Our Passat GLX had a deep, lustrous Classic Green coat, a deviation-free fit and one-of-a-kind styling. The absence of a grille, combined with a long coach roof and near-slab sides, worked to give our Passat GLX its stand-alone styling statement. A black vinyl wraparound front bumper and air dam complemented the car's solid metal front.

Glass-covered halogen headlamps integrated with amber cornering lights that wrapped just slightly around the front fenders of our test car. A large VW chrome logo occupied center stage up front, accompanied by a prominent VR6 engine identification piece to the driver's side of center. Volkswagen is obviously proud of this advanced engine, as evidenced by the additional identification on the rear deck of the car.

Full-length, black vinyl protective moldings and rocker panel guards punctuated the sides of our test vehicle. Vinyl-covered, dual-hinged power side-view mirrors featured a gap between the mounts for improved aerodynamics.

The color of the mirror housings matched the body paint of our test vehicle perfectly. The door handles were also covered in black vinyl and protruded slightly.

The long coach roof avoided the extreme aerodynamic treatments of many other sedans. However, it imparted a look of luxury.

Short of a graceful aerodynamic spoiler, the rear styling of our Passat GLX faithfully echoed the trim, unfettered look of the rest of the car. A protective molding was centered on the rear bumper, concluded by a black vinyl undercover.

Similar to the front end, there was a generous expanse of metal in back, and it was centered between subtle wraparound taillight assemblies that accounted for roughly 40 percent of the rear deck.