Volkswagen Passat Alltrack review

As the Alltrack is towards the top end of the Passat range, its interior really is very plush. Areas you touch regularly feel of high quality while attractive trims and ambient lighting are standard. The interior can’t quite match the quality of the A4 Allroad, but then the Audi is a fair bit more expensive.

It’s very easy to get comfortable, too. The steering wheel has plenty of adjustment for both reach and rake while the seat has plenty of movement as well. You even get adjustable lumbar support as standard to make particularly long journeys less taxing on your back. Visibility is impressive thanks to slim pillars and standard fit parking sensors.

All the major controls fall easily to hand and feel reassuringly solid when you operate them. A multifunction colour display between the dials is standard but you can have a fully digital instrument cluster instead if you’re feeling really flash. This can be configured to show all sorts of driving data and makes it easier to make calls, change music or enter destinations into the sat-nav on the move.

Another standard item is a 8.0in colour touchscreen with super-clear graphics and very user-friendly menus, plus gets DAB radio, Bluetooth and wireless smartphone mirroring, so you can use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without plugging your phone in. It’s only beaten by the premium systems in the BMW 3 Series Touring, which uses a rotary dial controller and is easier to use on the move. A larger 9.2in system is available, but it’s quite costly and arguably unnecessary.