The Volkswagen Passat is a well-behaved and well-built car with lots of room and perceived quality. But it's as boring as a three-box saloon ever was.

• Comfort

  There's plenty of space in the Volkswagen Passat and it slips down the road quietly, and this ride is the real calling card.

  

• Performance

  VW Group engines range from the 1.4-litre TSI to the 207bhp 2.0-litre Sport and 2.0-litre diesel with 167bhp. That last engine manages to sprint to 62mph in 8.6 seconds while still returning 61.4mpg.

  

• Cool

  The Passat, especially with the current generation's sightly ornate styling, is pretending but not quite managing to be classy. Not a cool place to be.

  

• Quality

  The old-generation Passat was famously superb in cabin quality, but this one doesn't really move the game on. Still, against increasingly over-complicated rival interiors, the Passat's classic simplicity has an appeal.

  

• Handling

  The Passat's road manners are respectful but a bit dull. The basic underpinnings are related to the enjoyable Golf's, but it shows its extra weight as a numbness and slight slow-wittedness.

  

• Practicality

  The Passat saloon is big and has a bigger boot, with through-load. But there's nothing here beyond class norms.

  

• Running costs

  A Passat will be worth more than most mainstream rivals when you trade it in, and that will shave down your running costs. Other costs, like CO2 and long-interval servicing, are more than competitive.

  

It's good, the Up. Good enough that the facelifted Panda will have to have raised it's game several notches to match it, good enough to give the entire city car class a real shake up. You didn't expect any less, did you?

• Comfort

  That smooth ride marries an interior that has been lovingly worked over: the ergonomics, seating, layout, design and texture are all top notch, and there's a genuine feeling of space inside the cabin.

  

• Performance

  The Up gets an all-new, all-alloy three cylinder petrol engine in two flavours: 59bhp and 74bhp. It dispenses with the balancers shafts, and VW has worked hard to remove as much harshness from the three-pot as possible. The higher-spec one rumbles along with a reasonable verve, though it doesn't like to revved too much. 

  

• Cool

  It's simplicity should be key here, so as long as there aren't too many trinkets, yes.

  

• Quality

  VW city cars aren't famed for their build quality - we're looking at you, Fox - but this one feels well screwed together and lovingly crafted. 

  

• Handling

  A measure of handling sharpness appears to have been sacrificed for a smooth ride. Steering's a bit soft and it's not as nimble as an Aygo or as eager as James May's favourite, the Panda, but it is very polished.

  

• Practicality

  Despite being smaller than a Panda, it's got a bigger boot (250 litres) and there's actually room for humans and their associated limbs inside, without the need for driver and passenger to become unnecessarily closely acquainted. 

  

• Running costs

  The 74bhp model returns 65.5mpg and both engine variants emit under 100g/km of CO2, so running this thing will be cheap. Plus, if VW can keep that entry price hovering around £8,000, the initial outlay shouldn't be too onerous either.

  

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a nicely finished and versatile family car pointlessly dressed up as an off-roader.

• Comfort

  The interior is roomy and quiet, and the high eyepoint gives a good view out. But sacrifices have been made in order to give the Tiguan its good handling: the suspension and ride are a bit firm. Still out-rides the BMW X3 though.

  

• Performance

  The Tiguan has the option of three engines, a 1.4 TFSI and two 2.0 TDIs with either 138 or 168bhp. Fabulous in smaller, lighter cars such as the Golf, in this hefty SUV the 1.4 TFSI can feel underpowered despite its 150bhp. Push hard and is soon runs out of puff at the top end, so you need to change up diasppointingly early when accelerating. There's also a long delay when setting off from a standstill which is scary at a busy junction. So while its clever turbocharger plus supercharger combo has power, economy and emissions advantages, for all-out torque, the diesel is the way to go, even if the two-litre TDI 140 is slower than the TSI.

  

• Cool

  VW isn't a proper 4x4 maker, so the Tiguan will be seen as a bit of a sham. And shams aren't cool. Not even Sham 69 were cool.

  

• Quality

  The cabin is terrific - really well-designed and finished, with VW's typical high standards of build quality. However, it's all starting to look a bit samey - get behind the wheel of a Golf and you struggle to spot the difference.

  

• Handling

  You never forget the height and weight of a Tiguan, but you can chuck it about a bit if the mood takes you. It steers accurately and controls body movements well, and there's traction to push you through corners whatever the weather.

  

• Practicality

  The Tiguan is longer, wider and taller than VW's own compact seven-seat MPV, the Touran, which makes it decently spacious. Leg, head and shoulder room are all excellent front and rear, although it's a bit tight for three in the rear. The boot is generous at 1,510 litres (rear seats folded), larger than the Toyota RAV4's but smaller than the Land Rover Freelander's. However, the rear seats don't fold completely flat.

  

• Running costs

  The CO2 levels are better than class-competitive if you stick with manual transmission, and servicing is on a variable schedule. But there are lots of new competitors launching, so three years away they might be in glut, which will harm residuals.