Volkswagen Passat Estate
Plug-in hybrid estate promises to combine practicality with low costs. Let’s see how it fares
FASHION IS A fickle mistress. First came the saloon car, before a whole new world was opened up to families, dog owners and sales reps alike with the arrival of the estate, which blended the driving dynamics of saloon siblings with unparalleled practicality.
However, fast-forward to today and the venerable estate car is something of a dinosaur. Buyers in their droves have migrated to SUVS, with their raised driving positions and chunky, funky good looks.
Unlike estate cars of old, however, the sharp-looking Mk8 Volkswagen Passat is far from dowdy, and there is one area where this particular GTE version is bang on trend: it’s a plug-in hybrid.
Reintroduced as part of the latest round of tweaks to the Passat range last year, following a year off the price lists, the GTE’S hybrid system now has a bigger 13kwh battery for up to 80mph and 34 miles of fully electric driving.
Combine this with its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine and the GTE packs up to 215bhp and 295lb ft of torque. That’s enough for a theoretical maximum of 138mph and 0-62mph in just 7.6sec – hot hatch numbers not so long ago, and not bad at all for a car with CO2 emissions of just 37g/km and official average fuel economy of 194.9mpg.
It’s good to drive, too; for a 1760kg, 4.8m-long family wagon, the Passat feels unusually agile, helped in no small part by the fact that it has far more advanced suspension than some of its forebears. It never lets you forget that it’s frontwheel drive, though; even using electric power alone, it’s easy to break traction on damp roads.
In some cars with Volkswagen’s six-speed DSG automatic gearbox, there can be a bit of a delay when pulling away, but not the GTE. The electric motor delivers all of its torque from a standstill, so the Passat steps off the line remarkably smartly, even before the 154bhp petrol motor has joined the party.
Quite aside from the driving experience is the fact that the interior is such a lovely place to be. Volkswagen regards the Passat as a rival to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-benz C-class rather than the Ford Mondeo, and that isn’t unrealistic in range-topping Advance trim.
It’s generously equipped and beautifully finished, with fantastically supportive seats in Vienna leather and an attractive dashboard with soothing ambient lighting. The sat-nav communicates with the car’s computer to make the best use of electric power on your route, while the infotainment system and heating and ventilation controls are generally intuitive. The only real omission in this trim seems to be a standard rear-view camera – although there are parking sensors.
Plus, of course, being an estate, the Passat is a great family car, with bags of room in the back and a really good boot. A slight hump is the only visual giveaway to the batteries under the rear floor; the GTE Estate still offers a very useful 580 litres of boot space – down just 70 on the petrol and diesel versions.
As for those range claims, well, I’ve mainly driven in heavy traffic in chilly weather thus far – nothing like the ideal conditions for making the most of battery life. Range has so far varied from 17 miles to 25. That’s enough for my journey to work, but not for the round trip. Fortunately, I have a charging point at work and can charge the battery from flat in three and a half hours; at home, where I’m reliant on a three-pin connection, that’s nearer five hours.
The GTE – spot one by its C-shaped daytime running lights and natty blue brake calipers – is expected to account for a quarter of all Passat sales. And no wonder. Nearly 1000 miles in, I have yet to bother its 50-litre petrol tank, and it’s fast becoming clear that I have barely scratched the surface of this multi-talented machine’s capabilities.
LOGBOOK
Volkswagen Passat Estate GTE Advance
Mileage 885
List price £40,870 Target Price £35,665
Price as tested £41,167
Options tted Detachable towbar (£759), Pure White paint (£370), reversible boot mat (£168)
Test economy 176.0mpg
Of cial economy 194.9mpg
86 June 2020