VW Passat: Better Quality Than A BMW 3 Series?
Video Overview & Insights
Check out the best VW Passat deals on carwow: https://bit.ly/Buy-Sell-WOW
Is the new VW Passat Estate actually a better family car than a Tiguan or a BMW 3 Series? Mat’s taking a "brutally honest" look at the 9th-generation Passat—now exclusively an estate—to see if the massive 690-litre boot and the 82-mile eHybrid range make it the ultimate SUV-slayer.
We’re putting the R-Line through its paces to see if the new 15-inch infotainment screen finally works without glitches and if the "DCC Pro" adaptive suspension really delivers a limo-like ride. From the limo-like rear legroom to the reality of the 272hp plug-in hybrid performance, here is the definitive verdict on the car that just won "Estate of the Year" for 2026!
At this point cars don’t make sense anymore, in my opinion. It’s not a point of better usability, safety (except for adas and better materials), reliability, cost, design and performance depending on the segment. It’s mostly about convincing people they need more “technology” that they actually don’t need, through aggressive marketing and scarcity of rational options (perhaps to justify these absurd prices). Imagine having a B8 Passat (peak) and thinking you need more legroom in the back or a giant screen, no physical buttons and chinese oriented design 😅
Chapters
00:00 Intro: Has the Passat finally killed the SUV?
These days, it is not such a big thing if build quality is better than in BMW. 80% of cars today have better quality than any BMW.
00:19 Price Check: Is £38k-£43k too much for a VW?
00:47 Design: Why the R-Line is the one to get
Looks like golf 😮
01:39 Interior Truth: Is the 15-inch screen actually laggy?
04:44 Back Seats: More legroom than a £100k Limousine?
It's a golf estate
06:14 Boot Space: Why 690 litres beats almost every SUV
07:30 3 Annoying Features: What drives Mat mad?
Feels more like a sponsored ad than a review. That interior finish looks cheap and messy for a car at this price point. As a long-time Passat driver, VW just lost a loyal customer. Next time I'm looking elsewhere.
08:49 5 Good Features: The 800-mile range trick
09:43 Engine Guide: Is the 82-mile eHybrid the best PHEV?
Skoda Superb still nicer and better than passat, passat is just Boring as hell.
11:48 Town Driving: How quiet is the EV-only mode?
14:25 Motorway Driving: Is "DCC Pro" worth the extra money?
I don't care what anyone says to me the VW passat is the best car in the world , you can keep your super cars
15:54 Country Roads: Does it handle like a Golf GTI?
17:23 0-60mph: How fast is the 272hp R-Line?
I fell like neither exterior nor interior is good looking.
17:50 The Verdict: Should you buy, sell or avoid?
Sell your car for free with Carwow: https://bit.ly/Sell-Your-Car-For-Free-2308
oh look face lift a4
Check out Mat's preferred trim & engine for each car: https://bit.ly/Mats-Engine-Choice
Which would you buy matt? Passat estate vs skoda estate??
More User Perspectives
Superb all day, that's everyday over most of these estates
@terrysadlier8456The car is too long the screen too big and the wheels look awful, why such big screens when up till now we’ve all coped ok with sat nav’s of around 7” screens it’s the voice you should listen to not staring at the screen when driving, manufacturers are just after bigger profit margins
@pmas27Wheels are really, really ugly 😬
@skagerstromThree people in the back don’t seem to comfortable. Would you say that the Skoda superb Combi is comparable or bigger or smaller?.
@aitorinarraHard seats . WHY ARE THE GODDAMN SEATS HARD?????
@MrSomethingdarkI think the Middle East and China versions are better than this European version , massage & vented all seats. , less price , and elegant design
@mustmhdsaleh1490B8 was a masterpiece. This? That's just a longer/bigger version of Golf Station Wagon...
@since_ninety_twoHave a 2016 passat that looks great wpyldnt trade it for this ,no character at all
@ericchabeda8409Quality? Not the word I’d use 😂 We leased a few and we picked them up from the dealership with a check engine light and a plastic trim piece that fell off the rear seat. The material quality is very underwhelming, everything feels rickety and you get the sense it will break in a few years. I would not recommend buying one, go for a toyota or something chinese. For this pricepoint you get much more.
