29 Jul 05
The stiffened chassis and multi-link rear suspension of the Mk6 Passat, which makes the saloon drive so well, does a sterling job with the Estate too. The steering is smooth and direct and body roll is controlled through corners, making the Passat extremely stable on the motorway. The standard-fit roof rails cause a little wind noise to encroach into the cabin at speed, but the Passat's fantastic stereo system effectively drowns out any whistling.
Safety equipment includes front, side and curtain airbags, ESP stability control, LED brake lights that react more instantly than regular bulbs and ISOFIX child seat mountings - all of which helped the Passat score a maximum five stars for occupant protection in EuroNCAP crash tests.
Volkswagen expects to sell around 13,000 Passat Estates in the UK every year compared to 19,000 saloons. The company asks a premium of around £1000 for the estate, which isn't out of line with industry practice.
So while the new Passat Estate can't match the Vectra in terms of overall load-carrying capabilities, it more than makes up for this shortcoming with its driver appeal and style. And compared to the Ford and Vauxhall, the Passat Estate comes with the added prestige - and higher resale values - of a VW badge.
