We are looking at getting a new(er) car when i get back from afghanistan in april and are considering one of the above.

the passat or octavia will be estate versions by the way

has anyone ever compared the boot sizes on all 3 and if so which do you think was better practicality wise.

just come up to the out laws for xmas and with 2 kids, new pup and all kit need for them the vectra was just to small

engine wise it will either be the 2.o tdi or the 2.0 tfsi

thoughts and opinions please!!

Yep. Looked at 3 when we got a new car just over a year ago. Boot wise, the Passat (estate) was by far bigger than either of the other two. Its huge. Touran seemed to suffer from what a lot of things like that do, loads of head room and tall boot space but smallish floor area.

In the end we went for the Octavia. Would have liked a Passat but with all the options I wanted it’d have been a bit too pricey. Got a cracking deal on an Octy vRS estate (2.0 TSI) and not regretted it a bit.

The Passat & Octavia estates are virtually identical for interior load space.

Have you considered the Skoda Superb estate ?

Luggage room ( litres ) min/max: Superb: 633/1865
Octavia: 605/1665
Passat: 603/1731

We, MrsT and I have an `07 Touran sport. We like the higher seating/driving position, the driving seat and the versatility that the rear seat provide if and when we have to transport our ever growing number of grand children, the 7 seats come in handy. The rear seats can be tilted/reclined separately, folded, removed etc which we(I) find very useful. Fuel consumption varies from 40mpg up to 60mpg pootling along country roads. High 30s are seen when towing our caravan which is shaped like a brick!! Has covered just over 51k and never missed a beat requiring only normal servicing so far.
Having driven this car for 4yrs now I find the seating position of “normal” cars a bit uncomfortable. Possibly because both MrsT and I have back problems the upright seating position versus the stretched out position of a saloon car is more comfortable
We also like the 2ltr Tdi engine for overtaking manoeuvres 😆
Obviously if you are needing to use the 2 rear seats a top box or trailer is required to haul and equipment, cases etc.
I think the general replies from on here will be go for either the Passat or Octavia because they handle better due to centre of gravity but when driving with family and animals on board no-one should be driving in an unsafe manner anyway 🙄 I have as much fun as I would with any “saloon” when I want to 😈

loads of head room and tall boot space but smallish floor area.

It is the head room bit that we/I like + the versatility of the seating. I can quite easily fit my bike in with wheels off upside down across the boot. Takes 2 bikes like that. If I remove 2 seats I can fit 3 bikes long ways and if I fit the bike rack I have the potential to be able to carry 5 bikes + riders 😆

drown the puppy and you’ll be sorted!

i had a very quick look at the passat and touran today and it looked like the touran had the bigger boot with the back two seats down ??

really, REALLY like the octy vrs though.

we had a cmax with a raised seating position and got on well with it .

GW how can you say that………….

I think with the higher rear seat backs of the Touran you could get a smallish cage for the dog and fit all your gear around that in appropriately sized boxes

The rear seats also slide forward independently creating a little more space. I am 6ft and like my seat back a bit when driving. Any passenger will still have plenty of leg room when the rear seat is in it`s forward position

like your thinking trekster!!!

Took me a few yrs to convince MrsT that we needed a “big” car. With her new job she started to use hire cars and was introduced to stuff like X-Trails and various Citreon Picassa type motors. Then we were on holiday in Slovenia and the default family car loaded with all the camping/biking/canoeing gear seemed to be the Touran. We had bought one within a month of returning from that holiday 😆
I have friends with Passats and they are happy with them. A neighbour has an Octavia as do lots of taxi firms and they are good cars.
For our requirements and comfort the Touran is the better option. Easy to drive, safe to drive with the raised seating position and easier to park than you may think.
Another consideration for us is MrsT`s joint problems which make it difficult for her to get in/out of a “normal” car. The electric door mirrors and rear parking sensors also helped in our choice

I’d go for the Octavia or Touran if you like driving. My Passat is like a barge with horrible vague steering and vomit inducing suspension. The other two, being Golf based, are much better I think although you may get people stopping you asking if you’ve got their parcels if you get a Touran. Also the Passat has that ridiculous auto parking brake which is constantly throwing up faults on the computer.

There’s loads of space though. I can sleep in mine, diagonally, and I’m 6’3″. I’ve a friend with a Touran and he can get a 3/4 mattress in his and sleep on that!

Have never looked at a Touran, but if it’s anything like similar shaped cars it’s harder to pack the boot to full volume in a useable way.

