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2012 Volkswagen Passat front 3/4 view
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear 3/4 view
2012 Volkswagen Passat front 3/4 view
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear 3/4 view
2012 Volkswagen Passat side view
2012 Volkswagen Passat front view
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear view
2012 Volkswagen Passat front detail
2012 Volkswagen Passat grille
2012 Volkswagen Passat fog light
2012 Volkswagen Passat wheel
2012 Volkswagen Passat side mirror
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear detail
2012 Volkswagen Passat taillight
2012 Volkswagen Passat taillight
2012 Volkswagen Passat badge
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear bumper
2012 Volkswagen Passat engine
2012 Volkswagen Passat engine
2012 Volkswagen Passat engine
2012 Volkswagen Passat interior
2012 Volkswagen Passat interior
2012 Volkswagen Passat steering wheel
2012 Volkswagen Passat front seats
2012 Volkswagen Passat seat detail
2012 Volkswagen Passat steering wheel controls
2012 Volkswagen Passat steering wheel controls
2012 Volkswagen Passat gauges
2012 Volkswagen Passat instrument panel
2012 Volkswagen Passat climate controls
2012 Volkswagen Passat shifter
2012 Volkswagen Passat start button
2012 Volkswagen Passat headlight controls
2012 Volkswagen Passat door handle
2012 Volkswagen Passat rear seats
2012 Volkswagen Passat trunk
Detroit has the North American Car and Truck of the Year. Chicago? The Family Vehicle of the Year. And for 2012, the winner is the Volkswagen Passat.
While we must have missed last year’s inaugural winner – it was the Hyundai Sonata, by the way – we did catch this year’s award presentation. The Passat beat out two other finalists, the Ford Explorer and Mazda5, in the voting of 68 automotive journalists. Those car scribes all belong to the Midwest Automotive Media Association, or “MAMA,” as the Chicago-based group is affectionately known.
Candidates for the FVOTY must be new or updated vehicles that have four doors, have base prices under $50,000, and “appear at one of MAMA’s two annual rallies.” Other models considered in the 2012 voting included the Chevrolet Volt, Dodge Durango, Dodge Journey, Ford Edge, Ford Focus, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Subaru Impreza, and Toyota Camry.