2025 Volkswagen Passat Estate Review

The Volkswagen Passat has always been a family favourite, known for being sensible, reliable, and stylish. The latest model of the Passat, now available only as an estate, continues this trend. It features a longer body, new engines, modern technology, and a strong focus on comfort and ease of use. In this review, we’ll explore what makes the all-new Volkswagen Passat Estate one of the best choices in the mid-size estate category.

Design

Through the design of the R-Line, you’ve got a more aggressive front bumper to make it look sporty. The R-Line also gets Matrix LED headlights as standard. It also gets this LED strip across the front of the car. You also get that on the mid-spec Elegance model.

Moving to the sides, the new Passat comes with alloy wheels starting at standard 17 inches. However, the R-Line comes with 18 inches and you can also get 19s if you need more diameter. The R-Line also gets black bits of trim.

moving to the back, it’s all neat, making it a smart-looking vehicle. The R-Line is a bit sportier in the lower regions and has quite a nice-looking light bar.

Interior

Inside the new Passat Estate, and you’re greeted by a thoroughly modern and well-thought-out interior. Volkswagen has redesigned the dashboard, opting for a clean, minimalist look that still manages to be functional. The R-Line trim features Alcantara accents and LED ambient lighting, giving the cabin a premium feel.

The infotainment system is housed in a large central screen that runs Volkswagen’s latest operating system. While the system offers a range of features, including smartphone connectivity and navigation, it can be somewhat clunky to operate, particularly when it comes to climate control settings. Physical knobs are conspicuously absent, which might frustrate those who prefer tactile controls over touch-sensitive ones

Comfort

In terms of comfort, the Passat Estate excels. The seats are supportive and offer a wide range of adjustments, ensuring that drivers of all sizes can find an ideal driving position. The panoramic sunroof, available as an option, adds an airy feel to the cabin, though it does slightly reduce headroom. Rear-seat passengers will appreciate the increased legroom, thanks to the extended wheelbase, making long journeys more comfortable.

Back Seats

Here’s more proof that Volkswagen is back. The quality in here is really good, and it extends to the rear as well. Plus, they’ve thought of everything. You get rear blinds for your child as standard. You’ve got huge back windows, which give you a great view out, and they go all the way down. The cup holders are covered, so you don’t rest your arm in them when not using them.

But the biggest thing with this car is the fact that the distance between the front and rear wheels is 50 mm more than before, and that means you have 50 mm more knee room here in the rear Look, it’s like a limousine now. Because it’s an internal combustion engine car, you do have this tunnel, which means that the middle seat passenger has to straddle it.

Another amazing feature of the new Passat Estate is the fact that it’s dead easy to fit a child seat. The ISOFIX anchor points are easy to get to, and there’s loads of room to manoeuvre the child seat in here, even a bulky rear-facing seat.

Cargo Space

One of the main selling points of the Passat Estate is its practicality. The boot space is vast, offering 690 litres of storage, which expands to 1,780 litres with the rear seats folded flat. The flat loading floor and lack of a boot lip make it easy to load and unload heavy items. Additionally, the Passat comes with several thoughtful features, such as underfloor storage, hooks for securing cargo, and a 12-volt socket. socket. What’s not so good, though, is that if you get the plug-in hybrid version of this car, the batteries underneath the boot floor mean that the actual load capacity is reduced by 60 liters.

Volkswagen Passat Estate Cons

Slow Loading Settings: The settings take too long to load whenever you start the car, which can become quite annoying at times.
Unpredictable Voice Command: The system sometimes spontaneously starts speaking while driving, without a prompt, which is confusing and irritating.
R-Line Seats Obstruct View: The bulky R-Line seats, though sporty with built-in headrests, obstruct your view when you want to look over your shoulder, ruining a clear view while trying to merge onto motorways.
Gear Lever Issues: The gear lever is a beautiful piece to hold but requires you to move it across for manual gear changes, making it feel cumbersome. This makes the paddle shifters feel spongy and unresponsive.
Inconsistent Fuel Tank Sizes: Higher-liter fuel tanks are offered for the plug-in hybrid version, but on standard models, it is lower.
Problem with Rear Camera Washer: Due to a slight opening in the boot, the washer at the rear camera is involuntarily activated, which is pretty annoying.

Volkswagen Passat Estate Pros

Easy Opening Bonnet: Easy bonnet opening—just one pull of the lever, and there is no need to search for a secondary safety catch.
Reminder to Unplug Charger: If you forget to remove the plug before driving away, the car reminds you so the charger does not get damaged.
Long-Range: The plug-in hybrid version will manage 620 miles combined with petrol and electric, more than enough for a trip from London to Dundee on one tank and charge.
Built-in Wi-Fi Hotspot: The car has a Wi-Fi hotspot built-in to connect up to eight devices simultaneously.
Ambient Lighting: Ambient lighting can be set to make you feel more or less like you’re in a ’90s-era nightclub.

Technology and Features

The new Passat Estate is jam-packed with technology geared toward making everything safer and easier. Its digital driver’s display is clear and can be personalized, so you can prioritize the information that matters most to you. It also incorporates numerous driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking, making it a very safe choice for family transport.

Not to overlook is the exciting feature of a Wi-Fi hotspot that can connect with as many as eight devices at once, no one aboard will ever be bored on long trips. The ambient lighting system allows the driver to adjust the cabin’s mood, adding a luxurious touch to the driving experience.

Performance and Driving Dynamics

The new Volkswagen Passat offers several engine choices. The entry-level engine is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, producing 150 horsepower. This engine is also available as a plug-in hybrid with two power options: 204 horsepower or 272 horsepower. These plug-in hybrid models come with front-wheel drive and a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

If you’re a company car driver, the plug-in hybrids are likely the best option. They can travel over 70 miles on electric power alone, which results in very low CO2 emissions (around 10 g/km). This makes them more economical in terms of taxes compared to the standard internal combustion engine versions.

Choosing the right combination of engine and features depends on your needs, but for those looking to save money on running costs and reduce their environmental impact, the plug-in hybrid versions are a solid choice.

On the road

The Passat Estate feels relaxed and cosseting. The steering is nicely weighted and accurate, making it easy to manoeuvre through town, while the suspension smooths out potholes well, ensuring a consistently smooth ride. The car feels predictable and stable on both winding country roads and motorways. The R-Line’s sportier suspension setup and larger wheels provide a slightly firmer ride, yet it never feels harsh.

Fuel Efficiency & Economy

This depends largely on the engine and driving conditions. For city driving, especially if the battery is regularly charged, the plug-in hybrid version excels in fuel efficiency. On long drives, the diesel engines come into their own, boasting impressive miles-per-gallon figures. However, it’s worth noting that the plug-in hybrid’s fuel tank is actually larger than what you find in the regular petrol versions—a rather unusual decision by Volkswagen, given that the hybrid already has the advantage of electric power.