| Week at the Wheel | VW Passat Estate BlueMotion |
Inside & Out:
For some time now the VW brand has been synonymous with a perception of quality and the Passat, nestled near the top of the model range, has been class leading in these respects for several years. Even though the model is now a few years old there is little the competition has done to close the gap to VW's interiors and the Passat's remains a very pleasant place in which to cover large distances ensconced in comfort and isolated from the outside world.
In estate form the Passat is a cavernous vehicle with as much room as could reasonably be used by the average family, and a level of comfort that is universally appreciated. The focus is on providing a pleasant environment for the occupants rather than a sporting experience and the large, broad, supportive seats are a prime example of this agenda. Needless to say, the cabin itself is constructed of quality materials in a manner befitting cars of significantly greater expense.
On the outside the styling is typically contemporary Volkswagen; understated and clean in execution, albeit at the cost of relative anonymity. However, this does reflect the fuss free and subtle way in which a Passat goes about its business - it is not meant to be a standout car. BlueMotion does bring with it some aesthetic compromise in terms of smaller wheels but as above, the Passat has never been about bling.
Engine & Transmission:
VW's BlueMotion models place the emphasis on efficiency and economy rather than performance. On paper a 1.6-litre diesel engine producing a modest 103bhp and 185lb.ft of torque in a car the size of a Passat does not appear to be the recipe for electrifying performance and this is reflected in the performance figures with 0-62mph taking over 12 seconds.
However, as is the norm, the absolute figures don't actually tell the whole story and while the Passat BlueMotion lacks outright punch, it's well capable of keeping up with the ebb and flow of traffic. Once in the ideal operating environment, which is a motorway cruise, then that lack of horsepower is all but irrelevant. The payback is, of course, at the pumps where figures of at least 60mpg aren't hard to come by under the right conditions.
Ride & Handling:
BlueMotion models are always less aggressively shod in the tyre department than their mainstream equivalents and this actually pays dividends in several ways. Outright grip levels may be lower, but the chassis doesn't actually suffer and it has to be kept in mind that those seeking dynamic gratification would more likely gravitate toward a Ford showroom rather than VW's eco-mobile. That aside, in actual fact the Passat can be an engaging steer and part of the pursuit of economy is conserving momentum, a pastime the VW doesn't mind. It also retains the Passat's solid composure and absorbent ride.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
Needless to say the BlueMotion Passat scores highly here. Economy is the watchword of the BlueMotion model line and the Passat ably lives up to the expectations. In a week of mixed driving the Passat averaged 55mpg; even short journeys produced figures of almost 50mpg and a sensible motorway cruise sent the figures north of 60mpg with relative ease.
The BlueMotion model has reasonable levels of equipment too: a full count of safety features, semi-automatic climate control, a decent stereo and the now taken for granted level of VW quality in the build and materials.
As an aside, although we understand the need to scrimp and save in what is a cost effective model, the lack of electric windows for the rear passengers is perhaps budgeting just a little too much, especially when electric mirrors survived the chop.
Overall:
Judging the Passat BlueMotion against its brief, it is very difficult to find much fault. It brings with it all of the Passat's virtues virtually undiluted with the only compromise being a minimal penalty on real world performance. To those abilities it adds economy, low emissions and taxation. Company car buyers form an orderly queue please.
