Volkswagen Passat long-term test: report 7

The car VW Passat 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 DSG Life | Run by Max Eldeston, senior photographer

Why it’s here To see if the Passat’s reputation for comfortable and spacious transport endures in its latest generation

Needs to Function as a mobile office, have space for all my photography kit, and be comfortable enough to spend long hours at the wheel

Mileage 9711 List price £44,850 Target Price £41,000 Price as tested £45,160 Test economy 74.0mpg Official economy 755mpg 

2 June 2025 – Parking prowess

According to research by Skoda conducted in 2020, parking prangs cost British drivers an estimated £1.5 billion per year in repair costs. And while I’m fortunate to not be among those who have had to fork out so far, much of that is down to the excellent visibility of my Volkswagen Passat.

For a start, the windows in my car are rather large. That means they let plenty of light into the car, making it feel nice and airy for my passengers, but they also mean I have a great view out at junctions or when I’m trying to parallel park on a busy side street. And if a car should appear in the small blind spot while I’m driving, the Passat will warn me with a warning light on my wing mirror.

The visibility out the back of the Passat is good too, but rather than crick my neck every time I reverse, I’ve become reliant on the reversing camera, which hasn’t missed a beat thanks to its super-crisp graphics and helpful guide lines which show me not only where I’m going to end up, but also my current trajectory based on where my front wheels are turning.

Crucially, the camera has a wide field of view, meaning it can not only show me what’s behind me, but also how close my rear wheels are to the kerb – a useful perk which means there haven’t been any scuffed alloy wheels to report back.

Now, if I want to take away any parking anxiety, my car has a self-parking function. I’ve been put off these, since several attempts at using similar setups in other cars has almost caused several accidents – the one in my Ford Ranger Raptor pick-up truck, for example, would have had me reverse through a parked car in order to reach a space – but I wanted to give the Passat’s a go.

Having activated the system, it began searching for available spaces, and despite at first suggesting spaces which didn’t exist, it did eventually suggest a good spot and show it on my car’s infotainment screen. I edged forwards next to the space until the car instructed me to stop and let it take over, and the VW slowly backed itself into position behind another parked car. I had my feet covering the brakes – just in case – but the Passat managed to park itself impressively well. Though I must admit, I still prefer to do the job myself.

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