Volkswagen Passat review: In a world of SUVs, can the £39k car re-energise the family estate market?

• e-mail

In the midst of the turbulent 1970s, a dependable vehicle of level-headedness and dependency was born: the Volkswagen Passat.

First launched in 1973 as a saloon, the estate followed a year later as a car aimed at families desperate for extra space.

Now, after almost fifty years of big-booted fun - which has seen more than 34million units sold - can the Passat Estate still be relevant today or has it fallen well behind the times in a country dominated by SUVs?

We test drove the ninth generation of Passat at the official launch in Nice to find out...

The 2024 Volkswagen Passat is the ninth generation of the family estate car and the big headline is: It's estate only - there's no longer a saloon Passat 

2024 VW Passat: What's new? 

When the 2024 Passat was revealed earlier this year there were a few headline-grabbing announcements.

The big one was that Volkswagen had axed the saloon variant, announcing that Passats will now be estate-only. 

Saloons are typically have a shorter body shape with a roof that slopes down after the rear wheels - an estate is longer in shape with a roofline that continues pass the rear wheels and allows for a much bigger boot.

The last generation of the Passat (that ended in 2022) had both a saloon option and an estate option. But the new 2024 Passat is only available as an estate which means you can only get a longer body shape with a bigger boot, and not a shorter version with a roofline that slopes down to the rear wheels

Another was the upgrade to two new plug-in hybrid drivetrains (PHEVs): A plug-in hybrid has an electric battery you plug-in and charge (like a fully-electric car) but it also has a petrol engine. When charged you can run on electric energy only.

The PHEVs are a stepping stone to VW's full electrification plans and to help boost its appeal with company car drivers looking for low BIK tax benefits and cheap running costs.

And finally, there was the not-so-subtle branding towards fleet buyers. 

Families are still welcome, but it seems business drivers are the key clientele.

There's also been an uplift in price. Starting from £38,480, the Elegance trim comes in at £41,580 and the sporty R-Line at £42,830. 

That compares to £31,240 for most recent 2022 petrol model Passat Estate.

It means Passat remains ever so slightly cheaper than the very close rival Audi A4 Avant - and it's significantly less expensive than the luxury Mercedes E-Class which starts just short of £50,000.

What it's like to drive?

Frugality is the word that comes to mind when you think Passat. 

It's not so much the joy of the drive – no land speed records have ever been broken with a Passat – but reassuringly relaxing distances you can get out of this car with a relatively little squeeze on your wallet.

While the new plug-in eHybrid engines are the biggest selling point here, they won't be available until later in 2024.

When these variants do arrive, like the just-unveiled Tiguan, they'll offer around 62 miles of electric-only driving range.

It handles well and is a very effortless drive. At any speed you'll be cruising along quietly – the cabin is so well insulated with special noise-cancelling acoustics

The VW Passat we drove in Nice was a 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol version which is the only engine offering available upon launch in the UK, but the PHEV engines will be available later in the year 

With petrol and battery combined, total range should be more than 620 miles. A magical number to sales reps rampaging up and down the nation's network of M roads.

However, these numbers are only achieved in drivers fully charge their Passat PHEVs beforehand. 

New 11kW home charging and 50kW DC fast charging speeds deliver wallbox top-ups in around two hours, and 10 to 80 per cent public charging top-ups in around 25 minutes. 

That means there really should be no excuse for those with home charging facilities not to make the most of the PHEV's eco credentials.

For now, though, VW is just selling a 1.5-litre TSI mild hybrid engine – so that's what we drove around the South of France during our two-day test.

The mild hybrid engine is different to the plug-in hybrid variants arriving later in the year. 

A mild hybrid can't be driven on electric power alone, instead it uses an electric generator to provide small electrical assistance to the petrol engine, increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. 

And having recently taken to the wheel of the new Tiguan for a This is Money/Mail Online review, there's a lot of overlap in terms of how these two cars feel from behind the wheel.

When you line up the stats side by side it's clear why.

Both are front-wheel drive and have 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engines producing 148bhp and seven-speed automatic gearboxes. 

The Tiguan covers 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds, the Passat is just behind with 9.2 seconds. And both share the new VW DDC Pro adaptive chassis.

So, like the Tiguan, the Passat is an easy drive. 

It handles well, if a little firmer than the Tiguan, and has effortless controls. 

At any speed you'll be cruising along quietly – the cabin is so well insulated with special noise-cancelling acoustics.

Part of the mild hybrid function (other than the electric boost at roundabouts) is the Active Cylinder Management (ACTplus), which steps in to shut the engine down and let the car coast. 

This fuel efficiency improving measure can help deliver 51.8mpg, but it depends on your trim level of choice.

