volkswagen Passat, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD leads this group at 142 MPG, 114 MPG ahead of the 2021 Volkswagen Passat.
Specifications
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat runs a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (s6), sending power through front-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Midsize Cars
- Engine
- 2L 4-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Regular
- Annual petroleum use
- 10.6 barrels per year
- Start-stop system
- Yes
Common questions about the 2021 Volkswagen Passat
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2021 Volkswagen Passat.
-
Is the 2021 Volkswagen Passat fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2021 Volkswagen Passat returns 28 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year by about 20%. -
What MPG does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Volkswagen Passat at 28 combined MPG, 24 MPG in city driving, and 36 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Volkswagen Passat per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $2,150 for the 2021 Volkswagen Passat. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
What fuel does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat use?
The EPA lists the 2021 Volkswagen Passat as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity. -
Has the Volkswagen Passat become more fuel efficient over time?
Yes. The first EPA-rated Volkswagen Passat, the 1990 Volkswagen Passat, returned 21 combined MPG. The most recent 2022 Volkswagen Passat returns 28 MPG, an improvement of 7 MPG over the run. -
How much CO₂ does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 314 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 4,710 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2021 Volkswagen Passat?
City driving returns 24 MPG and highway driving returns 36 MPG, a gap of 12 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise. -
What engine is in the 2021 Volkswagen Passat?
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat has a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI). Smaller turbocharged engines like this one tend to deliver bigger-engine power on demand while keeping fuel economy closer to a non-turbo version of the same displacement. -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat have?
The 2021 Volkswagen Passat comes with a automatic (s6) transmission and front-wheel drive. -
How does the 2021 Volkswagen Passat compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD at 142 combined MPG. The Volkswagen Passat returns 28 MPG, a gap of 114 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.