Volkswagen Passat Estate review - Reliability & safety

While it’s too early to predict the latest Passat’s reliability, it’s most likely good news that it’s an evolution of the outgoing Passat, building on tried-and-tested hardware and technology. While the infotainment is new to this car, it has made its debut in other models already. Some software bugs are likely, but these should be fixable with over-the-air updates rather than a trip to the dealership.

The outgoing Passat didn’t appear in our latest Driver Power owner-satisfaction survey, but Volkswagen itself came a lowly 29th out of 32 brands. That puts it behind all other brands in the Volkswagen Group, (Audi in 27th, SEAT in 24th, Skoda in 23rd and Cupra in 18th) which is not good news. Meanwhile, 23% of owners reported an issue with their Volkswagen in the first year, which is nothing to write home about, but also not the worst.

How safe is the Volkswagen Passat Estate?

We don’t expect any issues, thanks to Volkswagen’s excellent track record at building safe family cars, but the latest Passat hasn’t yet been tested by independent experts Euro NCAP.

Even the entry-level Life trim comes with active safety kit such as automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance and traffic-sign recognition, along with three ISOFIX child-seat mounting points – two in the outer rear seats and one in the front passenger seat – which are compatible with I-size seats.

What are the Volkswagen Passat Estate service intervals?

Volkswagen offers two types of servicing: fixed and flexible. Fixed is recommended for drivers travelling fewer than 9,300 miles per year, and you’ll visit the dealership annually for a service or when it reaches 9,300 miles, whichever comes first. For drivers spending more time on the road, flexible servicing uses sensors to monitor oil quality, but services can be up to 18,600 miles or 24 months apart.

What is the warranty on the Volkswagen Passat Estate?

Volkswagen provides a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, which is a similar length to those of most German rivals, but falls behind competitors such as Kia and Toyota, with standard warranties lasting for seven and up to 10 years respectively.