VW Passat sizes and dimensions guide

The 2015 Volkswagen Passat has a tough job on its hands. It may be just as capable as ever, but it finds itself in a market segment which is gradually dwindling.

Many people prefer crossovers like the Mazda CX-5 and Volkswagen‘s own Tiguan these days, and that’s a shame, because it’s very hard to find fault with the latest Passat. If you need a refined, economical, practical and – to our eyes – stylish family car, it’s hard to do better.

In the latest of our handy size guides, we take a look at how much room the new Passat provides for people and their things, and – given that the eighth-generation model is the biggest yet – if it’ll still fit on your driveway.

Exterior dimensions

We’re sure many people looking to buy a Passat are existing Volkswagen customers or company car owners well used to the old car. If your previous Passat struggled to fit in the garage, it is worth noting that despite the sleeker, more stylish design, the 2015 version is actually longer and wider than the outgoing model.

Interior dimensions

Cabin space has always been a strong point of the Passat, and minor packaging tweaks have improved things further. Both front and rear passengers have gained almost 2cm of headroom, allowing occupants to wear modern gravity-defying hairstyles with hardly any issues at all.

Luggage capacity

Whether in saloon or estate form, boot capacity is one of the Passat’s greatest strengths. It’s much larger than the new Ford Mondeo back there, the estate offering a significant 150-litres extra – that’s thirty per cent more. The seats themselves fold nice and flat, allowing for large items to be loaded with ease.

Turning circle and fuel tank capacity

At 11.7 metres, the turning circle is about standard for a car of this size, so manoeuvrability should be no better or worse than you might expect. The most economical 1.6-litre TDI models make do with a smaller fuel tank, so for ultimate range, the 70.6mpg-rated 2.0 TDI is the best bet.

Weight

Thanks to the extensive use of aluminium and high strength steel in its construction, the latest Passat is approximately 85 kilos lighter than the previous version, which improves acceleration, braking, handling and fuel economy.

There is quite a large difference in mass between the lightest and heaviest in the range, due mainly to the fact that the top-of-the-range 2.0-litre twin turbodiesel model is equipped with four-wheel drive and a dual clutch automatic gearbox. On average, the estate weighs 28kg more than the equivalent saloon, while the DSG gearbox adds another 20kg or so.

Find out more

If you’re looking to buy a new Passat, then check out our review pages of the saloon and estate or head over to the carwow configurator to see how much you could save from the UK’s best Volkswagen dealers.