ESTATES
1
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
Our pick 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 Elegance
List price £47,430 Target Price £39,986 MPG 731.1 CO2 9g/km
For PHEV’s outstanding efficiency and electric range; hushed and comfy cruiser; vast boot; smart interior
Against Pricier than some rivals; a few fiddly controls; not as good to drive as the BMW 3 Series Touring
WHAT CAR? SAYS
THE PASSAT MAY have been around for five decades, but the fact that the latest iteration ranks highest in this category shows how well the model has moved with the times.
You can have it with mild hybrid petrol power, but it impresses most in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) form. The version we recommend is the less powerful of the two PHEVs available; it has plenty of punch and a huge official electric range of 80 miles, making it cheap to run as a company car.