Volkswagen Passat and Audi A6
Price: Passat from £15,150; A6 from £25,390
For: Decent quality; a good drive; big boot; classic looks
Against: Not very exciting; Passat’s rear legroom not that great
The Volkswagen Passat and closely-related Audi A6 are the less flash of the family-sized German cars – solid citizens, if you like. Both are fine quality purchases, however, with plain but well-upholstered cabins and all the expected creature comforts, gadgets and gizmos – without the gimmicks. The Passat comes with some smaller engines than the A6; the 1.8T petrol and 2.0 TDI are good mid-line decisions.
The A6 now comes with direct-injection petrol engines (turbocharged 2.0 TFSI, 2.8 FSI) but most owners will prefer the large V6 diesel engines. Except the speed freaks – their A6 of choice is the 350bhp RS6. Some models have the option of four-wheel-drive (‘quattro’, in the Audi). 
With cast-iron credibility and shedloads of snob value both Passat and A6 are immensely covetable, as family cars go. And to top it all off, they both have five-star scores in the Euro NCAP crash tests for overall adult occupant protection and four stars for child protection.
