yeah it wouldn't be a bad car, usually older cars are better since you don't have to worry about breaking anything. It's a commuter car so the clutch would be light. Just make sure the clutch is in decent shape. You don't want to be learning on one that's about to go, it'll slip and be harder to pick up on. Good luck!

I learned in a 3 speed POS truck we used to clean up a property with lol. I think if you have access to one, try and drive a newer manual car. A lot of them will hold the car on a hill while you shift. Sometimes it's hard to hold the brake, clutch, and ease into the gas as you let out of the clutch lol.

Find a beat honda civic. Get good gas and they are super easy to learn on. I learned on a G35 and a 350z and they are pretty difficult cars to learn on lol would not recommend

If you have a friend that has one just ask to take it around the parking lot to learn. You will most likely stall and think you broke your friends car. But it will be all good! Good luck.

Find the cheapest POS you can if you wish to learn. Chances are when you get to grips with it (doesn't take long) you'll get a new can anyway.

The car I learned manual in was a 99' Focus. It such a POS that there was no return spring from the left side. I'm sure you car guys know what I'm referring too. It's the small spring that pushes the shift fork back into neutral when you take it out of gear. So as I was learning there was many times where I would hard accelerate in second and go to change to 3rd and bang into into 1st by accident lmao.

Moral of the story the worse the car the better driver you will become when it comes to driving better cars.

How ironic, my first (and only) car is a 2003 B5.5 Passat 1.8t GLS. It's a common model, probably very similar to the car you were looking at. I love the car, but the car does not love me. If you hate working on your car, don't get this one...at least for me, I always have problems with it. It's a hand me down from my stepmom who was the first owner, so I know it was driven well and maintained properly. However, driving this car is great. If you get a 1.8t, they pick up very nicely in the midrange, They feel fast. Learning manual on this car is definitely very different from other cars, though. The clutch pedal picks up really high compared to other manual cars I have driven (Volkswagens included). If you're into modding cars, it's a bitch to mod, but nonetheless, looks awesome. If you like the car and don't mind excessive maintenance, then go for it. P.S. my B5.5 is in the shop right now. lol

My first car to learn stick in was a '99 Jetta lol.
Once you get the hang of it, it's easy.