Looked at Octavia and Passat (2007ish models) and went for a Passat. Load space was the killer, plus the Passat was a 170PS engine 🙂

The Passat is, despite the similar numbers, a lot bigger in practice. It’s maybe a foot longer but a smidge narrower with seats down and has a lot more cubbyholes that maybe don’t count in the official measurements. For example you can get 2 wheels in the space between edge of seats and rear doors with back seats down. I don’t _think_ the seats in the Octavia go completely flat either (but not 100% on that).

We get two people, 4 bikes (2 road, 2 MTB), 3 weeks’ kit (2 x large holdalls, 2 x overnight bags and 2x crates) plus camelbaks, walking kit, toolbox and small box of spares in there with ease. Then we have space to bring back maybe 80 bottles of wine as well :-S.

The “10 cases” year was a bit of a squeaky bum time packing the car, and even more so coming off the ferry, but it went (just).

EDIT: Just read paul4stones post – the parking brake has gone wrong on mine twice in 3 1/2 years. Fortunately under warranty both times. Handling isn’t too bad but you know it’s a big car if that makes sense. Very seriously considering a Mondeo next, vast, good to drive and they do one with the engine out a Focus ST in it too…

Also, and this is a new one on me, I’m not sure what the more modern cars have as a Diesel Particulate Filter. My wife has a Mazda 3 from new and apparently the DPF should be replaced at 72,000miles at a cost of £1000! They didn’t mention that when we bought it but it probably negates any savings from using diesel . . .

Renton – Sorry, lob it’s head off then! it doesn’t seem to match it’s body anyway

Have never looked at a Touran, but if it’s anything like similar shaped cars it’s harder to pack the boot to full volume in a useable way.

maybe if you are challenged by such things 😉 but they’re pretty much the same as an estater car to load from the hatch.

You also don`t have to lean down so far to miss banging your head on the rear hatch. The hatch is also handy for standing under.
As for packing loads of stuff into cars we can do it with any car if we have to, always have done.

My 2008 Passat estate 2.0 TDi has been the worst car I have owned to date for a number of reasons, but thankfully not the handbrake issue (YET). If you just want a family run about get a Vauxhall or a ford, VW charge £150 + vat ph at my local dealer, it’s only £125 at the local porsche OPC, make of that what you like.

Have had a 58 plate 2.0 tdi Touran for about 3 months now. Biggest surprise is how easy it is to park. Goes well, carry everything its needed to so far and has generally been really good.

Touran is a brilliant load carrier – I regularly use ours with 6 seats in use, the 7th left folded down as a load space for bags, and towing a trailer with 6 mountain bikes. It’s now on 70,000 miles and we’ve not had any problems with it.

Whatever, steer clear of the 170 BHP engine, PD & CR.

Nowt but (niggly) trouble with that one.

Sensor replacement heaven.

What Trekster said on the Touran.

Only other points I can add are:
1. Ignore VW’s ‘long-life service’.Do not exceed 10k between oil changes.(This applies to all VW PD engines).
2. No spare, so budget another £130+ for a skinny spare.
3. 100k on ours, with zero issues apart from a battery and a set of glow plugs, both of which are straightforward DIY jobs.

Hth
Mark

I’ve got a Passat, and have had an Octavia. The Passat is certainly much bigger and generally a better car but you want the 140 engine. Handling isn’t great but better than the previous version, which was dire. But then it’s not a sports car – and neither is the Octavia – and it rides well and eats miles. Can’t see the point of the Touran (or any MPV) unless you need two extra seats, and even then a vasectomy is preferable.

Pretty sure all three cars are based on the Golf platform BTW.

But then it’s not a sports car – and neither is the Octavia – and it rides well and eats miles. Can’t see the point of the Touran (or any MPV) unless you need two extra seats, and even then a vasectomy is preferable.

The 140 with loads of torque means it is no slouch and once you get used to the body roll there is loads of grip and can be hustled quite nicely along country roads and driven for miles on motorway journeys without aches and pains. The 60 – 80 motorway overtaking acceleration time is good. I tend to use the gears & revs like in a petrol car tho. As already said MrsT uses various hire cars on occasion for work trips and knows what cars to avoid when it comes to seating, parking, visibilty and other dislikes.

vasectomy

Done 27yrs ago, now have 5 grand kids hence the need for the extra seats, it`s the grand parents taxi 😉

Cam belt change can be expensive if done at a main dealer.
There is/can be a problem with the VW anti-lock brake system. Google vw abs/esp fault.

double post?

Reading with interest as we’re in a similar situation looking at Octavia, Pasat or Kia Ceed SW

Passat is a nice car when it works, unfortunately its pretty unreliable. Parking brake is a pain, ours completely seized over xmas and took the AA guy 2hrs to remove. New motor is costing 350(that’s just one side other will eventually go). Electric keys go wrong on most early ones our’s when last winter that cost 200 odd. The injectors have been dropping like flys and now VW have a recall on them. I hope VW are going to pay their customers who had to pay 400 per injector prior to the recall.
Nar… there are better cars out there now, this one is our 4th VW and definitely the last.