‹ Slide me ›

The Passat and Tiguan share under the hood which makes for a similar driving experience going from one to the other in quick succession

Unusually for me -  someone who enjoys the raised driving position in 4x4s - I preferred driving the Passat over the Tiguan. 

The extended wheelbase and lower ride height brought the best out of the intuitive steering and gives a more planted sensation rather than the wallowy ride dynamics of a jacked-up SUV.

Longer (by 144mm) and wider (by 20mm) than the outgoing model, you feel well protected on the road. It might not have the height of the Tiguan, but you still have a lot of road presence.

As a family wagon, there's no doubt it will make many hours of parental chauffeuring a doddle. And for the company car driver that it's been firmly positioned for, long slogs on the M1 ought to be inexpensive and relaxing.

Is the interior a nice place to be or plain boring?

The Passat R-Line interior is the sportiest version with sports seats, contrast stitching, ambient lighting and heated front massage seats

The Passat and Tiguan share the same overhauled 2024 interior which features a wide front dash (ambient on some trims), digital cockpit, and huge central infotainment touchscreen

Will it fit in my garage? 2024 VW Passat

Price: from £38,480

Length: 4,917mm

Width: 1,849mm

Height: 1,506mm

Engines tested: 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol (eTSI) 

Power: 148bhp

Transmission: 7-speed automatic

0-62mph: 9.2 seconds 

Top speed: 130mph 

Trims: Life, Elegance and R-Line (sporty) 

Fuel economy: 51.8mpg (trim depending)

Boot capacity: 690 litres (40 litres more than the previous Tiguan)

A spot the difference visual test between the Passat and Tiguan interior would be a bit of a brain teaser as the cabin are essentially carbon copies: both have wide dashes spanning the entirety of the cockpit and flanked by air vents, with the same 12.9-inch infotainment screen in the middle (the Tiguan also has a 15-inch screen in top trims).

The same digital dials for the driver and flat-bottomed steering wheel with mounted buttons also transfer across. 

Compared to the outgoing Passat the leap in interior offering is humungous. 

You get so much more space, as well as a much cleaner, sleeker and interactive space.

Boot space is now an overpacked family holiday-sized 690 litres with the rear seats in place (40 litres more than the last generation). 

With the back seats down, you can take half the house to the tip with 1,920 litres of space (140m more than before). This is also more boot room than the A4 Avant, C-Class Estate and 3 Series Touring.

Even the PHEV doesn't lose out any boot space to the battery – an advantage it has on the PHEV Tiguan. And the gear selector has moved to the steering wheel which gives you extra storage space – deeper bins and nooks plus two cup holders.

The comfort is the shining light here: kids will sleep in the roomy rear, business drivers can relax back in the multiway seats and co-pilots can make use of the massage seats.

The panoramic sunroof on the Elegance trim was a delight too in 20-degree late February sunshine.

How much kit do you get in the new Passat? 

VW don't scrimp on safety and tech on any of its trims in the Passat and, with value for money in mind, that's very much appreciated.

These days so many tech features like keyless lock and go, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a given. 

But the Passat Elegance and R-Line trims have everything from advanced driver attention and drowsiness monitor to predictive speed limiter and the VW NCAP pack – a long list of driver assists including pedestrian monitoring and autonomous emergency braking.

To avoid reading an endless list of tech, rest assured that if you've thought about it, VW have it covered.

The electric tailgate will be particularly welcomed by any driver with their hands full and the park assist with Park Distance control is a car park godsend.

It's not a car that will garner many looks...

The new Passat is the most aerodynamic car VW has ever made, and the long smooth body is testament to this

Still the classic Passat shape, it's a smart premium choice for families and company car buyers

The rear of the Passat now has its moniker spelled out in letters and a full-width light bar 

For estate car buyers looks aren't usually top of the agenda. The Passat has had some light cosmetic surgery though, and it's a job well done.

The long body is much smoother with cinched aerodynamic lines (it's actually the most aerodynamic car VW's ever produced) so it does look much sharper than before.

At the rear Passat is now spelled out in letters and there's a full-width light bar for safety and aesthetics.

It's no RS4 but it looks good in a low-maintenance way.

Cars & motoring verdict

In a nostalgic way it's hard to imagine a world without Passat.

While it's not the car of anyone's dream garage, it is a motor perfectly fitting parents - and certainly has potential to step (with less expensive shoes) on the toes of Audi and Mercedes.

And I was genuinely surprised by how enjoyable it is to drive.

For long distances, the Passat's a smart buy for comfort and practicality alone – which is pretty much all potential customers require.

Maybe it will survive with only company car registrations, but it shouldn't have to. It a compelling argument for parents to ditch their SUV-buying plans and turn back the clocks with an estate-car purchase.