@zsombokiorincragebait title
@4mirko2I swear if they made a normal passat without all the ”features” just back camera, parking sensors, AC, media and priced it at 20-30k, aloot would have bought it. But 47k? For a VW? Who is dumb enough to buy that?
@mr.darknight416Nice car but that massive screen is unnecessary
@Leeroy33197814:22 so, A class is softer over bumps than S class?
@lukaIIIYTSooo ugly... And terribly overpriced. A joke!
@lukaIIIYT15:46 just go to the environmentally sustainable place where they sell sigarets and fill your car up with known carcinogenes to breath in for £150. Rather that than plugging my car into an outlet to charge it for £20 which takes as long as a charger for my phone. god dam lobbyist.
@bouwen4twnice passaratti
@bouwen4twYou guys do realize for 50k euro yuo get 5-10k miles 520i fully equipped and will have an actually reliable car ? Like what is VW group doing is literally leeching of dumbasses with how UNRELIABLE their software is, the support parts of the engine notoriously go bad, not to mention the transmission that being basically almost unchanged ( they did finally moved from producing dry clutch and move on to wet clutch in those crap DSGs) for over a decade, still causing tons of problems. Like there's simply no reason to buy a VW. Probably only reasonable VW to buy would be maybe VW Polo ? But then you can get Skoda Fabia for cheaper with same equipment ( and also belongs to VW group ). Outside of small cars from VW Group, Porsche is the only next bread winner but that's because for themost part they actually have completely different research department that somehow, does care for their customer. But that's another league of price points.
@miskervbhsd8619No buttons or knobs. Pass.
@2steaksandwiches665Power backrest with manual slide and height adjustment is perfect. Same with manual steering wheel. Less shit to break in the future.
@turboshotthodesign 🤐.
passat 8 much better
Shame there’s no diesel option like the Skoda Superb . VW have missed a trick there, because they want to be seen as green. Load of b****cks !!!!!
@Eric_L456Better quality than BMW3? I would say better than BMW5 g60.
@simonu7824So, we waited 25 years to get an car that does what the Peugeot 406 estate did. And still does!!
@ChrisHazael-r4dI’m over the moon with the deal I got on this brand new lease, 1 month upfront £389 a month inc vat and that’s for the full top spec black edition … everywhere else was £500+ for a 10k pa lease deal
@kingsgrilleruk67572:09 if you don’t need them
Get the standard version Passat then , you’re reviewing a sports version and top spec hence why it has all the extras (that I want)
So don't buy the R line if you don't want the "sporty touches"?
@davebown8145diametaaaaaaah 😂😂😂😂
@a.kingsmindOf course they are. SUVs are fine as a school/family bus but you’ve given up on driving when you buy one🙂
@gp6746didnt know MB had a stalk mounted gear level like my 64 Buick
@davidr2802I don't why but right sided steering wheels make me wanna vomit
@tommyanderson2785Thrm wheels look hideous
@davidsmith2910The last Passat was way better looking im gona get an 18 plate r line
@davidsmith2910I got massage in B7 2014 production
@OptimumPrime-t5uWhy am I able to see painted bodywork metal on the interior of my $50k car.
Uncovered panels look and feel cheap, the kind of thing you'd expect and would find on a VW Up!
Lol Englishman thinks its handy to have gearbox instrument on the right(probably dominant hand) instead left. 😂
Maybe you should consider to drive on the right side of the road instead holding on rules of the dark ages.
SO PHEV is better with the 70 miles electric range but your boot space is reduced by more than 100l ?
@AndreasP07No wonder VW are in trouble, 47k for a passat
@gouherrabani9863Normal size European adults. However, for fat lazy American size adults they will be cramped.
@SterlingSigurdsen3:14 top on the line car for 45 thousand quid and still wind up seats, just incredible.
@Tajos-vz4pp