There is/can be a problem with the VW anti-lock brake system. Google vw abs/esp fault.

I made a point of questioning this and was told it was a foc repair if it did happen. Got him to note it down on our sales receipt just to be sure!

What others should i look at then if there are better cars out there?

Bought a ’06 Octavia Estate 1.9TDi about a month ago, and couldn’t be happier with it. Solid car, lots of space, not too many gadgets that can go wrong.

Test drove a 1.9TDi Passat (same year) before I bought the Octavia, and just didn’t like it. The engine drove the same (it would, they use the same engine in both I believe), but it had too many fancy bits, and chrome on it. Along with that stupid handbrake system. They also wanted £1.2k more, for a car with 20k more miles on it.

Oh almost forgot the crank sensor went last month that was another 200 notes.

My other cars a subaru impreza sti and its sooo reliable (probably jinxed it now) but for me when the passat goes I’ll be looking firstly at legacy estates then volvo v70’s, ford S-max’s or perhaps 5 series tourers.

we now have the octavia estate 68k from new and only a front spring and tryes have needed replacing.. had an 04 passat estate before that.. water leaks into rear footwell ( common problem) but essentially just the same as the shh Skoda side by side the skoda looks better but the vw is better equipped… we had the 130 vw and the stripper 1.9d octavia.. should have speced up though for the leccy doors alone

Yeah our 53 passat leaked prior to this one. Comes through the pollen filter housing usually.

Got an 2.0TDI 05 octavia estate for sale at the moment if you are interested.

Ex passat estate, now Touran owner here.
Passat: more comfy IMO, and older model (’00) much better made. Did 80k in it, having bought at 100k. Cost a lot to fix when it went wrong, which it did a bit…but was ace car (TDi sport avec many toys) and awesomely good at long journeys fully loaded.
Touran: less well built. Bought 05 with 21k, now at 100k and had far too many issues and high running costs: EGR valve gone, ASR/Traction unit gone; clutch went at 40k; suspension bushes worn; wheel bearings gonex2; windscreen wiper motor went etc etc, on top of servicing at 10k. Get @ 50mpg on a run; 40ish pootling around day to day so that is good. No rear wiring for towbar in place (basic S model here), so £1k to install from a main stealer, no wiring for rear speakers, mists up badly and heater is poor compared to Passat. BUT, great space for a family, eats miles for breakfast, huuuge and variable boot / seats – more like a van at times. Would I buy another? No, not unless I *had* to; prefer something else if only for running costs.
We also have a Yaris of older age and similar miles that gets same treatment and in 9 years /90k it has had tyres, service and next week a set of brake pads…

I’ve been thinking about replacing my Punto for well over a year.The OP’s 3 choices have been considered,but have been put off the two VW options by the problems that other posters have mentioned.
My Brother has a Touran,decent enough car,but it’s had the ABS/ESP problems….and no spare wheel? My Grande Punto has a full-sized spare..
A mountain-biking pal has had loads of problems with his Passat,it’s now out of warranty..and the problems continue.
Would really like a Legacy estate,but the running costs put me off.

Ive got the new shape petrol Octavia VRS with the DSG gearbox. Its a Golf GTi with a big boot. Really great car, love it and fits 3 people with bikes and kit for a long weekend. Or me, better half, toddler and 18,000 tons of kiddy rubbish.

If you go for the Passat, try to get the new B7 model with the common rail diesel, it really is a big improvement on the old B6 and driving carefully I’m getting 52 mpg out of mine. Also since going from the B6 to the B7 my CO2 rated company car tax has reduced by £140 a month, so I got a new car AND a pay rise!

and no spare wheel?

In 40yrs of driving I have never needed one

In 40yrs of driving I have never needed one

The only conclusion I can get from this is that you haven’t driven very much in those 40 years. 😛

Touran owner here, not much not to like, drives well, loads of space / seating, good fuel economy. No spare wheel worried me a bit at first but then I’ve never had a blow out in 23 years of driving (lots), worst I’ve ever had is a slow puncture on the drive so in reality I don’t see it as much of an issue.

thanks for all the replies so far.

had a look at the octavia estate in the showroom and i thought “thats not a very big boot”

salesman came over and removed the false floor which nearly doubled the size.

With the touran is got so much room that i wouldnt need all the time and the faults that are too common with them is starting to put me off.

ditto the remarks about the passat not being aswell put together as previous models.

Also skoda dealer was telling me all about the pcp thing which interests me as I can get into a newer car for my monthly budget.