Volkswagen Passat Review
Introduction
The Volkswagen Passat is a halfway house car, one that spans the world of affordable mid-size vehicles like the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia and premium machines like the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. In pretty much every area, the Passat sits midway between them, the idea being that you can pay slightly more than Ford or Vauxhall prices to get something that’s just a bit classier all round.
Review Sections
Select's rating score* - 3.8 / 5
At a Glance
The long-term success of the Volkswagen Passat – a car that’s been on sale since the 1970s – reflects the fact that it’s always done lots of things rather well. Like its main rivals, it’s practical and drives well, and this eighth-generation model is better than ever. Sure, it might be a bit pricier than a Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia, but it also has a more premium vibe that elevates it above the opposition.
But crucially, it doesn’t price itself into direct competition with premium cars like BMW’s 3 Series, the Audi A4 or the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. That means it can be a legitimate choice for a Ford customer that decides to treat themselves, or a BMW customer that wants to save a bit of money.
Key Features
In short, there’s a Passat for a wide spread of potential customers.
Performance & Drive
However, the plug-in hybrid GTE models may also appeal. These take the best of multiple worlds by combining a 1.4-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, delivering 215bhp. This makes for brisk progress if you’re after performance, but also allows you to do up to 36 miles on electric power only, with zero emissions and zero petrol consumption.
Power aside, the Passat has a calm yet composed driving manner. It’s not trying to be sporty, even in top-spec GTE spec. All models will give you supple and comfortable ride quality, and the handling is solid, but the Passat doesn’t particularly reward spirited driving in the way that the Ford Mondeo or BMW 3 Series do. It’s going for the sensible, relaxed approach to motoring, which is exactly what most Passat customers are after.
Running Costs
Leasing costs for the Passat tend to be slightly higher than the equivalent Ford Mondeo or Vauxhall Insignia, and there’s a broader model choice from Volkswagen too, so it’s easier to find the exact spec that you’re looking for.
Petrol models tend to be the most affordable when it comes to monthly costs, followed by diesels, while the Passat GTE is on the pricey side; in fact, at the time of writing you could get BMW’s 330e plug-in hybrid for less. It’s definitely worth comparing individual models to their like-for-like rivals.
The GTE has the potential to give you big rewards in fuel economy if you use it correctly as described above. Its official fuel economy figure is up to 256.8mpg, but that will plunge if you don’t lean heavily on the electric motor rather than the petrol engine.
Regular petrol cars will give you up to 47.9mpg depending on body style, trim level and gearbox, while on the diesels you’ll get up to 60.1mpg, or 53.3mpg for the more powerful 197bhp version.
The Passat’s insurance groups span 16 to 28 of 50, which means premiums will vary depending largely on engine and trim choice.
Emissions
Interior
Once again, there’s a classiness to the Passat’s interior, a notion that Volkswagen engineers haven’t just tried to tick boxes and hit a budget.
Materials feel carefully selected and well screwed together, and the design feels sophisticated without being flashy. Comfort levels are high with plenty of adjustment in the driver’s seat on all versions, and the option of an electrically-adjusted seat that’ll suit pretty much anyone.
There’s a mix of touchscreen features and buttons, which keep things easy to fiddle with while avoiding too much visual clutter.
Technology
Practicality & Boot Space
Space in the Passat is very decent, particularly in the Estate model. Rear passengers will have more room to stretch out than just about anything else bar the cavernous Skoda Superb, and boot space is enormous too. Again, the Superb tops it in both saloon and estate form, but the Passat beats just about everything else.
The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split if you want even more luggage space. There are also plenty of cubby holes, cupholders and pockets dotted around the cabin.
Lots of cars lose boot space when they introduce a plug-in hybrid version, as the battery components are often placed in the back. Luckily that’s not a serious issue for the Passat GTE models; it’s a bit smaller, but still pretty big.
Safety
Options
Even the lowliest Passat has an impressive amount of features as standard. Go for the entry-level SE Nav and you’ll get the same infotainment system as the pricier cars, as well as 17-inch alloys, manual air-conditioning and LED headlights.
Upgrade to SEL and that’ll give you a different design of alloy wheel, tinted rear windows and heated, leather-upholstered seats. R-Line models have a slightly sportier look courtesy of a bodykit, 18-inch wheels and lowered sports suspension, and you get three-zone climate control air-con too, as well as keyless entry and engine start, and an electric boot lid.
The hybrid-only GTE model can be spotted by its blue brake calipers and GTE badging, and includes largely the same features as the SEL model, while the GTE Advance has the Matrix LED headlights and digital driver display.
Options include myriad alloy wheel designs and adaptive suspension, which can firm or soften the dampers depending on whether you want sportier or more comfort-focused driving. It works well, but we’re not convinced it’s worth the extra money. You can also pay for various metallic paint finishes and the Matrix LED headlights. They’re not cheap, but if you do a lot of driving on dark country roads, there’s not much better for lighting the way.
Rival cars
As this type of car has, for decades, been the staple of the company car market, the Passat has plenty of long-established rivals.
You may be considering the VW over volume models like the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia, and you’ll find the Passat a generally more premium offering than those. But that said, the Mondeo is a more engaging drive, if that’s a priority for you. So too is the Mazda 6 and, if you want to up the budget, the BMW 3 Series or Jaguar XE.
Speaking of the BMW, you do have to count the more prestigious brands as rivals, albeit for a bit more money. The BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 all up the luxury factor over the VW, but you’ll pay for the privilege, and they can’t match the Passat’s practicality.
If space is your number one reason for leasing the VW, then don’t click on Go without checking out the Skoda Superb, which has huge amounts of room inside and isn’t that far behind the Passat when it comes to interior quality.
Verdict & Next Steps
The Passat can be the ideal car for a lot of people. It could be that it’s a step up from the likes of Ford and Vauxhall without breaking the bank, or it could be a chance to be within a whisker of premium cars like BMWs and Audis for a substantial chunk of change less each month.
Countless people over the years have found that the Volkswagen hits a perfect sweet spot between those two markets, and that’s still the case today.
Yes, you can get something cheaper. Yes, you can get something more swanky. But when it comes to really great all-rounders, you’ll struggle to make a case against the Passat.
Whatever kind of mid-size car you’re thinking of getting, you should have the Passat on your short list.
Where to next?
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*Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews of the VW Passat
**Correct as of 05/03/2021. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments or £1933.09 Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.