Which is the most popular engine in the Volkswagen Passat?

Overwhelmingly, customers prefer the diesel engines in the Passat. These engines provide the absolute best compromise in terms of ample performance with excellent fuel economy.

What are the most popular trim levels?

With new Passat models, Volkswagen offers three trims: Life, Elegance and R-Line. Of these three, the R-Line has been among the most popular, likely because of its unique styling features and upgraded sportiness. These are very easy to find on the used market as a result. Older GT and SE models have also proved popular among Passat drivers.

What optional extras should I look out for?

The tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof is a desirable option, giving a roomier feel to the cabin. There's also a Black Styling Pack available with the R-Line, giving it a sleek and unique appearance on the road.

Is the Volkswagen Passat a good family car?

With plenty of space, four doors and a big boot, the Passat is a great family car. It's comfortable, safe and packed full of technology features, too.

Is there a hybrid version of the Volkswagen Passat?

There is a hybrid version of the Passat, known as the GTE. It features a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to create a combined 218bhp and an electric-only driving range of up to 31 miles, after which it automatically switches to petrol/electric hybrid power, allowing you to continue your journey.

Is the Volkswagen Passat available as an automatic?

Volkswagen has offered the Passat with a choice of an automatic or a manual gearbox, and both are plentiful on the used market.

Is there a four-wheel drive version available?

Most Passat models have been built with front-wheel drive. There were some made with four-wheel drive, but they are difficult to find on the used market. Look for models badged as "4MOTION" - this is Volkswagen speak for all-wheel drive.

795 Used Volkswagen Passat cars for sale

Volkswagen Passat2018 (18) - 1.4 TSI GTE Advance 5dr DSG 360 Camera Sunroof VIRTUAL COCKPIT

£8,495

Finance available £167 pm

1.4L
129.0K
Miles
Hybrid
Semi Auto
Estate

JD Cars

01443809140 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 (67) - 2.0 TDI GT 5dr DSG [Panoramic Roof] Diesel Estate

£13,470

2L
74.7K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Estate

Vertu Renault Dacia York

01904917427 *

4.6/5 Stars

Volkswagen Passat2017 - 2.0 TDI GT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£12,690

Finance available £261 pm

2L
70.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

East Kilbride Used Cars

01412601336 *

4.9/5 Stars

Volkswagen Passat2013 (63) - 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech Sport 4dr DSG

£4,199

Finance available £71 pm

2L
100.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Saloon

Auto Trend

01924975089 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 (67) - 1.4 TSI GTE Advance Estate 5dr Petrol Plug-in Hybrid DSG Euro 6 (s/s) (218

£11,200

Finance available £228 pm

1.4L
85.7K
Miles
Hybrid
Automatic
Estate

Hammond Cars Ipswich

01473927579 *

4.5/5 Stars

Volkswagen Passat2007 - 2.0 TDI Sport Euro 4 4dr

£1,650

2L
152.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Saloon

Shire Hampton Motors

01172331399 *

Volkswagen Passat2009 (59) - 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Tech Highline Euro 5 (s/s) 4dr

Reduced

£3,000

2L
123.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Saloon

JT Car Sales Worksop Ltd

01909498731 *

Volkswagen Passat2002 (52) - 2.0 SE 130 5 SPEED MANUAL PETROL LOW MILEAGE (75) ULEZ 4-Door

Low Mileage

£995

2L
75.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Saloon

FA Tyre Services TA A41 Cars

01296254874 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 (67) - 2.0 TDI R-Line Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,250

Finance available £184 pm

2L
127.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

Wixford Motor Company Ltd

01217525788 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 (67) - 1.6 TDI SE Business 5dr

£7,150

Finance available £137 pm

1.6L
108.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

Dean Smith Car Sales

01613887695 *

4.3/5 Stars

Volkswagen Passat2012 (12) - 2.0 TDI 170 Bluemotion Tech Sport 5dr DSG

Reduced

£7,590

Finance available £147 pm

2L
78.3K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Estate

SOLO MOTOR GROUP LTD

01204968933 *

Volkswagen Passat2010 (10) - 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Tech Highline Estate 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (140

Low Mileage

£3,995

Finance available £67 pm

2L
99.8K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

Cattedown Trade Centre

01752426030 *

Volkswagen Passat2018 - 1.6 TDI S 5dr

£7,995

Finance available £156 pm

1.6L
97.8K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

Campbell Trade Sales

02890023194 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 - Se Business Tdi Bluemotion Tech Dsg 5-Door

Reduced

£11,995

Finance available £246 pm

2L
41.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Estate

G R Carter Motors

01493807078 *

Volkswagen Passat2015 - SE BUSINESS TDI BLUEMOTION TECH DSG 5-Door

£8,499

Finance available £168 pm

2L
98.4K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Estate

M&G Motors

01782940072 *

Volkswagen Passat2017 - 2.0 TDI SE Business Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£8,250

