The new estate-only Volkswagen Passat will cost from £38,480

Following last summer’s reveal of the new estate-only, ninth-generation (wowza!) Passat, Volkswagen has now revealed prices will start from £38,480 for the entry-level ‘Life’ trim, which climbs to £42,830 for the range-topping ‘R-Line’. A trio of ‘Elegance’ models will also sit between the two, from £41,580. 

All are supplied with Volkswagen’s six/seven-speed DSG gearbox and will be available with various 1.5-litre combustion and hybrid powertrains, drifting between 147 and 268bhp each. 

Ze Germans also quite proudly claim this to be its most aerodynamic estate to date, with a drag-co-efficient of just 0.25. So it’s… economical? Ja! For the hybrid models, a 19.7 kWh battery is present to allow for a claimed 62 miles of zero-emission driving, which increases to as much as 620 when pre-historic dinosaur bones are thrown into the equation. See, economical.

The new Passat will also adopt VW’s modular transverse matrix platform (known as MQB evo), and sitting proudly above that is a completely redesigned body - though the headlights look to have been nicked from the G80 BMW M3. It’s both longer and wider than the previous generation. It also has even fewer physical buttons. For duck’s sake.

The cabin has also seen a total refresh, with a host of new systems - including the fancy-schmancy ergoActive massage seats - controlled through VW’s latest MIB4 infotainment system. The longer wheelbase has also opened up a bit more storage space out back, so the Passat now has around 1,920 litres to use as you wish.

It’s shaping up well then for VW’s long-standing, grand tourer alternative to the Golf, then, which we expect to reach showroom floors by the end of 2024.