Volkswagen Passat long-term test
Can this plug-in hybrid estate be the perfect photographer's assistant? We're living with one for six months to find out...
The car VW Passat Life 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 DSG | 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 5665 List price £44,850 Target Price £41,000 Price as tested £45,160 Test economy 57.8mpg Official economy 755mpg
7 March 2025 – Bootiful
It’s estimated that there are approximately 13.5million dogs in the UK, and since last year two of them have been in my family – Olive and Riley. Both are black labradors, both enjoy a solid walk, and both have been making good use of the enormous boot on my Volkswagen Passat.
Knowing that they were about to get good and muddy on a walk recently, both dogs hopped into the back of my Passat without any fuss. Being an estate, it sits lower to the ground than some of the SUVs or pick-up trucks I’ve run in the past, meaning both dogs can hop into it with ease and settle down in its spacious boot.
I’m pleased that I don’t even have to use the key to open the boot, instead waving my foot under the rear bumper to operate the electric tailgate – useful when I have two dogs straining at their leads to get going.
One downside, however, is that when wet weather strikes, the carpeted floor of the boot can be difficult to clean. I see that Volkswagen sells a rubberised inlay for the Passat via its online shop, and I’m considering investing in one to help keep the car looking pristine.
When not stuffed with canines, the boot has been used to haul everything from camping gear to golf clubs – sometimes at the same time. And because the Passat has more space than most other estate cars, even in plug-in hybrid form, I’ve not come close to filling it.
As well as being big, the boot is also clever. Dropping the rear seats to turn my car into a van is done via a handy lever inside the boot entrance, for example, while removing the parcel shelf is also a simpler affair than in some other cars I’ve driven.
Sadly, though, the car’s cleverness has hit a stumbling block after a series of warnings connected to the hybrid system began flashing up on my driver’s display. I could still drive, but only using petrol power – there was no help from the electric side of things. This was a shame since I’d just charged the 19.7kWh battery to full in the hopes of seeing how close I could get to its official range figure of 81 miles. I’m awaiting the results of a diagnostic test to find out what’s happened.
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