Finance available £162 pm

2L
103.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Estate

Westbrook Car Sales

01733794312 *

0/5 Stars

Volkswagen Passat2010 (10) - 2.0 TDI R-Line DSG Euro 5 5dr

Low Mileage

£3,495

Finance available £56 pm

2L
111.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Estate

Rother Valley Cars

01412601328 *

Volkswagen Passat2015 (64) - 2.0 BiTDI BlueMotion Tech GT Estate 5dr Diesel DSG 4Motion Euro 6 (s/s) (24

Low Mileage

£12,599

Finance available £243 pm

2L
72.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Estate

Hilton Car Supermarket Milton Keynes

01908049370 *

Volkswagen Passat2015 (15) - 1.6 TDI SE Business 4door

Low Mileage

£10,995

Finance available £223 pm

1.6L
57.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Saloon

Rydon Car Sales Exeter

01392342738 *

Volkswagen Passat2025 - R-Line 1.5 TSI eHybrid 272PS 6-speed DSG 5 Door Auto

£39,700

1.5L
3.4K
Miles
Hybrid
Semi Auto
Estate

Marshall Volkswagen Harlow

01279598864 *

Why buy a used Volkswagen Passat?

If you're in the market for a car that's practical, comfortable on long drives and has a spacious interior, then a used Volkswagen Passat is a great choice. As one of the UK's top-selling cars, the Passat is an excellent motorway cruiser filled with modern technology and features. With several different bodystyles and efficient engines, it's not difficult to find a used Passat that meets your everyday motoring needs.

Used Volkswagen Passat snapshot review

Pros

Excellent cruiser
Efficient diesel engines
Spacious design

Cons

Saloon can be impractical
Plain design
Rivals are better to drive

Read our Volkswagen Passat review

Volkswagen Passat video review

lite-youtube[videoid='g1Gl6ZQuRls']{cursor:initial;background-image:url("https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/g1Gl6ZQuRls/sddefault.webp")}lite-youtube[videoid='g1Gl6ZQuRls']::after{background:no-repeat center/68px 48px url('data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 68 48"><path d="M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z" fill="red"/><path d="M45 24 27 14v20" fill="white"/></svg>')}

Used Volkswagen Passat buying guide

Engines and transmissions

Volkswagen has built the Passat with petrol, diesel and mild-hybrid powerplants. These have been paired with an automatic or manual gearbox and front- or all-wheel drive.

Petrol

1.5 eTSI outputs 147bhp for a 9.2-second 0-62mph time and an efficiency rating of 51.8mpg.
Older 1.4-litre turbocharged engine generates either 123bhp or 148bhp.
An older 1.8-litre turbocharged engine produces 177bhp, and there's also been a top-performing 2.0-litre outputting 217bhp.
Plug-in GTE version has a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined 218bhp and an electric-only driving range of up to 31 miles.

Diesel

Older 1.6-litre engine produces 118bhp with an efficiency rating of 76.3mpg.
2.0-litre option increases output to 148bhp or 187bhp offering a rating of up to 67.3mpg. These are the most popular engine choices.
2.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine generates 237bhp.

Practicality

Bigger than the Golf and Beetle, the Volkswagen Passat is a practical family car with plenty of space for people and cargo.

Interior space

Adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat allow for the best position, while the massaging feature offers more comfort on long drives.
Rear seat headroom and legroom adequate for tall adults.
ISOFIX mounting points have flip-up covers over them for protection.

Boot space

690-litre boot is more than the average of 500 litres for most cars in this segment.
Putting down the rear seats increases space to 1,920 litres.
Bumper is low to the ground and there's no boot lip to contend with.

Bodystyles

Estate model is still available with a longer body for added space.
Saloon was recently discontinued.
Other variants were inspired by the Passat, including the four-door coupé known as the CC, and the rugged version known as the Alltrack.

Safety

2014 Euro NCAP rating gives the Passat five stars.
Child occupant rating sits at 87%, with adult occupant earning 85%.
Standard safety kit includes adaptive cruise control and automatic parking for more confidence.

Technology

Large 12.9-inch touchscreen display is the focal point of the dashboard.
High-resolution 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro system is easy to view.
Available Premium sound systems are available to provide more audio clarity and enjoyment.

Buying a used car checklist: what to look for

Buying a used car can be a daunting task, but with our checklist, you can make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

View guides

* Telephone numbers starting with 084X or 087X will cost you up to 13p per minute plus your telephone company's access charge. Calls to other telephone numbers will only cost your phone company's access charge.

Used Volkswagen Passat snapshot review

Pros