Volkswagen Passat saloon

Drive

There's a brilliant line up of engines available in the Volkswagen Passat – with all striking a good balance between pace and economy. The petrol offerings come in the form of 120bhp 1.4-litre, 158bhp 1.8-litre and 207bhp 2.0-litre units. The diesels begin with a 104bhp 1.6-litre unit and there are two 2.0-litre engines boasting 138bhp and 168bhp. The most powerful petrol engine feels genuinely quick and is able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds. The only engine that can sometimes struggle to keep up is the 1.6-litre diesel which manages the same sprint in 12.2 seconds – the pay off though is incredibly cheap running costs. The more powerful engines are available with an automatic DSG gearbox which is incredibly quick and smooth, and also allows drivers to change gear via paddles on the steering wheel. In corners, the Passat handles well but isn't particularly fun. The steering is crisp, responsive and nicely weighted but doesn't offer the driver much involvement. 

Comfort

For everything it lacks in driving fun, the Volkswagen Passat makes up for it in comfort and refinement. All the engines are smooth, and the diesels are incredibly quiet. The ride is smooth and makes for relaxing motorway driving. There is an optional system which allows drivers to tweak the suspension settings between Sport, Comfort and Normal but the standard set-up is already pretty good. Road noise is kept to a minimum thanks to targeted sound deadening, but drivers may notice wind noise at high speeds. 

Reliability

Underneath the skin, the new Passat is almost identical to the old model. That bodes well for reliability, with that car boasting a fantastic record. Safety will also be top-notch thanks to range of airbags included as standard along with electronic safety kit to prevent accidents. There's some novel extras including a drowsiness detector, lane-change assist and an optional system which can brake the car in the event of a collision. 

Practicality

The Passat is more than capable of seating four adults with room to spare, and there's also a spacious 565 litre boot. If you opt for the keyless start system, there's a clever set-up which allows you to open the boot by waving your foot under the rear bumper – useful if your hands are full with shopping. 

Value for money

The new Passat is available in three trim levels beginning with S, moving up to SE and topping the range are Sport models. Volkswagen has concentrated on delivering value for money, so even the most basic models come equipped with alloy wheels, air-con, USB and aux-in as well as plenty of safety kit. SE models get larger alloys, exterior chrome additions, cruise control and automatic lights and wipers. Sport trim adds lowered suspension, upgraded climate control and tinted glass. 

Running costs

The eco-friendly 1.6-litre diesel BlueMotion model is the most efficient and cheapest to run, boasting CO2 emissions of 109g/km and a combined fuel consumption figure of 68.8mpg. The standard 1.6 diesel is still very impressive however. The 168bhp diesel engine offers a fantastic blend of performance and value for money, with CO2 emissions of just 120g/km and fuel economy of 61.4mpg. The petrol models are reasonably clean, with the lowest emitting the 1.4-litre unit at 138g/km and the most emitting, the 2.0-litre TSI at 169g/km. Fuel economy ranges from 47.1mpg to 36.7mpg.