Volkswagen Passat 1.5 TSI eHybrid R-Line 5dr DSG Review

Category: Estate car

Section: Version review

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RRP £48,680

Finance contribution

£4,500

Fuel type:

petrol parallel phev

Gearbox:

semi-auto

Doors:

5 doors

The VW Passat has always successfully bridged the gap between similar-sized mainstream rivals and more premium options, and this ninth-generation model is the best yet. It's a comfortable, refined and hugely practical choice with a smart interior, plus it can make a cheap company car. If you do buy one, we think the 1.5 TSI eHybrid engine is a good choice, while entry-level Life trim gives you plenty of standard kit.

The trim

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Go for the top-spec R-Line trim, and you get bigger, 18in wheels, matrix LED headlights, Dynamic Chassis Control with adaptive suspension, and sporty styling upgrades inside and out. Unfortunately it also pushes the price up to a level where the Passat starts to look quite expensive.

The engine

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With 201bhp, this plug-in hybrid model is able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds. And while it drones a bit when you when you work it hard like this, you rarely have to in everyday driving, because it pulls strongly from low revs. Best of all, though, thanks to its 19.7kWh battery, it's officially capable of up to 81 miles of pure-electric driving. That helps it attract a lowly 5% company car tax rating.

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