After an extensive redesign the year before, the Volkswagen Passat received minimal upgrades for 1999. VW had planned to offer the Passat with an optional all-wheel-drive system, as well as a wagon with a V6 engine, but neither made it to showrooms for the '99 model year. What did show up were Passats with two trim levels and two engine options.

Trim packages were the entry-level GLS and the higher-end GLX. Standard features on the GLS included air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, anti-lock brakes, traction control, cruise control, front and side airbags for the driver and passenger, a keyless entry system, and an anti-theft alarm system. The GLX added a sunroof and leather seats (power in the front) as standard equipment, among other features.

The two engine options included a 1.8-liter, 150-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder, which was available only with the GLS trim package, and a 2.8-liter, 190-hp V6, which was dropped into both the GLS and GLX versions. A five-speed manual transmission was standard in the GLS, with a five-speed automatic available as an option; the automatic transmission was standard on the GLX package.

Drivers and reviewers were complimentary of the Passat's styling, as well as the fact that it borrowed many of its elements from the higher-end Audi, which also is owned by VW. Also noted as positive points by drivers were the car's affordability, safety features, power, and roominess. Quality was still a concern for some drivers, though, who noted both minor and major problems that required sometimes-expensive trips to the repair shop.