It carries a nameplate that Australia first raised a chuckle about in the seventies, despite its honestly acquired popularity among owners.

It may carry the same name, but this latest generation of Passat is more like a first cousin of the Audi A4. Since both are German, and both controlled by VW, platform sharing presented no problems.

The proportions of both fully galvanised bodies (which carry an 11 year corrosion warranty) have obvious similarities but Passat, the largest car ever to wear a VW badge, is sufficiently different for it to establish its own identity.

A somewhat luxurious identity at that, with standard equipment that includes climate control air-con, power steering-windows-mirrors (heated as well), tinted glass and an eight-speaker stereo with CD player. Along with central locking, front centre armrests, plus front/rear cup holders and reading lights.

Instead of remote locking Passat uses VW's key-operated central locking, with a little torch in the key. Remote would be more appreciated on a rainy night, but at least the torch comes in handy for all sorts of things apart from finding the doorlocks.

Seating is good, with decent legroom front and rear, and the driving position proved exceptionally comfortable for my gangly frame once I had spent a little while making all the necessary adjustments - reach-tilt adjustable steering, seat height etc.

And the steering wheel itself warrants praise for the simple and comfortable design.

The vents stand out for being so easy to adjust, with turndials that change the sideways direction without fiddling. And despite its complement of dual airbags, Passat manages a generously proportioned glovebox beneath the passenger's baggie. Funny how some manufacturers are still grappling with that one….

Also high in the `user friendliness' stakes is the power sunroof fitted to our test car, controlled by a single rotary dial that is simplicity itself to operate. Switch it to one of the pre-set positions and it takes care of itself, instead of having to be pressed throughout the operation.

Dashboard layout, in typical VW fashion, is eminently sensible with all dials in clear view and instrument lighting blue-lit with red needles, which actually looks rather striking compared to the more common green-hued instruments.

However, it constantly seemed a bit too bright for comfort, even at its dimmest setting.

Second opinions on this were sought from several associates, all of whom began looking for the dimmer switch, so maybe the neon-effect dashboard could do with toning down.

Certainly not dim are the headlights, which cast a broad and clear beam on low, with high beam adding a laser-like shaft of light down the centre of the road. Reassuring if you're travelling through kangaroo country.

But what impressed above all else was the Passat's extremely low NVH levels.

Seeming at times an even larger car than it is, this biggest VW rides with a dignified air that cocoons the occupants in a soothing ambience of refinement. A bit of rumble from the tyres makes its way through, but otherwise all is serene.

What did seem strange was the realisation that there is no cruise control, as Passat has full leather trim and an otherwise impressive array of comfort features and gadgetry.

Cruise is available only in the V6, yet the turbo 1.8 could do with it as this engine has fairly long legs. Running at WA's open-road limit of 110kmh sees the engine doing a nonchalant 2250rpm, and it is prone to creep up a little without a wary eye on the speedo.

The 1.8 litre engine's combination of 5-valve design (three inlet, two exhaust) and the turbocharger give a fairly eager reaction to throttle pressure. While there's no `turbo-lag' as such, acceleration from rest seems quite sedate until it finds its feet and begins twisting the speedo needle in a surprisingly rapid arc.

It may not have cruise, but our Passat did have 5-speed auto Tiptronic (5-speed manual is also available.) There's no mode control for full auto, as VW's Dynamic Shift Program is supposed to adjust to individual driving habits. But exuberance is probably better expressed with the Tiptronic anyway.

To someone like me who detests auto transmissions, a sequential shift like this goes a long way towards being an acceptable compromise - its only foible seemed to be an occasional reluctance to accept the driver's opinion of which gear it should be in.

Using the ratios to decelerate sometimes saw it hold onto the higher gear after it had been downshifted manually, the `brain' apparently deciding the revs were a tad too high.

.At such times, you discover that Passat's brakes are quite exceptional with immense stopping power and considerable resistance to fade

When Volkswagen announced that this new generation Passat was coming here, I can recall wondering why they had stuck with the same old name. After driving it, however, I realised that it didn't really matter a damn what it was called.

Passat is just a good drive. And with its price advantage over its A4 cousin, it's patently clear which marque gained most from the platform-sharing exercise…