Passat’s an all-round winner
YOU’VE got to choose one car to last for the next 20 years. It’ll be your only car so it has to do all jobs pretty well – carting the family about, shopping, holidays, everything. My choice is a Mercedes-benz E-class estate. Only trouble is that they’re not cheap and they’re a bit big, so tricky to park outside our terraced house.
An alternative could be avolkswagen Passat estate. It is a long way off being an exciting car but it’d be dependable and trustworthy.
The current generation of Passats has been on sale since 2014.We’re on the eighth generation since the car was launched in 1973 and more than 30 million have been sold. Since the current one is now five years old it’s time for a facelift and for some new technology to be added.
A forensic scientist wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between this reworked Passat and the last one.the headlamps have been tweaked and now every model has energy-saving LED lamps. Oh, and the name Passat is spelled out across the tailgate.and that’s about it.
But why mess with a successful formula? We’re testing the estate version of the Passat because it makes most sense, it’s my favourite version – and customers’ too because it outsells the saloon two to one. Volkswagen didn’t even bring a saloon to the international launch of the new Passat.
There are plenty of engines to choose from: petrol, diesel and even a plug-in hybrid version. And there are three diesels ranging from a 1.6 litre with 118bhp and a couple of 2.0 litres, one of which has 148bhp and is likely to be the most popular choice.the gruntiest 2.0-litre petrol produces 268bhp which will be a bit of a niche choice.
J£28,985
Petrol – 1.5 150bhp
0 to 62mph in 8.9 seconds, 133mph top speed
UST introduced is a 1.5 litre petrol engine with 150bhp and that’s the engine that we’ve got in our test car.the engine’s full name is the 1.5 TSI Evo and although it’s got clever cylinder deactivation to improve economy, this has not been a problem-free power unit.
Google this engine and you’ll find loads of reports of it being hesitant and ‘kangarooing’.word is thatvolkswagen has rectified the problem with revised software and certainly our test car didn’t suffer from any stuttering when pulling away or from the engine cutting out when coasting, a fault connected with the start/stop system.
We’ve gone for the SEL trim halfway up the ladder.with its 1.5 litre engine and six-speed manual gearbox it costs £28,985 without any options. Not as good value as an equivalent Skoda but not far off. And you are getting a motor that’s extremely well built and beautifully finished inside. It should certainly last those 20 years. If it isn’t legislated off the road of course.
Volkswagen has fitted a whole host of new driver technologies to the Passat which are standard on the posher versions and optional on the lower models. Digital instruments are now the norm, plus an upgraded infotainment system that’s got full connectivity and is always online.
You can download an app onto your smartphone that allows it to be used as a key and more besides.
Our humble test car makes do with conventional cruise control but there’s an option called Travel Assist that provides semi-autonomous driving at up to 130mph.
That’ll be one for autobahns then – but would you like to share a motorway with someone only half-driving at that speed? Me neither.
The new Passat estate drives just like the old one does. Comfort is the word here, not fun. Ride is good, handling safe and steady and steering accurate and nicely weighted. If you’re after a car that’s fun to drive you won’t have gone near the Passat anyway.
Having said that, I drove the old plug-in hybrid Passat GTE and that was quick and rather entertaining. I expect the new one is the same.
The Passat estate is spacious, not as big as the Skoda Superb, which is another candidate for my car-for-life scheme, but it’s still bigger than most rivals.
It might be a bit boring but the Passat is a brilliant all-rounder that’s as good a family car as it is junior executive transport.
51.4mpg 125g/km Skoda Superb, Vauxhall Insignia, Mazda6 8/10