The Passat was praised by judges for its well-rounded Advanced Driver Assistance (ADAS) performance during the award assessment process and in Euro NCAP impact testing.

Richard Billyeald, chief research and operations officer at Thatcham Research and one of the award judges, said: “During the judging

process, we looked for vehicle safety technology which works cooperatively with the driver. It was reassuring to see Volkswagen prioritising this aspect of system implementation.

“If drivers feel that they can trust their car’s safety system and understand what it’s doing, the technology is more likely to save lives.”

The runners up for the award were the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Mini Countryman.

For further information, along with insights from the other judges and the award film, please visit our media centre by clicking here.