I couldn't have planned this better if I'd tried. The 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine and SE Business trim level are expected to be the most popular among UK Passat buyers, and this test of the Estate involved loading it up one day with a large number of household items and transporting them to a storage unit via some of the finest and most challenging roads in the west of Scotland. Good luck trying to find a more relevant report than this one.
The goods being moved included six Ikea dining chairs, a couple of pictures, a lot of crockery and assorted pieces of bric-a-brac. They fitted easily, as I expected they would. The Passat Estate is a very roomy car, with plenty of room for four tall adults and a 650-litre boot with the rear seats in place.
Folding down the seats is easy (you can do this using levers near the back of the car) and increases the load volume to 1,780 litres while providing a floor that's as near flat as makes no difference. Fitting everything in was easy - certainly more so than it would have been if I'd had a less roomy Mondeo Estate or Insignia Sports Tourer.
It wasn't a heavy load, but even if it had been the 2.0-litre TDI 150 engine would surely have been up to the job. While its maximum power output is not exceptional for a car of this size, nearly two-thirds of it is being produced at just 2000rpm, so decent acceleration is available almost any time you want it.
Volkswagen has abandoned the idea of selling petrol-engined Passats in this country. Of the diesels, the 118bhp 1.6-litre might have been sufficient but would probably have struggled on the steeper hills I encountered. The 187bhp 2.0-litre and the 237bhp BiTDI would have been useful, but perhaps no more so than the 148bhp unit was.
As well as being strong, it's reasonably economical. Forget the 68.9mpg official combined figure. That's not going to happen unless you're competing on an economy run. My average was in the high 40s, but there were contributory factors including bad weather, quite a lot of urban driving and a certain amount of giving it large out in the country. If I had the car for a year rather than a week I think I'd be in the low to mid 50s most of the time.
It is quite noisy, though. There's a lot of rattling for a few minutes after a cold start, and even after you've been running for a while the sound levels are pretty high. Nor is the driving experience helped by the slightly crunchy gear change and a clutch which always engaged sharply even when I went to some trouble to make it not do so.
The handling is fine, thanks to plenty of grip and a fine front/rear balance. No problems there. The ride, however, is never good and occasionally horrible. Current-generation Passats in general ride badly, and this is one of the worst. There's an optional Dynamic Chassis Control system which gives three damper settings, but it doesn't help. I'd be surprised if Volkswagen isn't already realising its mistake and working on an early suspension upgrade.
SE Business lies in the middle of five trim levels for the Passat, and it's more than adequate, including such niceties as air-conditioning, DAB digital radio, satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, cornering lights, adaptive cruise control and PreCrash occupant protection.
Various optional extras hiked the test car's price from £26,665 to nearly £31,000. I think I'd do without the £185 XDS electronic differential lock because I didn't drive the car fast enough to need it, and wouldn't want to.
Heated front seats, steering wheel and windscreen (total price £565 but available individually), yes. Sound insulating glass (£310) maybe, though it wouldn't make the engine any quieter. Tyre pressure monitoring (£135), not for me. Area View probably, as it helps with parking, though at £755 it's a bit pricey. The triple-zone climate control air-conditioning (£590) is nice but worth buying only if you intend to carry passengers regularly.
I never used the £200 Park Assist system, though I probably should have done, but I was impressed by the rear-view camera that comes with it, partly because it continues to work even after you've deselected reverse gear.
In short, the SE Business is reasonably well-equipped for the price, and if you have a budget cap of £30,000 you can make it considerably more so. It's also a handsome car with an impressively strong engine, but I'd want it to be quieter and to ride better before I'd consider buying one.
