New Volkswagen Passat Estate: What’s it going up against?

It’s no secret that the rise of SUVs has been to the detriment of other vehicle types, not least the humble estate car.

The number of ‘wagons’ available has declined noticeably in recent years, while the recent news that Volvo is axing its well-loved estate cars in the UK to make way for a purely SUV line-up hasn’t helped either.

But Volkswagen believes there’s life left in the estate car segment as it’s now introducing a new, ninth-generation of its Passat. It will only be offered as an estate car, too. In fact, it’s the firm’s third best-selling model, ahead of many other SUVs that it sells. Volkswagen says there’s still an appetite for estate cars in Europe, especially for those prioritising interior space while there are some companies that won’t permit SUVs as fleet cars.

But with two of the Passat’s key rivals, the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia, recently facing the chop, what cars is this Volkswagen now going up against? Let’s take a look.

Audi A4 Avant

While the Passat might have previously rivalled more mainstream rivals, Volkswagen has made a big deal about taking this latest model upmarket. That puts it directly into the firing line of premium German rivals, including the Audi A4 Avant.

Though this mid-size executive car might be getting on a bit in terms of age, and a replacement is due soon, it’s able to hold its own with terrific refinement and outstanding interior quality.

BMW 3 Series Touring

One of the most competitive estate cars has always been and remains the BMW 3 Series Touring. Even in a day and age of SUV dominance, it remains one of BMW’s biggest-selling models. The 3 Series Touring is terrific to drive, and though not as roomy as the Passat, features such as a separately opening rear window are very useful to have.

It’s a big hit with the fleet segment too, especially the 330e plug-in hybrid model. It’s this version that is set to be a core rival for this latest Passat Estate.

Genesis G70 Shooting Brake

It’s rare these days for a brand-new estate car to be introduced, but recently there has been the launch of the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake. Coming from the premium division of the Hyundai Motor Group, this Genesis offers a high-end interior and a truly stunning exterior design.

It was the first Genesis designed for Europe, and most certainly has rarity on its side, with few buyers being tempted by the G70. A choice of petrol and diesel engines are available, though it’s most certainly not anywhere near as practical as the Passat.

Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Jaguar is currently in a slight state of muddle as its existing cars start getting long in the tooth while it waits to become an EV-only brand in 2025. But in the meantime, there’s still a lot going for Jaguar’s XF Sportbrake.

It’s a rather underrated choice in the estate car segment, which often gets dominated by Audi, BMW and Mercedes. Yet the XF has plenty of style on its side, and is one of the best cars to drive in this class too. A recent interior revamp has boosted the level of technology available as well as quality.

Mercedes C-Class Estate

Mercedes has long been a brand renowned for its estate cars, and the firm continues to be hugely successful with its more practicality-orientated C-Class. Only recently introduced in a new generation, it gets a smart exterior design and plenty in the way of technology, much of which is borrowed from the firm’s S-Class luxury car.

Like the Passat, the C-Class is available as a petrol, diesel and a choice of company car-friendly plug-in hybrids. These latter models have a particularly impressive electric range that is ideal for commuters.

Peugeot 508 SW

Peugeot has really moved upmarket in recent years and the car to show this is the flagship 508. Available as a saloon or SW estate car, the latter isn’t the roomiest of cars in this class, but should prove fine for family duties.

What the 508 SW does have on its side is style, as this is – to our eyes at least – one of the best-looking estate cars on sale today. A recent revamp has freshened up the exterior design further, while improving the cabin too. A choice of hybrids are available, including a flagship Peugeot Sport Engineered model, which boasts an impressive 355bhp.

Skoda Superb Estate

Skoda is readying an all-new generation of Superb, and it’s expected to be very similar to this latest Passat, not least because Skoda lead the development of these two cars. For the time being the outgoing model remains a compelling choice as one of the largest estate cars on sale, not least because of its huge boot and rear seat space.

It’s expected this new Superb will share plenty in common with this new Passat, including much of its technology, as well as new plug-in hybrid powertrains that bring an electric range of more than 60 miles – almost double that of the outgoing car.