Sector: Upper-medium Price (July 2013): £24,620 Fuel: 61.4mpg CO2: 120g/km

Volkswagen’s addition of a Highline trim level into the Passat range is excellent news for company car drivers, bringing added equipment with only a minor price rise.

Highline replaces the previous SE trim but adds touchscreen satellite navigation (a proper built-in unit rather than a stick-on aftermarket one), parking sensors front and rear, dual-zone climate control and 17-inch alloy wheels.

All in, those extras would cost £1,680 but the price premium for Highline is reined in to £500. Factor in other standard equipment including DAB radio, Bluetooth telephony, run-flat tyre indicator, tiredness sensor and an electric driver’s seat and you have an incredible amount of car and kit for the money. Our test car in 2.0 TDI 140 estate guise comes in at £24,620, which makes it hard to beat in terms of what you get for your money.

Extra equipment aside, the Passat range continues to be a popular choice among user-choosers with strong badge appeal, restrained styling and a roomy interior making it an ideal family car.

Factor in a huge boot and the Passat really does tick all boxes. With 603 litres of load space (1,731 with the rear seats folded down), the Passat estate offers more carrying capacity than either the Mazda6 Tourer (506/1,648 litres) or the Ford Mondeo estate (537/1,728 litres).

On the road, the Passat is never going to win any awards for its driving dynamics, but for most people it does the job competently. It rides well and offers a decent balance of comfort and handling, the diesel engine is refined and the cabin well insulated, while the six-speed manual gearbox shifts positively. The overall feeling from the behind the wheel of the Passat is one of solidity.

Verdict:

It’s hard to fault the Passat range and the addition of a value-packed Highline trim makes that job even harder – this is sure to be a hit among user-choosers.