Road test: Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI

What’S VW’s best-selling model? The Golf? No, the Passat, with 22 million sold over the past 41 years, one every 29 seconds.

Attractive and efficient as the Passat always was, it was rather boring to drive. But that’s about to change when the all-new eighth generation arrives in the New Year. It’s a lot better to look at and to drive.

Britain gets turbodiesel engines only, with 1.6 and 2.0-litre units giving 120 to 240PS. The car is slightly shorter and lower, but roomier than before and 85kg lighter. The biggest seller will probably be the 2.0 litre 150PS version, which delivers its power with impressive smoothness and refinement. It also rides better and corners with virtually no roll.

Rear legroom is excellent and there’s a cavernous 586-litre boot — 1,780 litres in the estate version. Cars with the optional digital dashboard can display information in various permutations — you can shrink the size of the dials and make the map bigger.

Externally, a chrome strip runs the full width of the front of the car, enclosing the headlamps and grille and making it look wider than before. Inside, a strip of air vents runs the width of the cabin. A 240PS biturbo version is the flagship model, but its extra grunt increases the weight by 250kg and the price by £5,000. Other variations will follow, including a GTE plug-in hybrid, an All Track and an R-Line. Anyone downsizing from a Mercedes or a BMW will not feel short-changed in the new Passat.

It is elegant and well equipped and seems to have got the balance between quality and value spot on. Prices will range from £22,215 to £35,505 for the range-topping R-Line when it appears. Estates will cost £1,530 more than equivalent saloons.

Volkswagen Passat
2.0 TDI 150PS 6-speed DSG SE Business
Top speed: 136mph;
CO2: 118g/km;
Combined MPG: 62.7;
Price: £26,735