Used car - SUV or Estate? Volvo XC60 vs VW Passat Alltrack vs Audi Q5

SUVs are all the rage these days, but couldn’t a high-riding estate car fulfil many of the same tasks? To find out we’ve put together a mix of a popular family SUV that rides fairly low, a perennial large estate car with raised suspension and four-wheel drive, and an SUV built by a company famous for estate cars. Let the confusion begin.

Despite it being the heaviest car here, the Volvo is actually the quickest. You might not automatically associate a Volvo with winning the power and performance stakes, but the XC60 takes a clear and commanding lead, thanks to its 2.4-litre diesel engine. Both the other two have a 2.0-litre diesel engine with common heritage so it’s no surprise they are more similar to each other.

The Passat is set up more for long-distance work and so its slightly higher gearing means it loses out slightly to the Q5 once speeds rise, even though it compensates with slightly better fuel consumption. However, both are far from silent and they’re both unhappy on some road surfaces, the Audi jiggly on bumpy B-roads, the VW jiggly on motorways.

The Volvo powers serenely on, the quietest, smoothest and most relaxing vehicle to cover the miles in here. However, the Passat recovers some ground by being the easiest to manoeuvre in towns and it handles like a normal car. It may have raised suspension but it still rides lower than even the Q5, allowing it to lean less in corners and generally be a bit more nimble.

When you get into the cabins a strange thing happens. Readers must be used to reviewers gushing over the Q5, but perhaps that’s more when it’s tested in isolation. Up against these two, it fails to shine. The dashboard is harder to master and it feels much more restricted for space overall. It feels smaller and more sombre than the lighter and airier Volvo cabin, with its Scandinavian take on family luxury.

The Passat feels more like what it is – based on a road car. So it’s easy to get in and out, it has a decent cabin even if the quality falls behind the other two here, and it has a simply enormous boot. For a family heading away on a long break it would be a good bet, even if the Volvo would prove the more relaxing over a long drive.

The Volkswagen is a lot of car, and it’s for the least money too. However, these things are never straightforward. True, the VW is the cheapest and comes with sat nav and a digital radio which the other two don’t. And the Volvo is only a bit more expensive – but then it is expected to have the highest depreciation. The Audi is the most expensive, yet it will suffer from the lowest depreciation. The three graphs start off at different places but really end up at roughly the same place.

However, we’re talking used here, so reliability is key, as you don’t want to have to fork out for unforeseen calamities. And it’s here that the Volvo should take the lead, as the car with the best reputation for reliability of all three. The VW should be okay but actually the Audi Q5 has a lousy reputation for reliability. Yet it has the lowest depreciation – go figure. The Audi will also use more fuel and hence cost more to tax.

The Audi Q5 certainly looks good, and has a classy cabin with low depreciation. Yet it’s noisy, feels the most cramped and has a bad reputation for reliability. And it’s the most expensive.

The VW Passat will be the cheapest which means you can afford a lower-mileage or better condition example. It’s vast inside, runs well and is hugely practical. Which means it beats the Audi, but it doesn’t beat the Volvo.

The XC60 takes the prize. It’s a great compromise between estate car and SUV, by a company familiar with building both. The engine is a gem, being powerful, efficient and quiet, allowing for a long, loping stride as the miles pass. With a handsome, different cabin and a top reputation for reliability, it’s our easy winner.

Specifications:

Audi Q5 2.0 TDI 143 SE

Engine size 2.0-litre diesel

List price when new £30,380

Price today £19,500

Power 141bhp

Torque 236lb ft

0-60mph 11.2sec

Top speed 116mph

Fuel economy 45.6mpg (Official average)

CO2 emissions 162g/km

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2.0 TDI 140

Engine size 2.0-litre diesel

List price when new £28,480

Price today £15,000

Power 138bhp

Torque 236lb ft

0-60mph 11.7sec

Top speed 118mph

Fuel economy 49.6mpg (Official average)

CO2 emissions 149g/km

Volvo XC60 2.4 D4 163 SE

Engine size 2.4-litre diesel

List price when new £31,795

Price today £16,000

Power 161bhp

Torque 310lb ft

0-60mph 10.3sec

Top speed 122mph

Fuel economy 49.6mpg (Official average)

CO2 emissions 149g/km

Price today is based on a 2013 model with average mileage and full service history