Volkswagen Passat Wagon – Wardlaw’s Opinion:
Putting the Passat’s inherent goodness aside for the moment, the most impressive thing about the station wagon variant of Volkswagen’s family sedan is the ultra-low liftover height into the cargo area combined with a full-size spare tire. How VW packaged a knee-level cargo floor with the big spare and independent rear suspension is engineering magic. Our test car was pleasing to drive, fuel efficient, and comfortable but blended odd elements. For instance, it came with the kick-ass Dynaudio system but a urethane steering wheel with no auxiliary controls. Nevertheless, I liked its Germanic blend of premium materials and components with simple, no-nonsense design.

Photos courtesy of Ron Perry