Volkswagen Passat - Pictures

The Passat is a handsome, solid estate with classy detailing and tasteful chrome highlights. Its crisp lines, neat creases and subtly rounded flanks exude quality. Even the chrome grille manages to blend in.

The load bay is the VW’s main weakness. It’s big enough to cope with most tasks, but a slight lip makes the boot 20mm higher than its rivals. The cargo area itself isn’t especially wide, either.

In terms of user-friendliness, the Passat’s driving environment can’t be beaten. The seating position is spot-on, and by replacing the conventional handbrake with an electric one, VW has freed up space on the centre console

The six-speed DSG sequential manual box has a seamless gearchange and is far smoother than a normal automatic, or even a standard manual shift. Specify this set-up, and you also get an electric parking brake.

There’s a full-size alloy spare wheel, while the boot floor, which is trimmed in high-quality carpet, performs the neat trick of flipping up to divide the load area in two. However, this is one of few clever touches in the rear.