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SA few years ago, after the end of the Cold War and the (previous) Russian dominance of Eastern Europe, there was a great but very devaluation skoda Motor Works – and the brand – were acquired volkswagen Group. Volkswagen began to rebuild the marque with new, higher-quality models, and naturally using a lot of VW technology. At the time, from the late 1990s, they were marketed on the basis that they were “really a Volkswagen”, and their owners liked the fact that they were driving a value-for-money car that was “a Polo/Golf/Passat”. Same kind of thing.
Well, decades later, this is what we have. volkswagen he’s not the only one skoda Below – the Czech branch has reclaimed some of its traditional design and engineering expertise – it is built at the VW Group works in Slovakia alongside its brother, the Skoda Superb Estate. It is thus class-leading in its luggage space, either in mild petrol hybrid form (690 litres) or, here as a plug-in hybrid, where even a much larger battery pack has to be accommodated (510 litres) – highly competitive with the remaining estate car contenders, such as the Volvo V60 or the BMW 3-Series Touring.
And that spaciousness is the biggest selling point for the Superb/Passat estate cars – the trade secret about the Skoda Superb has always been that it has more rear legroom than its luxury VW Group cousin, the Bentley Flying Spur.
specification
Volkswagen Passat Black Edition 1.5TSI
price: £53,070 (as tested, range starts at £40,880)
Engine Capacity: 1.5 liter turbo-petrol, 4-cylinder + 19.7kWh battery, 6sp-auto FWD
Power Output (PS): 204
Maximum Speed (mph): 137
0 to 60 (seconds): 8.1
Fuel Economy (MPG): 706 (using full electrical capacity)
CO2 emissions (WLTP, g/km): 8 (using full electrical capacity)
Now this is equally true of the Fiat Estate (no saloon version is available in the UK), and it’s just as accessible. Compared to many SUV options, getting in and out of the Fiat isn’t as quick, especially if you’re a little creaky, but it’s comfortable and inherently nice to drive – lower center of gravity, you see.
As a plug-in hybridIt can go surprising distances on electric power alone, especially when driven gently, at least 50 miles, and the electric assistance makes it very quick in “Sport” mode, perhaps even a little too much for the chassis.
This is a car that’s not renowned for smoothness or refinement, but it should be. In my experience, the Superb has a well-designed interior; The Fiat seems a little more clinical or utilitarian, but really, it’s a matter of taste.
The version I drove, a “Black Edition” (it was actually blue-green) in the “R” trim had a huge 15-inch “infotainment” screen, which was much nicer, and more easily accessible, since it was “on” and a little further off the dash, as it was more neatly integrated with the speedometer. The downside is that the Fiat relies heavily on “haptic” touch controls to perform basic tasks like turning on the radio – although the steering wheel controls are easy to use.
As far as driving it goes, it’s one of life’s cruisers, but when pushed it can turn really comfortable. Taking a corner quickly and easily is actively encouraged by the suspension setup, which is slightly different from the Superb. However, I found the brakes surprisingly soft. Obviously, you get used to them, but it has made me a little more cautious. On the other hand, it seems they have improved the “DSG” (dual clutch) automatic gearbox in such a way that I recall it not being as hesitant as previous versions.
Little things I liked include the VW badge on the tailgate, illumination like brake lights at night, and the extremely efficient heated seats and ventilation system. Tesla-Such as aerodynamic alloys are also suitable for this. On the more purely practical side, you should also note that it can be plugged into ultra-fast chargerAnd the extensive electric-only range gives business users a clear tax benefit of 6 percent based on extremely low CO2 emissions – assuming electric-only mode is fully utilised.
The professional driver, the ideal sales representative, should love the latest Fiat as much as they did its eight previous generations since 1973; But as a nation we are driving less, including for business, than in the past. Much of the old car culture, and the types of cars it attracted – estates and big-booted saloons – are on the decline with it, overtaken by all those SUVs and “crossovers”. The Fiat Estate is a conservative choice, but not the worst for that matter.