Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr Car Review - February 2012

The Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr has an impressive fuel economy figure of 68.9mpg, which for a large family car is very efficient. The Passat actually offers better fuel economy than the smaller BlueMotion Golf which returns 65.7mpg.

The Passat BlueMotion takes a leisurely 12.2 seconds to reach 62mph and the car's handling is uninspiring. It can’t match the excitement and drivability of the Ford Mondeo 1.6 TDCi, but this was never meant to be the major selling point of the Passat. Despite being a little slow and unresponsive the BlueMotion 1.6 TDI is safe, sensible and economical.

The noise in the cabin has been massively reduced. The engine is almost always quiet and the wind noise has been almost completely eliminated, and is only audible at very high speeds.

The Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr is available with a decent set of features as standard; some of these include air conditioning, alloy wheels, a USB port, four electric windows and Bluetooth. Optional extras include metallic paint (£465), cruise control (£265), rear parking sensors (£425) and Sat nav (£705).

The styling of the Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr is not exactly exciting; in fact it appears that Volkswagen has spent little time on updating the looks of the Passat. Luckily for the Passat the other cars in its class seem to suffer from the same problem. The potential customers are unlikely to be put off by the appearance of the BlueMotion, since it is a class leader in terms of fuel economy, affordability and interior space. The interior is spacious and well laid out. The dashboard is sleek and appears well built - all the buttons seem solid and the touch screen console is easy to navigate.

The Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr scored the maximum available five stars in the Euro NCAP safety tests, which is to be expected from a car of this quality, price and size. There are a number of safety features as standard. There are front, rear and curtain airbags, and the seats are fitted with anti-whiplash protection. Keyless entry is also an optional extra.

The Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr has an impressive amount of space and is roomy enough to comfortably hold five people. Although it is slightly smaller than the Ford Mondeo the difference is not great enough to put off any potential buyers. The Mondeo also has a bigger boot but the Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr is big enough to hold a family's holiday luggage.

Volkswagen provides a decent warranty. The three year 60,000 mile warranty is reinforced by Volkswagen’s reputation for reliability and build quality which is amongst the best in the industry.

When it comes to Value for money the Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr is head and shoulders above the competition. With a starting price of just £20,285 and such fantastic fuel economy, the Passat BlueMotion 1.6 TDI 4dr is certainly an attractive proposition for a buyer on a budget, especially considering the car falls under Road Tax band B - almost unbelievable for a large family car.