Volkswagen Passat Estate review

The Passat Estate is about the same size as the BMW 5 Series Touring and Audi A6 Avant, so it offers more front-seat space than the BMW 3 Series Touring; even very tall drivers will be happy, while tall door opening make for easy access.

There are plenty of useful storage areas, too, including a central cubby that doubles up as a cushioned armrest and will take a small bottle. The glovebox can be cooled to keep your lunch fresh, and you can charge your phone via the USB socket while it's stowed out of sight.

Across the range, manual front passenger seat lumbar adjustment is standard and is easy to use. 14-way electric seat adjustment, meanwhile, is optional on all trims.

The Passat Estate’s boot is massive, usefully shaped and only beaten in size by the Skoda Superb Estate’s, dwarfing those of rivals such as the A4 Avant and 3 Series Touring. The load lip is fairly low, so you don’t have to lift items very far to be able to slide them into the boot, and being able to drop the seats one-handed from the boot opening is a big help.

You even get a variable-height boot floor as standard. The space beneath this forms a separate storage area for delicate items, and its highest setting eliminates the step in the load bay that forms when the seats are folded.