2015 Volkswagen Passat Estate GTE, car review: Expensive but just as good as the rest of the range

This is the estate of the future. It’s a plug-in hybrid, and it’ll do up to 30 miles on battery power alone.

And most importantly, it’s a VW Passat Estate. Which is a very good thing to be.

If you start by opening the tailgate, you’ll see the familiar cavern of cargo space. Hybrids and EVs struggle in this area as there’s so much extra drivetrain stuff to find a home for, but the only thing you’ve lost here is the compartment for the spare wheel.

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Elsewhere inside, the GTE model shares the excellent quality of build and materials that’s a common thread across the Passat range. It’s definitely knocking on the door of the premium brands – and in this case, a range of kit including LEDs, Bluetooth, sat-nav and city braking add to that feeling.

So it’s like a normal Passat to sit in. And it’s relatively similar to drive, too. The hybrid system uses a 1.4-litre petrol engine, which is mated to the familiar DSG box, and the car’s overall dynamics are spot-on – despite the extra weight of the electrickery. Steering and suspension are well controlled and ride is comfortable – so, a lot of ticks in a lot of boxes.

It can put a smile on your face, too. Choose GTE mode on the dial and the engine and motors club together to dish out 215bhp.

This doesn’t make it noticeably faster off the line than in electric mode. But what you do get is a progression of acceleration that keeps coming beyond about 50mph – which is where, on battery power alone, the urgency ends.

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As well as GTE and all-electric modes, there’s a Battery Charge option which most closely resembles a traditional hybrid. So you can set the car up for use as a full plug-in EV, as a longer-range petrol-electric vehicle or as a give-it-everything performance wagon.

Estate cars are meant to be flexible, after all – and this Passat manages that in more ways than one. It’s a close-to-premium family motor, a competent load-lugger and an eco-warrior with a choice of tricks in its back pocket.

Your back pocket, on the other hand, might be feeling a little light after parting with the estimated £40,000 it’ll take to make a GTE yours.

That’s before the £5000 government grant. But even then, there’s a strong line-up of rivals ready to jostle for your attention at that sort of money, packing clean diesel engines and a lot more performance.

But there’s no denying the importance of the GTE and cars like it as the market moves more and more towards a zero-emissions future. A future which, in case you missed it first time, is here now. And you’re looking at it.