The four-wheel-drive version of the Volkswagen Passat Estate makes towing seem easy. Whether your priority is pace, stability or practicality, the Passat has the lot.

The 2.0 BiTDI engine delivers the punch of a heavyweight boxer. With 237bhp and 369lb ft of torque, the Passat accelerates so quickly you’d think the caravan had an engine, too. It took just 8.8 seconds to pull from 30-60mph.

Four-wheel drive plus plenty of power and an electronic parking brake adds up to effortless hill starts. The VW eased to the top of the 1-in-6 slope and felt comfortable reversing uphill, too.

If the performance of the engine makes the strongest impression, it’s the Passat’s stability that really matters. When slowing from high speeds, the Al-Ko ATC sensors picked up no instability from the caravan, and even at speeds which would have you pulled over on a British motorway, the VW Passat remained secure.

Some cars feel solid at speed, but lose composure in the emergency lane-change. Not the Passat, which seemed just as competent swerving hard as driving a straight road at a steady 60mph.

Without a caravan behind it, the Passat BiTDI is very quick indeed. It’s also comfortable and easy to live with. It’s a shame the engine isn’t quieter under hard acceleration, but otherwise this is an urbane and refined car.

There’s plenty of space inside, too, so adults can be comfortable whether they are sat in the front or the back. The Passat also has a huge boot: our practicality testers found space for every item of holiday luggage with room to spare. More points were scored by the car’s trailer stability system, which helps prevent snaking. It’s also worth noting that the Passat is a available with the Trailer Assist feature (a £470 option), which steers the car automatically when reversing a caravan.

The price tag of over £36k is a lot to pay for a Passat, but the official combined figure of 52.3mpg suggests fuel bills should be affordable for such a powerful car. Besides, some things are worth paying for.

2019
Category Winners
2019 Up to 1400kg

Škoda Octavia

Hatch 1.5 TSI 150PS SE L DSG

2019 1400-1549kg

Seat Ateca

2.0 TSI 190PS FR DSG

2019 1550-1699kg

Volkswagen Arteon

2.0 TDI 150PS Elegance DSG

2019 1700-1899kg

BMW 520d

Touring xDrive M Sport

2019 1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery

3.0 SDV6 HSE

2019 Best Budget 4x4

Dacia Duster

1.5 dCi Ambiance 4x4

2019 Best Plug-In Hybrid

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

P400e HSE Dynamic

2019 Best Ultralight Tow Car

Seat Arona

1.0 TSI 115 FR

2019 Fuel Economy Award

Ford Focus Estate

1.5 EcoBlue 120PS Titanium X

Previous Winners
2018
1700-1899kg

BMW 520d

Touring xDrive M Sport

2017
1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery

3.0 Td6 HSE*

2016
1400-1549kg

Skoda Superb Hatch

2.0 TDI 150PS SE Business

2015
1400-1549kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI BMT 150PS SE Business DSG

2014
1400-1549kg

Nissan Qashqai

1.6 dCi (130PS) Stop/Start System Acenta Premium

2013
Up to 1424kg

Skoda Octavia

2.0 TDI CR 150PS Elegance

2012
1725–1899kg

Jaguar XF

2.2D Premium Luxury

2011
1425-1574kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI 170 Bluemotion Sport

2010
1900kg+

Land Rover Discovery 4

3.0 TDV6 XS

2009
1900kg+

Volvo XC60

D5 SE Geartronic

2008
1575-1724kg

Ford Mondeo Estate

2.0 TDCi Titanium auto

2007
1575-1724kg

Volkswagen Passat Estate

2.0 TDI Sport 4Motion

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