VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

Like its saloon counterpart, the Volkswagen Passat Estate is a significant step forward from the previous model. It's sharper-looking, more spacious, more comfortable and packed with the latest technology. The Passat Estate is a very impressive car, offering plenty of space, good performance and high levels of comfort. It's especially appealing as a tow car.
The Passat is definitely the large family estate to have. It's as exciting to drive as the Ford Mondeo, and it's certainly a fine place to spend a few hours – especially chugging up and down the motorway with a shedload of kit. And with the 2.0-litre diesel under the bonnet you can regularly average 61mpg, which makes running it day-to-day a joy. A worthy European Car of the Year winner, then? We think the judges got it right.