It"s the new estate...
It"s the new estate - and the magazine"s spies have already caught the prototype on test. As with the outgoing Passat, the next-generation carrier will offer all the benefits of a traditional estate, as designers have worked hard to achieve the right mix of style and practicality.
So expect space to rival the Honda Accord Tourer, enhanced by neat folding rear seats which drop down in one easy movement to give a flat load floor.
Retaining the sleek shape of the four-door, the estate has a more sloping tailgate than its predecessor for better aerodynamics and a more stylish finish. The rear lights and front end, however, are carried over from the saloon.
Engine and trim choices are also the same, so customers have the option of 113bhp 1.6, 148bhp 2.0 and 217bhp 3.2-litre petrol units, along with 104bhp 1.9 and 138bhp or 168bhp 2.0 diesels. In 2004, the estate variant accounted for 32 per cent of total Passat sales, and VW bosses are hoping this will rise to 40 per cent with the new model.
Final specifications have yet to be announced, but buyers can expect to pay around í‚á£1,100 more than for the equivalent saloon. That will see the all-new line-up start at about í‚á£15,945, rising to í‚á£20,760 when it goes on sale in the UK in November.
VW is dumping the Bora badge and bringing back the Jetta name for its all-new Golf saloon, which is set to arrive in showrooms here in January.