2015 Chrysler 300 vs 2015 Volkswagen Passat
Two midsize cars, compared on what actually matters when you're buying used:
what breaks, when it breaks, and what it costs you.
2015 Chrysler
300
6/10
The last of the affordable rear-drive Detroit land yachts — great bones, mediocre execution on the small stuff.
VS
2015 Volkswagen
Passat
5/10
Buy it for the space-per-dollar and the German ride quality; budget for VW electrical gremlins and treat the extended warranty like oxygen.
Milo scores the 2015 Chrysler 300 higher — 6/10 against 5/10.
By the numbers
Green is the better number — higher on every score, lower on failures, complaints and recalls.
| Chrysler 300 |
Volkswagen Passat |
| Known failure points | 6 | 6 |
| NHTSA complaints | 97 | 243 |
| Safety recalls | 5 | 7 |
| Service bulletins | 12 | 12 |
| Reliability | 58 | 52 |
| Cheap to own | 55 | 48 |
| Fun factor | 72 | 42 |
| Holds value | 38 | 35 |
| Enthusiast cred | 48 | 30 |
The most expensive thing that goes wrong
2015 Chrysler 300
ZF 8-speed transmission solenoid pack or TCM software glitches causing harsh/delayed shifts
$300–$1,20060k–100k mi
2015 Volkswagen Passat
Timing chain tensioner wear on early EA888 Gen2 2.0T engines (less common on 1.8T but still reported)
$1,200–$2,500100k–150k mi
If you buy one, buy this one
✅ 2015 Chrysler 300
A 2015 300C or 300S with the 5.7L HEMI, ideally AWD, low miles, with a documented oil filter housing replacement and completed recalls — the HEMI's simpler and more durable than the finicky V6 electronics complaints suggest, and it's the version that actually delivers on the car's rear-drive American sedan promise.
✅ 2015 Volkswagen Passat
A 2015 Passat SE or SEL with the 1.8T engine and full service records, ideally still under the extended powertrain warranty window, in a light-colored non-metallic paint (cheaper touch-ups) — or if you can find one, the VR6 SEL Premium for a simpler, more bulletproof drivetrain.
Narrowed it down? Get the full report
This comparison is model-level.
Milo's report goes car-level — the one you're actually looking at:
- A line-by-line negotiation script
- The pre-purchase inspection checklist
- VIN-specific open recalls
- What it's really worth right now
- Your next 15,000 miles, forecast
- Hidden features & money-savers
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Scores and findings blend documented NHTSA recalls and complaints with
patterns synthesized from owner communities. Always inspect the specific vehicle and
verify open recalls by VIN before buying.