THREE new models are coming from Volkswagen and each has plenty of practicality and fresh technology.

The German car maker is releasing completely new versions of the Passat and the Tiguan SUV and is giving its smaller T-Cross sibling a facelift.

For the Tiguan and Passat - now an estate only - the design is totally new and both sit on VW's latest MQB evo platform while the T-Cross is on the previous iteration of the MQB set-up and gets styling tweaks and a new interior.

We have just tried out all three - the mild-hybrid Tiguan 1.5 eTSI in entry-level Life trim, a similar specification Passat and a 1.0-litre TSI T-Cross also in Life grade.

Prices start from £23,975 for the T-Cross, £34,075 for the Tiguan and £38,490 for the Passat with the respective ranges topping out from £28,565, £39,675 and £42,840 in R-Line specification.

The Tiguan is VW's most popular SUV and the third generation model is now some 4.5 metres long having grown by more than an inch in length compared to its predecessor.

The version we sampled had a more powerful 150ps powertrain as opposed to the 130ps engine starting point model and was priced at £37,875 with options that included a winter pack with heated front seats and steering wheel as well as heating for the windscreen and washer jets at £425.

It's the first time that the Tiguan has been available with a mild-hybrid set-up and the engine is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission that results in performance of 0 to 62mph acceleration in 9.1 seconds with a top speed of 130mph.

Fuel economy is rated at 45.6 to the gallon with emissions of 141g/km - a figure we came close to averaging 42.9mpg on our drive.

The car is nicely roomy all round and boot space is now up to a healthy 652 litres with all seats up - 37 litres more than before and that adds to the car's appeal as a family-friendly vehicle for those who enjoy active lifestyles.

The latest Tiguan is also the first to feature Volkswagen's new multi-function driving experience switch which is an illuminated rotary control on the centre console that changes colour as you move through the driving modes and matches playlist audio to the vehicle's ambient lighting displays.

It helps create a minimalist and uncluttered feel to the interior which is set off with a large, full-colour display screen that measures up to 15-inches and a digital instrument panel that is 10.25-inches wide.

The gear shift is also moved to the right of the steering column which sees the wiper and light stalks combined as one on the left hand side.

A digital experience is also very much part of the interior of the new Passat.

Like the Tiguan, there are large display screens for the instrument panel and in the centre of the dashboard which can be either 12.9-inches or 15-inches - using technology from VW's all-electric new ID.5.

As an estate only the ninth generation of the Passat builds on a legacy dating back to 1973 that has seen the car notch up more than 34 million sales.

With sleek, curvy styling and VW's new-look front and grille the car is not only stylish but bigger all round and has luggage capacity that has grown by some 40 litres to 690 litres, increasing to a huge 1,920 litres with the seats folded.

As estates go that is up with the largest around while the Passat itself now measures almost five metres long.

In the Life trim that we tried the car cost £41,705 with options that included VW's latest IQ. Light LED Matrix system that gives excellent illumination - even in poor weather conditions.

The powertrain was the same 150ps 1.5-litre mild-hybrid system used in the Tiguan which gave the Passat a 0 to 62mph acceleration time of 9.2 seconds with a maximum of 138mph.

Fuel consumption on our drive was 49mpg while officially the car was rated at 51.8mpg with emissions of 124g/km and the fuel tank is on the large side at some 14.5 gallons - a theoretical range of around 750 miles.

While the Tiguan range will eventually include a diesel option as well as a plug-in hybrid, the Passat is petrol-only with two PHEV options of 204 and 272ps with anticipated EV-only ranges of up to 77 miles due for release later.

The Passat also has the new multi-function set up and that helps keep the cockpit airy and clutter-free.

Meanwhile, VW is refreshing its compact T-Cross SUV with a redesign front and rear that includes new LED light clusters.

The T-Cross also gets some updates inside with a new-look touchscreen that measures eight inches diagonally with an optional 10.25-inch display now standard on top-grade R-Line variants and available as an option on other grades.

The dash panel has undergone a complete redesign with soft-upholstered and high-quality surface materials.

The base-level Life model we tried cost £25,560 and came with sat nav which added £600 to the price as did a charge for the carpet mats and paint finish.

Powered by a lively 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI engine developing 95ps and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox the car has fair performance with an acceleration time of 11.2 seconds, a top speed of 112mph and an official fuel return of 49.8mpg with emissions of 128g/km. Again, we were close to that on our drive seeing an average of 47.8 to the gallon.

The T-Cross has a sliding rear row of seats and that sees a maximum cargo capacity of 1,281 litres with normal boot space varying between 385 and 465 litres.

VW has increased the towbar load limit from 55 to 75 kilos and that gives greater scope for carrying loads such as bicycles. The towing limit is now up to 1.2 tonnes.

The car is now available in Volkswagen's distinctive Rubber Ducky yellow paint finish - the name being chosen in the UK by an online vote.

It is one of three new colours available on the T-Cross - the others being light blue and vivid red metallic - which give the car something of a standout appearance.

As the smallest of VW's SUVs it is front-wheel-drive and even in entry-level specification it is well equipped with a digital cockpit, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition as well as alloy wheels.

While the T-Cross is a facelift, with the Tiguan and Passat Volkswagen is entering a new era with its combustion-engined models.

As the brand enters the electric age with its line-up of IQ. vehicles, the newcomers show there is plenty to be gained by sharing features and with the new interiors both the Passat and Tiguan are very much state-of-the-art and ultra-modern.