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.