Volkswagen Passat (2011 – 2015) Review

Launched in 2011, the seventh-generation Volkswagen Passat was more of a comprehensive reworking of the sixth-generation car than an all-new model. Not that this matters, because the changes were comprehensive – good enough to edge the Passat closer to the premium players in the competitive family saloon and estate car markets. It sits somewhere between volume cars like the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia, and premium models like the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

The Volkswagen Passat is one of Europe’s most popular fleet cars. Designed to spend all day on the outside lane of a motorway, it’s a car that majors on comfort, refinement and efficiency. There’s always a ready supply of used examples to choose from, with prices starting from just £2,000.

It’s a class act. Although it competes with other volume cars like the Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Insignia and Skoda Octavia, it offers a level of quality that puts it within touching distance of the premium German rivals. This means you can consider it a genuine alternative to the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Not that it’s as good to drive as the 3 Series. Throw the Passat into a corner and you’ll discover that this is a car that prefers to drive in a straight line. It’s too unwieldy and cumbersome to offer anything approaching entertainment, although a 2.0-litre TSI petrol in Sport trim is a pretty decent steer.

Good luck finding a Passat with a petrol engine. The vast majority of cars are sold with 1.6-litre TDI or 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines, which offer a terrific blend of performance and economy. In fact, opt for a 2.0-litre TDI with Volkswagen’s DSG automatic transmission and you could actually beat the claimed fuel economy figures.

There are two versions available: saloon and estate. Both are extremely spacious, making the Passat one of the most practical cars in its class. There’s also a rugged Passat Alltrack, which is a serious rival to the likes of the Audi A4 Allroad and Volvo V60 Cross Country. Four-wheel drive, a host of cosmetic upgrades and a raft of desirable features make the Alltrack a terrific used alternative to an SUV.

The Alltrack is also the most premium version of the Passat range. Elsewhere, the cabin has a quality feel, albeit with a sombre look.

The buttons and switches operate with a reassuringly upmarket feel, while the doors shut with a Germanic thud. Avoid the entry-level version and you get a decent level of standard equipment, but don’t expect the latest driver assistance technology and infotainment system. Many models don’t even feature a touchscreen.

We’d favour the estate over the saloon, if only for the improved practicality. It’s not that the saloon is lacking in space, it’s just that the estate offers greater flexibility. In both cases, the Passat works best as a four-seater, because the middle rear seat is a tad cramped. The other seats are blessed with plenty of headroom and legroom.

It’s not the most exciting car in its class, but if you’re after a safe, spacious, efficient and comfortable car to munch up the miles on a long journey, the Volkswagen Passat is hard to beat. Just avoid the entry-level S trim for the best value for money.

Comfort is key, with the suspension configured to soak up all but the worst potholes and imperfections in the road. The 16-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels deliver the best ride comfort.

Although it’s possible to buy a Passat with lowered suspension, we’d advise against this as it shifts the car away from its core appeal. It writes cheques the car cannot cash, with the Passat feeling cumbersome and heavy when cornering. The steering is also too numb.

For the most comfortable ride, opt for the rare and relatively expensive Passat Alltrack. The raised ride height provides even more cushioning from the road, while the combination of ground clearance and four-wheel-drive system means you can venture off the beaten track. For green lanes and rutted tracks, the Alltrack could provide all the off-road ability you need.

There are a wide range of engines to choose from, but it’s best to start with the diesel units. The 140PS 2.0-litre TDI is the pick of the crop, offering the best blend of performance and economy. Select from a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or DSG automatic transmission. Opt for the latter for the best fuel economy and the most relaxed driving experience.

The 170PS version of the 2.0-litre TDI is available if you require more poke, or the 105PS 1.6-litre TDI is the engine to choose if you’re not in a hurry.

If you can find a petrol version, we’d choose the 122PS 1.4-litre TSI for its pace and efficiency. That said, the 160PS 1.8-litre TSI and 210PS 2.0-litre TSI are genuinely rapid. Indeed, a 2.0 TSI in Sport trim edges the Passat to within a whisker of being an understated performance car.

The Volkswagen Passat was awarded a five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2010.

At launch, all models came fitted with stability control, multiple airbags and daytime running lights. Other versions got cruise control with driver fatigue detection, a flat-tyre indicator and rain-sensing wipers. A city emergency braking function was available as an option.

Although the Passat lacks some of the driver assistance systems fitted to new cars, it remains a safe vehicle. This is especially true of the Alltrack model, with the four-wheel-drive system offering excellent all-weather and all-season performance.

With a maximum towing capacity of 1800kg, a Passat with the 2.0-litre TDI engine is the best choice of tow car. This drops to 1400kg in the 1.6-litre TDI and 1.4-litre TSI, 1500kg in the 1.8-litre TSI, and 1600kg in the 2.0-litre TSI. All versions have a towbar limit of 90kg.

