Tow Car Awards: overall winner 2015
The Tow Car Awards is Britain's biggest and best tow car test programme, with a history stretching back to 2007...
Kerb weight 1541kg Max towing weight 2000kg Towball limit 90kg
In 2015, the sixth-generation Volkswagen Passat Estate was introduced and earned the Passat a hat-trick of Tow Car of the Year titles. Here's what we said at the time:
The latest Volkswagen Passat Estate is lighter than the old car. But while reducing weight may be good for fuel economy and emissions, it doesn’t necessarily do much for towing ability.
We needn’t have worried, though. Yes, it's slimmed down a little, but the Passat punches above its weight with a caravan in tow.
Stability is the quality we look for above all others in a tow car, and the Passat delivers. At a steady 60mph it’s rock solid. Even pushed up to 70mph there’s not so much as a wobble. Only when slowing from high speeds could we detect the slightest movement with the Swift caravan’s Al-Ko ATC sensors.
Some cars happily tow straight and true but struggle with the violent demands of the emergency lane-change test. However, the Passat makes our most aggressive test seem easy, cornering hard and bullying the caravan into following behind.
If you have time to brake rather than swerve, the Passat will also help you avoid an accident. The 30-0mph stopping distance of 10.3 metres is one of the shortest stops of any car tested this year. It’s not just the power that impresses; in normal towing, the brakes are easy to apply progressively and smoothly.
When you want to go rather than stop, the Passat has the latest version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre diesel engine to do the hard work. It’s now clean enough to meet the Euro 6 emissions standard, and puts out a healthy 251lb ft of torque. That’s plenty to pull any sensibly matched tourer: in our test the Passat towed from 30-60mph in 11.7sec.
The torquey engine and electronic parking brake also make short work of the hill start test, helped by the DSG gearbox (a dual-clutch automatic). And the Passat also excels in everyday driving; it’s quiet and enjoyable to drive, whether running errands around town or driving long distances.
As for practicality, adults that are more than six feet in height can sit behind an equally tall driver, and the boot is huge. It coped with our typical load of caravan holiday luggage with room to spare.
In addition, our practicality judges were pleased to see a neat towball installation (the electrics are easier to access than they were on the previous generation Passat) and a trailer stability system to help counteract snaking.
Our ratings
Towing 5/5 Solo driving 5/5 Practicality 4/5 Buying and owning 5/5 Overall 5/5
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