Introduction

While SUVs and premium saloons have squeezed the old middle ground of the mainstream four-door family saloon to a fraction of its former self, this is still a class in which you can find tremendous value, and few cars show you that better than the Passat. Quietly-styled it may be, and a sales-rep special it may be, but it has the kind of comfort, refinement and quality that would make even BMW and Mercedes look to their laurels.

Did you know? There are no sporty Passats any more (the old W8 and R36 models have long been dropped), but you can have a half-electric GTE version.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Family saloons may not get much love from the buying public these days, but those sales reps who get a Passat don’t know how good they have it. They may crave a more expensive badge, but the fact is that the Passat is damn near as good as any high-end car to drive, just as comfortable, well-made, and far, far better value for money. Who needs an SUV when a ‘normal’ car can be this good?