REGARDLESS of any other merits that they may have the measure of any estate car is ultimately its load-lugging capability.

As luck would have it, I had just the challenge lined up with a Volkswagen Passat Estate on my driveway sporting SE Business trim.

My daughter, heading far too rapidly towards her teenage years and a few short months away from starting high school, had recently announced that it was high time she had a more 'grown up' bedroom.

After subsequent delicate negotiations (i.e. her mum and I were told in no uncertain terms) it became clear that baby pink walls with a contrasting dark pink carpet could not be tolerated until she heads off to university, or wherever.

The upshot was that a more adult colour scheme was selected and all of her worldly possessions were moved out of her room to clutter up the rest of the house while new paint was duly applied and carpet laid.

Then came the moment any self-respecting dad dreads.

Out of nowhere the Ikea catalogue appeared and mum and daughter set about drawing up a shopping list of new bedroom furniture before dispatching yours truly to buy it.

Fortunately, while I was less than chuffed at having to traipse around the home of Swedish flat-pack horrors and then spend a day putting everything together, the Passat was more than up to its part of the task.

A Micke desk and accompanying shelf unit, plus a dresser, matching drawers and wardrobe (three boxes, no less, for one wardrobe) from the apparently popular Brimnes range were all effortlessly swallowed up by the huge 1,780 litre load space created by folding down the split rear seats.

A flat load lip and the convenient square shape of the boot made getting the bulky boxes in easy.

And, while not the most powerful off the mark, the 1.6-litre diesel engine offers plenty of low end grunt once on the move and coped effortlessly with this full load.

In fact the Passat estate is an easy car to drive with our without a heavy load. While it could never be described as sporty, it is well-balanced and feels pretty nimble for a large estate. The steering is precise and responsive, grip impressive and the body well controlled in bends - resulting in a comfortable ride whatever the road surface throws at it.

It's also quiet and refined even at cruising speeds and is just as roomy in the cabin as it is in the boot.

With the rear seats back in place there's plenty of head and legroom in the back for three adults while up front the driver and passenger are also well catered for.

Personal storage space is plentiful and the typical VW dash is logically laid out with large, clear buttons and dials all within easy reach and having a real quality feel.

The entire interior of this recently-introduced eighth generation model has an upmarket feel about it actually, which is pushing the Passat towards the territory of its premium VW Group stablemates from Audi as well as rivals from BMW and Mercedes.

Equipment levels are good too. The SE Business trim sits just above the mid-range SE model and is, as the name suggests, aimed at fleet buyers. It adds satnav, front fog lights, privacy glass and electric wing mirrors to a long list of standard kit which includes a slick touchscreen interface, DAB radio, Bluetooth, climate control, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control and pre-crash protection and city emergency braking systems.

A range of fuel-efficient diesel engines will also appeal to high-mileage business drivers, this entry level 1.6-litre being the most economical, with average mileage figures of nearly 70mpg and emissions of just 107g/km meaning low benefit in kind charges and road tax of just £20 a year.