This new 8th generation Passat is available to order now, with first UK deliveries due in January. The new Passat is built at Volkswagen's Emden Plant in Northern Germany. Over 80% of UK sales will go to the fleet market.

Since the Passat was launched in 1973 around 22 million have been sold worldwide, with 442,000 of those going to homes here in the UK. In 2013 Volkswagen UK sold 7,695 Passat saloons and 9,441 Passat estates, with an additional 5,480 CC models sold.

There are around 3,000 sold per day, or one Passat sold every 29 seconds somewhere in the World. Volkswagen says the trend of the estate outselling the saloon is likely to continue.

Everything has changed, but the all new Volkswagen Passat (and it is all new) is unmistakably a Volkswagen Passat. It has a longer wheelbase, increased by 79mm, yet is just a touch shorter overall by 2mm.

The extended wheelbase gives additional interior space and this is quite noticeable when you get in the car, especially in the rear. With the longer wheelbase and shorter length, the overhangs have been reduced. It is lower and wider which makes it look sleeker and sportier. But even though the wheelbase is longer, the turning circle is exactly the same as the current model.

Volkswagen will only offer diesel engines in the UK at launch and this will include: a 1.6 TDI 120ps with CO2 emissions of 105g/km on the manual and 103g/km on the DSG auto, a 2.0 TDi with power outputs of 150ps and 190ps and a 2.0 BiTDI (Bi-Turbo) 240 DSG auto. There will also be a Plug- In-Hybrid GTE with a 1.4 litre TSI petrol engine and electric motor; this will follow in October 2015.

There were plenty of petrol models to test when we got to Olbia airport, but not as many diesels, so there was a bit of a scramble to get one. We got our hands on a 240ps 4MOTION estate and drove it for a couple of hours on the beautiful Italian Island of Sardinia. It certainly had more than enough power and was so quiet.

After a lunch break we were very lucky to be able to drive the 150ps TDi and off around the coast we went.

It didn’t feel as quick as we were expecting, but maybe this was down to the fact it was brand new and still not at its best; we will give it the benefit of the doubt.

What is not in doubt though is the fact it was so quiet and refined, with hardly any noise intrusion into the cabin. It went round some of the tight corners with elegance and grace and didn’t budge one inch off the chosen line. It was a real gem to drive. 

The body has been given some very pronounced swage lines that really stand out and make it look stylish and interesting. The official description is “sharp character lines” - and in the Mediterranean sunshine they looked even sharper.

The interior quality has been improved with plenty of soft-touch plastics, it just looks and feels right throughout and is a nice place to sit. The interior is certainly more spacious than the current car, and despite it having a lower roofline, there is actually more headroom. 

Five trim levels will be offered from launch: S, SE, SE Business, GT and R-Line and all will have a “post-collision” braking system and mis-fuelling prevention.

The standard specification looks good with the S trim getting composition media with DAB, knee airbags, Bluetooth, 16 inch alloy wheels and leather multi-function steering wheel.

But studying the specification walk up, the SE Business looks like the one to have with a 2.0 litre TDI 150ps costing £26,665 OTR. It has emissions of 107g/km and it accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 8.7 seconds.

This car has a long list of standard equipment including Car-Net Navigation “Guide and Inform” - an in car connection to the internet via a smartphone Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing key information such as on-line traffic data, news and weather to be accessed via the Passat's colour touchscreen infotainment system.

Later next year more innovations will be introduced such as an “Active Info Display” which replaces the traditional instrument cluster with a fully configurable interactive 12.3 inch TFT display. Sounds very technical!

Prices range from £22,215 OTR to £37,035 OTR. There is a premium of £1,530 for the estate over the saloon.

Volkswagen did not have any 1.6TDI 120ps models in Sardinia, and this is one that we would have liked to try; we are guessing it is probably better on the road than it is on paper.

The new Passat has improved over the outgoing generation in so many areas: it is lighter, has better fuel consumption and lower CO2 figures. But we can’t forget that the current car is pretty good too.

Volkswagen has not rested on their laurels and have made a very good car even better. 

Martin Ward, Manufacturer Relationship Manager 

Global Press Launch, Olbia, Sardinia