Volkswagen Passat
2.8 litre V6, 5-speed automatic sedan
Price: $52,950

This category generated some of the lengthiest discussions amongst the judges.

The three finalists were very close, which was surprising as, in concept, design and engineering, they varied considerably – the big, rugged and extremely powerful Australian Holden Statesman V8 was up against the smaller, German engineered VW Passat and the well-packaged and priced Nissan Maxima.

Critical to the success of any winner in this category is its ability to deliver the goods when it comes to comfort, equipment and a high standard of build and finish. Equally, financially astute buyers in this category also look for a higher retained value at the end of a lease or ownership period.

All three finalists did well in most of these areas, however the winner – Volkswagen’s Passat – won because it had the best combination of on-road performance, user friendly design and function and value for money appeal.

Although the Passat is a luxury car, its punchy 2.8 litre V6/Tiptronic automatic transmission drivetrain can transform its character to that of a sports sedan at the flick of a lever. Excellent brakes and secure, athletic handling also saw the Passat beat its rivals when it came to driving enjoyment.

Holden’s Statesman V8 gives you maximum metal – and 220 kW of power – but in quality, engineering sophistication and refinement, it trails the Japanese and German contenders

Nissan’s Maxima scored well on price, equipment and quality, but rating only average against more criteria than its rivals.

Score Tables (PDF 43k)

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