The Volkswagen Passat is a mid-sized sedan produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973. It is currently in its seventh generation and shares its platform with the Volkswagen Arteon, Volkswagen Sharan, and the Volkswagen Touran. The Passat is positioned between the popular Volkswagen Golf hatchback and the larger Volkswagen Phaeton, and is often compared to the likes of the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Series.