New Volkswagen Passat Estate 2024 review: an ideal SUV-antidote

Verdict

The all-new Volkswagen Passat is a smart, sleek and well built estate car that could well have enough appeal to steer buyers away from SUVs. Company-car drivers will be well served by the plug-in hybrid model, but private buyers should take a look at the excellent mild-hybrid version. It may not feel as cutting edge as some of its taller siblings, but there’s lots to be said for a package that’s as honed and resolved as this one is.

The new Volkswagen Passat so nearly didn’t happen, largely because saloon and estate cars have progressively fallen victim to our voracious appetite for premium brands and higher-riding SUVs.

Yet the Passat was once a staple of Volkswagen’s range – and for good reason. Its ability to transport people and their things in a smooth, comfortable and efficient manner was a winning formula. This is what this all-new generation is tasked with living up to.

It’ll be launched in the UK exclusively as an estate, the range kicking off with two mild-hybrid petrols and a diesel, before eventually a plug-in is added later this year. We’ve already driven a few of these, but here we’re trying it in the UK in R-Line trim, fitted with the base petrol engine.

It’s a set-up we’ve seen before, up and down the VW range. The 1.5-litre unit is generally refined and smooth, and in this case produces 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. These aren’t huge figures, but when the car is unladen, its engine proves perfectly adept at shifting the larger body with ease. Loaded with a family and a boot full of paraphernalia, however, the car’s lack of torque might be more problematic.

When up and running, the mild-hybrid system – in combination with the standard seven-speed twin-clutch automatic transmission – helps make the most of the engine. Response is good, especially in the sportier drive modes, and the motor remains quiet and unstressed.

The electrified drivetrain does a good job of feeling more powerful than it actually is, but you may be left wanting on the occasions you ask it to really perform.

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On the road, even our sporty-looking R-Line car clearly prioritises comfort, with plenty of suspension travel and impressive damping. You can also specify the optional adaptive DCC Pro system, which widens the set-up’s range of abilities. But without it, the suspension still does a good job of keeping things calm. General refinement is excellent, with good suppression of road noise, and very little wind whistle.

The steering remains well weighted and accurate, and while there’s not much feel, it makes the Passat easy to place on the road. Indeed, it’s very easy to judge the car’s extremities on the move, largely thanks to the excellent visibility.

It’s also worth flagging the excellent new ID.Light Matrix headlights that are standard on R-Line cars. These are
a brilliant democratisation of expensive technology, making big improvements to safety during night driving. As well as accurately shooting beams of light between cars ahead of you, the system will also do tricks such as light up your lane on dark motorways, or project warnings onto the road surface ahead.

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The Passat’s main drawcard, however, is the vast amount of space on offer inside. Compared with the previous model, boot capacity is up by 40 litres to 690 litres. When the second row of seats is folded down, the difference is even greater, because the new car offers 1,920 litres – 140 more than its predecessor.

When pitched against a Tiguan SUV, which is similarly priced, the Passat brings tangible benefits in terms of legroom, ride quality and its general driving dynamics, once again calling into question the validity of our far-reaching SUV obsession.

Inside, the digital interfaces are VW’s latest units, with a 12.9-inch screen taking care of all the major functions. This is paired with a digital driver’s display and a column-mounted gear selector that opens up extra storage in the centre console.

Quality has also taken a big step in the right direction, with high-end materials and a general sense of solidity that’s beyond that in the previous version.

But in the end, many potential customers will prefer the image, high driving position and potential practicality advantages (especially with kids) of an SUV. But while we can appreciate the popularity of such cars, in many ways
the Passat is a better all-rounder.