20/02/09
- Price18,752
- We like...Comfort, specification
- We don't...Not one for keen drivers
Big saloon gets mid-life boost from a new engine and good-value trim package. Is it now better than a Mondeo? Solid and dependable, the Passat’s not a car that’s tuned to thrill you. Instead, it’s more about galloping up and down motorways, bustling manager-types between business meetings. They like it because it’s posher than the Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 407 or Vauxhall Insignia the company fleet boss ’ll offer as alternatives.
And for that sort of long-distance motorway-crossing trip, it is an exceptional car: quiet, supple riding and just very, very comfortable. In the company it keeps among rivals, it ain’t the cheapest. But then it drives as smoothly and well as, say, an Audi A4, which costs several thousands more. And then it ds tend to shed value more slowly over time than most. Looked at like that, you could even argue that it’s strong value.
It hits the right markers for cars such as it is. There’s good room for five grown adults and enough boot space to hold a medium suitcase for each of them. The cabin contains all the toys and comforts that make living with it soothing: leather seats, heat insulating glass, cruise control, air conditioning and even a boot lid that auto-opens. At least, that’s what comes with the Highline variant we tested.
This is a relatively new model, introduced to package a tempting kit-list for the car at a still-affordable price. It works well, freshening the Passat and helping it to lift it above the ranks of also-rans.
And the new 1.8 engine adds to the picture of a mid-life car given fresh youth. It pumps out 156bhp, a power figure you’d have not believed a few years back from such a small-capacity motor. It is turbocharged but tweaked so that there’s ample power at low revs. It’s quiet and easy-revving but, even so, returns up to 37.2mpg in real-world conditions. Its exhaust emissions are 180g/km, which are average – and easily bettered by diesel-engined Passats, which will also cover more miles per gallon.
Still, for some drivers this engine’s the one to pick over the low-revving, sometimes-clattery diesels and we can see their point. It’s easy to keep it singing through the gears and get places quickly. And the Passat helps by keeping its body level and tidy as you press on through bends. It’s not a sporty car, just a competent one that’ll let you cover ground confidently.
If you’re eyeing Passats to buy second-hand, go for it. They may stand as pricier than similar Fords and Vauxhalls but we think the extra is worth it because they’re built like tanks and shrug off the miles. And, because VW’s take of model updates is gradual, not radical, they age more gracefully than most.
So that’s the Passat. No thrills or surprises. Just plenty of the good things you want from a car.
To view new and used Passats, go to motors.co.uk
- Engines1.8 turbo petrol
- PowerHighline
- 0-60 mph8.6secs
- Economy37.2mpg
- CO2g/km180
- Insurance groups13
- EuroNCAP
- Airbags6
- Seats5
Motors.co.uk value verdict:
