V60 Vs Passat - advice welcome!
 

Hi all

Looking to get a diesel estate in the next couple of months and the choices have been whittled down to a VW Passat and the V60 (see my ad in the 'wanted' section!). Budget is max £15k.

Looking at 2.0 150-190hp, manual transmission, 2018 and between 30-40k mileage (I figure these cars are likely going to be ex business lease). SE Business and Momentum trims most likely given budget. Would consider an auto box but my wife is not keen on them, I don't particularly care for them and the Volvo unit in particular comes in for some flak in the reviews I've read. Would rather not drive the cost up with one.

On paper, the Passat is the clear winner - massive boot, lots of rear seat room a few more options as standard over a base Momentum V60 (heated seats, 3 zone climate, Smartphone integration, front parking sensors, adaptive cruise, seat releases in boot, fog lights). It's also very much a known quantity - previous cars were a 62 reg polo and 65 reg Scirocco with an identical 150hp 2.0 tdi, a great engine and in the Passat is a whole second quicker to 60mph than a D3 V60 (8.9s Vs 9.9s).

But then I see a V60 on the road and, to put it bluntly, it floats my boat. Boot is probably big enough - noticeably bigger than an A4 Avant for example, and it's got a couple of bits over the Passat (power tailgate, digital Instruments) but im struggling to justify a £3k premium over the Passat.

Can anyone help with direct a comparison/experiences? Hopefully I'll be able to compare them myself if lockdown finishes in the near future and dealers reopen but it's a big decision so any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help and time!

So I have a v60 from new for the last 15 months having driven Passats for 12 years or so.

Yes the Passat is larger inside and boot but depends what your needs are. Also depends what trim you are coming from going to etc.

But the one difference I have noticed is visibility turning left which is not so good.

The Passat stands circa 40mm taller, this in combination with slightly smaller front windows in the V60 and a different rake and A pillar gives me a problem.

Whereas I never had a problem with the Passat turning left, a combination of windscreen rake/A pillar/passenger door mirror gives me a problem that I have not adapted to. I am 6 feet tall and have tried all sorts of combinations with the seats.

Having said all that the V60 is a very nice car to drive with the D4 engine.

Passat all day long. I came to a V60 from a Passat and wish i hadn’t.

What's the point of a V60, surely if you want an estate car you want a proper estate car with plenty of load area , old V70, or new V90, if a Volvo. Although Volvo have spoilt the V90 with the raked back reducing the practicality. Can you get a manual Volvo now.
The V90 is also very low so difficult to get in and out of.

It's all about options, the thing is almost no one wants an estate anymore. They all want SUVs which are really only jacked up Estate cars.

Remember Volvo have done small estates for a long time, the V50 for example. The V60 isn't actually all that small, at least for UK roads - from my perspective the V90 is way too big to enjoy driving on back roads for example. I don't have kids or dogs but do occasionally want to carry DIY supplies etc so an estate is a useful upgrade from the standard saloon.

As for Passat to V60, I own a V60 and have driven a fair few Passats and other VAG cars on hire/owned, it probably depends on the engine/suspension/trim but I always find the Passat to be extremely dull to drive. The V60 is not a massively exciting car either to be fair (even the PE is mostly dull with decent acceleration) but it's better than the passat.

Both cars are pretty well built but I would say the Volvo is a nicer place to be with the caveat that the VW's infotainment is better than Volvos Sensus.

The OP mentions they would rather avoid an automatic, I'm not sure how many recent volvos are manual but imho VW's reliance on DSG is just dreadful - the Volvo auto is slow and dimwitted compared to boxes such as the ZF in BMW but it's at least smooth and unobtrusive when driving normally. Sure the DSGs are good when driving aggressively but for that I'd much rather a manual and the DSGs are lumpy in traffic, terrible for towing and irritatingly uncontrollable in strange conditions (try reversing up a steep hill to reverse park for example)

As very happy v90CC owner I might say go with what floats your boat but for your budget there are a couple of other nice options. The Passat is vast but if boot space isn’t quite as important as that then a nice used C Class estate or Skoda Octavia might also float the boat.

If you’re trying to boil it down to the Passat vs Volvo then Volvo it is. Simply, it’s a much nicer place to be and it’s a better car.

Just spotted this on youtube
https://youtu.be/EhkSa2blCKg

I have an estate (or Avant as Audi call it) but there are 2 reasons..... I have a dog to transport and I like being able to put her in the (crash tested) cage in the boot, and it looks better.

Size isn’t everything ;)

Said the actress to the Bishop. :teeth_smile:

phnaar, phnarr.