All models come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, as well as a wireless charging pad to keep your device fully charged. The standard audio system is an eight-speaker set-up with DAB radio, but for £1,420, you can upgrade to a 700-watt, 10-speaker Harman Kardon package.
“Provided you’re in the IQ Drive section of the digital instrument cluster, you can push the ‘OK’ button on the steering wheel to bring up a small driver assist menu, where you can turn off the speed limit warning and lane keep assistance. I think that’s quite handy, because it saves you having to use the central touchscreen.” – Max Adams, online reviews editor.
The Passat offers a masterclass in cargo and passenger carrying that many SUVs fail to match
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The previous-generation Passat saloon sold in low numbers in the UK, so this time around, the ninth generation comes exclusively as an estate. If you have some sort of aversion to estates, then you could always choose the Skoda Superb instead, because it is also available as a hatchback.
Dimensions and size
The Passat is a large estate car at 4,916mm long, 1,849mm wide, and 1,521mm tall. That makes it over 200mm longer than a BMW 3 Series Touring, and only 32mm shy of the pricier Mercedes E-Class Estate.
| Dimensions comparison | |||
| Model | Volkswagen Passat Estate | Skoda Superb Estate | BYD Seal 6 Touring |
| Length | 4,916mm | 4,902mm | 4,840mm |
| Width | 1,849mm | 1,849mm | 1,875mm |
| Height | 1,521mm | 1,482mm | 1,505mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,839mm | 2,841mm | 2,790mm |
| Boot space | 510-1,920 litres | 510-1,920 litres | 500-1,535 litres |
Seats & passenger space
Access to the Passat’s interior is easy because the doors open wide, although an SUV will be even more straightforward, because the taller ride height places the seats at a higher position. The Passat has a wide range of wheel and seat adjustment, so getting comfortable is never an issue, and if you like a sporty driving position, the seat adjusts low. Spending a long time behind the wheel of the Passat is no hardship, courtesy of ErgoComfort seats that are designed to promote healthy backs.