Although the Passat estate is the most practical of the two body  styles, the Passat is hardly lacking in luggage space. The boot offers 565 litres of luggage capacity, with the option of carrying longer loads with the rear seats folded down. Not that this will help if you’re carrying a dog.

For that, you need the cavernous Passat estate. There’s 603 litres of luggage space available with the rear seats in place, making this one of the most practical cars in its class. This extends to 1,731 litres with the 60/40-split rear seats folded down. The four-wheel-drive Alltrack is slightly less practical, but we doubt you or your dog will notice.

Although headroom is excellent, the Passat works best as a spacious four-seater. Space in the middle rear seat is restricted by a wide transmission tunnel. It’s fine for occasional use, but an adult won’t enjoy sitting there on a long journey. Elsewhere, the door pockets, glovebox and central storage bin are of a good size.

It feels like a classy product, even in its most basic form, while some of the options edge the Passat into premium territory.

Although the interior design is totally conventional, the ‘floating’ dashboard design lends it a touch of class, while the switches and buttons operate with a reassuring firmness. The Executive and Executive Style trims, introduced in 2014, feature leather seats and a host of fancy options and accessories. Executive Style even has bi-xenon headlights and heat-insulating rear glass.

A lot has changed in a decade. Some versions of the Passat have to ‘make do’ with a basic DAB digital radio receiver, Bluetooth, CD player and an aux-in socket. At launch, a five-inch touchscreen display was only fitted to the flagship model. Don’t get too excited, because the screen is small and lacks the tech you’ll find in a modern infotainment system.

Three screens were available by the end of production, but the basic trim levels lacked a touchscreen of any kind. Some versions featured sat-nav, voice control and a rear-view camera.

Passats with many miles under their belt are normal. We found a 2013 example with 236,000 miles on the clock for £2000. Aside from some wear on the seat bolster and steering wheel, it looked as good as new. Big miles are perfectly acceptable, if the car has been maintained as per the service schedule.

Estate models tend to command a small premium on the used car market, but it’s still possible to find an early example for around £3,000. Passat Alltrack models are rarer and more desirable, so you’ll need to part with at least £7500 for the off-road estate. These were expensive cars when new, but heavy depreciation means they represent good value when used.

There’s no need to spend more than £13,000 on a seventh-generation Passat. The vast majority of cars are diesel, with petrol versions representing a tiny proportion of the market.

Armed with a deposit of £1,000, you can drive away in a 2011 Passat for as little as £50 a month. This is based on a four-year hire purchase (HP) contract. Alternatively, £110 a month could be enough to secure a 2015 Volkswagen Passat estate on a four-year PCP deal. This is based on a £1000 deposit and an optional final payment of £6000.

The Volkswagen Passat performed well in Real MPG. On average, you can expect to achieve 49.8mpg, with some diesel models actually beating the official figures.

Opt for the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion if you hate filling up with fuel. Real MPG suggests you’ll see up to 52.9mpg in the Passat saloon or 51.2mpg in the estate.

The 2.0 TDI BlueMotion is just as good, with the potential to achieve as much as 52.7mpg. It’s worth mentioning the 2.0 TDI 140 with a DSG transmission. With figures of 49.1mpg and 47.2mpg for the saloon and estate respectively, you’ll actually beat the claimed economy.

The Passat should be cheap to insure, with groups ranging from 16 to 26. A car powered by a 1.6-litre TDI engine is likely to be cheapest, but even the Passat Alltrack and 1.4-litre TSI R Line are affordable.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) varies according to CO2 emissions. Of the launch cars, the Volkswagen Passat 1.6-litre TDI 105hp emits the least CO2, with figures of 114g/km and 116g/km. This means you’ll pay just £30 a year in VED. Other models are more expensive, including the 2.0-litre TSI petrol, which costs £240 a year in VED.

S has alloy wheels, front and rear electric windows, multifunction steering wheel, radio/MP3 compatible CD player with eight speakers with USB and aux-in, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, climate control, aircon, driver and front passengers seat height adjustment, automatic boot opening, stability control, start/stop with brake energy recuperation, curtain system, drivers and front passengers airbag, front seat side impact airbags, halogen headlights and running lights and heat insulating green tinted glass.

SE adds 17-inch alloys, Bluetooth telephone preparation, DAB digital radio receiver, chrome front bumper strips, side and rear bump strips, chrome side window surrounds, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors including automatic dimming function, carpet mats front and rear, driver's seat with electric six-way adjustment, front comfort seats, front passenger's seat with height and lumbar adjustment, front seats with lumbar adjustment, cruise control including fatigue detection, flat tyre indicator, rain sensor, automatic coming/leaving home lighting function, automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror.

Sport gets touch-screen navigation/radio system, dual zone electronic climate control with automatic air recirculation, front sports seats, electronic sports suspension lowered by approx 15mm, front fog lights and heat insulating tinted glass in the rear side and back windows.