Milton Keynes – Two of Volkswagen’s best-selling models have won top honours at this year’s What Car? Electric Vehicle (EV) Awards. The ID.3 was named the Best Used Electric Family Car and the Passat finished top in the category for Best Used Hybrid Estate.
The ID.3 was the first model to be built on Volkswagen Group’s hugely adaptable and successful modular electric drive (MEB) platform, when it was launched in 2020. More than 34,000 have been sold in the UK so far (according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) and this latest award adds to an already bulging trophy cabinet.
The car won 11 awards in 2021 alone, including three from What Car? – for Small Electric Car of the Year, Best Electric Family Car and a Safety Award. It has remained a popular choice among car buyers ever since thanks to its impressive list of features, which includes being certified by TÜV NORD for its carbon-neutral production.
The Passat is one of the best-selling models in Volkswagen’s history so far, with more than 30 million handed over to customers worldwide since the model was launched in 1973. The eighth-generation Passat represented a significant engineering leap forward when it was launched in 2014, thanks to the introduction of the then new modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform, updated engine line-up – including the efficient plug-in hybrid – and a host of safety and comfort systems including wireless App Connect. It also introduced Travel Assist, a partially-assisted level-two autonomous driving feature that made the Passat the first Volkswagen that could be driven at up to 130 mph in a partially automated mode.
Commenting on the awards, What Car? Editor Steve Huntingford said: “Looks-wise, the ID.3 successfully straddles the line between being futuristic and conventional in a way that we think buyers looking for an electric replacement for the Golf will be entirely comfortable with. Plus, it offers all the familiar abilities of a Golf: it’s good to drive, offers lively performance and is roomy enough for family use without feeling overly large in car parks.”
As for the Passat, Steve added: “The Passat Estate has always been classy, comfortable and hugely spacious, especially in the boot. But the GTE takes its appeal to another level, mixing punchy performance with a very useful electric range. It’s also quiet, handles neatly and rides well – and used examples offer incredible value.”
Stuart Knott, National Used Car Manager at Volkswagen UK, added: “We are very pleased that What Car? has once again recognised the quality, value and everyday usability of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Passat Estate – on this occasion specifically as used cars.
“More and more people are turning to electric and hybrid cars, to reduce their carbon footprints and running costs, and these awards demonstrate how the ID.3 and Passat Estate GTE are two of the best choices on the market. Used ID.3 models in particular give people an affordable entry point into EV ownership.
“City commuters, families, young professionals, long-distance travellers, business drivers – these two models alone tick so many boxes for so many people.”
Thousands of top-quality Approved Used Volkswagens are available right now across the UK, and can be sourced in seconds using the Volkswagen used vehicle locator: https://usedcars.volkswagen.co.uk/en/home. They can be reserved online for just £99 and come with a two-year warranty, two years of Roadside Assistance and two years of MOT test cover (subject to terms). Customers also have a choice of great-value funding and service plan options.
