It may seem hard to believe for us hatchback-loving Brits, but the Volkswagen Passat is the German manufacturer’s biggest selling model globally. It is also easy to forget the Passat is now in its eighth generation, so Volkswagen has had plenty of time to hone it to perfection.
From the outside the changes to its design are typically subtle, as is the Volkswagen way. This approach should help models avoid the pitfall of dating too quickly, and keep used prices buoyant. Sharper creases and a bolder grille are the order of the day, along with new alloy wheel designs.
But, despite these subtle changes, this is an all-new model under the skin, with a new chassis. Its wheels have been pushed further out to each corner, liberating 33mm of extra length inside the cabin and giving the Passat a more purposeful stance on the road. This estate version also has a massive 650-litre boot, which beats its main rivals. Pulling a lever in the boot allows you to fold flat the rear seats too, a neat touch.
The interior is the Passat’s stand-out feature, with material quality lifted yet another notch above the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia. Our £25,485 SE Business test car had a metallic dashboard trim, improving the ambience to near-luxury levels. But, the biggest news – brace yourselves – is the continuation of the air-vent design across the width of the dashboard. Volkswagen isn’t known for its daring cabins, and this feature is sure to be divisive. I think it lends the cabin an expensive, contemporary feel, but that’s just me.
The touch-screen is also a significant improvement. It looks crisp, but that’s not what I cared about, it’s how responsive it is. Menus load in an instant and button presses register as fast as you can move your digits. When you’re used to using an iPad at home, things like this matter.
Take to the road and the Passat immediately feels smooth, quiet and comfortable. It’s also quickly apparent that the 1.6-litre TDI with 118bhp is rather underwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, it’s quiet and will save you money, but it doesn’t propel the Passat in the way you’d like, taking 11.0 seconds to reach 62mph. It’s less of an issue once up to speed, but when getting away from traffic lights it can be hard to keep pace with nippy superminis.
The best approach is to get into the ‘hypermiling’ philosophy and save as much fuel as possible. We couldn’t reach the 68.9mpg claimed average, but the high 50s we saw are still mighty impressive figures for a big estate.
So, while I’d always take the 2.0-litre TDI with 148bhp (or even 187bhp) over this 1.6-litre TDI, we aren’t complaining about the way the Passat rides or handles. Fitted with modest 17-inch wheels (215/55 R17 in size) it does a wonderful job of coping with rough roads and keeping noise out the cabin.
Turn off the motorway onto a B-road and the steering is accurate (we prefer the weighting of ‘Sport’ mode as ‘Comfort’ makes it very light) and the Passat will do exactly what you ask of it. Is it as fun as the Ford Mondeo or Mazda 6? Not quite, but how many people buy a large estate or saloon for driver involvement? It certainly feels accomplished and you’ll arrive at your destination with the minimum of fuss.
For Passat owners - who we expect to spend a lot of time behind the wheel - it’s the overall level of comfort and cabin quality we think will make the biggest impression.
