The Mazda 6 is another tough adversary, thanks to its smart styling, excellent dynamics and appealing interior, along with decent equipment and superb build quality at reasonable prices. The Ford Mondeo, Hyundai i40, Skoda Octavia/Superb and Vauxhall Insignia are also hard to beat. All offer hatchback or estate practicality with lashings of equipment and at keen prices. 

What to look for

Spare wheel

Most Passats come with a steel space-saver spare wheel, but the GT-specification car is fitted with a full-size alloy spare.

Filling up

You can’t put the wrong fuel in your Passat; a misfuel prevention device is fitted to every oneof the cars, regardless of trim level. 

Equipment

Volkswagen upgraded the Passat in January 2018, with all cars in the range benefitting from an extra helping of standard equipment.

Rear rattles

Rattling sounds from the back of the car can be down to a loose undertray – that or the suspension needs to be lubricated.

Interior

VW interiors are designed for ease of use rather than creative flair, and the Passat is no different. There are first-rate materials throughout, plenty of standard equipment and lots of head and legroom for rear-seat passengers. Boot space is good, too, at 586 litres for the saloon, and SE cars and above get a load-through facility. The Estate can stow 650 or 1,780 litres (seats up/down).

Running costs

Owners can choose fixed or variable servicing, at every 12 months/10,000 miles, or two years/18,000 miles. Fixed services alternate between minor and major. Brake fluid needs to be changed every two years. The cambelt should be replaced every 130,000 miles on TDI units or 75,000 miles on BiTDIs. Petrol engines have no set schedule.

Recalls

The Mk8 Passat has had 13 recalls. Early cars could be affected by braking problems because of wiring glitches, and airbags going off. Issues with panoramic sunroofs on Estates and faulty child locks led to actions in 2016. Recalls were also made for the ESP and lighting, airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, back seats, sunroof joints, wheel bearing housings and head restraints.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The Passat Mk8 wasn’t in our last Driver Power used-car survey, but it notched up a 54th-place finish in the 2019 new car poll. That’s a respectable result rather than a spectacular one, with owners liking boot space, all-round visibility and ride quality. The infotainment system also gets a thumbs up, but owners aren’t so keen on refinement, the gearchange or running costs.

Verdict

For years the Passat has been a staple part of VW’s line-up, and in the UK it’s the brand’s third most popular model after the Golf and Polo hatchbacks.

Make It a Camper

The ID Buzz Tourer is the big story for the 2027 lineup (a 2025 model is pictured above). Inspired by the European-market “Good Night Package,” the new trim adds a fold-out mattress, window blinds, ventilation panels, outdoor chairs, and a table, plus an Overnight Mode designed to make sleeping in the van a little easier. The ID Buzz Tourer also comes equipped with a retractable tow hitch, captain’s chairs, an electrochromic smart roof, and 20-inch dark graphite wheels with black accents.

Volkswagen says the fold-out mattress is large enough to sleep two people, and thanks to the Buzz’s tall roofline, the cabin shouldn’t feel overly cramped once the bed is set up. The window blinds work more like blackout shades, covering the side windows and both windshields to help create a more private sleeping space. Volkswagen even includes pillows and bed linens with the Tourer, giving the interior a little extra character.

We wouldn’t be surprised if the Tourer ends up becoming one of the ID Buzz’s most popular trims. While the Buzz hasn’t exactly been a runaway sales success, leaning further into the charm and personality of the classic Volkswagen Bus could help attract a new wave of buyers.

More AWD

Volkswagen has also reshuffled the ID Buzz lineup for 2027. The range now consists of four trims: Pro S RWD, Pro S 4Motion, Tourer 4Motion, and Pro S Plus 4Motion. The Pro S 4Motion and Tourer 4Motion are both new additions, and more importantly, Volkswagen is finally expanding all-wheel-drive availability across most of the lineup, something the previous ID Buzz range noticeably lacked.

We’ve long criticized Volkswagen’s infotainment systems, but the 2027 ID Buzz gets the brand’s latest ID.S 6 software, which VW says improves the overall user experience. We’ve already seen meaningful improvements in the updated Golf GTI and Golf R systems, so there’s reason to be optimistic here as well. Volkswagen also says ID Buzz models will include a one-year trial of its In-Vehicle Premium service, which adds a new App Store capability with access to apps like YouTube and Spotify.

Volkswagen skipped the 2026 model year for the U.S. market entirely. Considering how long North American buyers had to wait for the ID Buzz in the first place, the decision was a surprising one, even as EV sales have cooled across the industry. Still, we’re glad to see the Buzz return with a little more personality this time around. The 2027 model also adds a North American Charging System adapter for easier access to Tesla Superchargers, along with one-pedal driving, two features the 2025 model didn’t offer.

Volkswagen is also simplifying the color palette for 2027, with the ID Buzz now offered exclusively in two-tone paint schemes. The newest addition is a Candy White over Cherry Red combination that looks like a direct nod to the classic Volkswagen Bus.

Pricing hasn’t been announced, but don’t expect base prices to change drastically over the $60,000-plus sticker, despite the huge dealer discounts now available for the 2025 models. Expect the 2027 Volkswagen ID Buzz to begin arriving at dealerships sometime between August and the end of the year.