By Liz Turner
If you’re a sporty type, who enjoys blasting around on jet skis, water skis, trail bikes or other kit that needs delivering to its fun zone, you may have faced the evil that is the trailer.
Reversing a trailer is a dark art – steering one way when you want the thing on the back to go the other just can’t be right. But now the VW Passat has the answer with the world’s first autonomous trailer parking system, called simply Trailer Assist.
Understated Looks
I’ve always liked the Passat. It’s a car the Joneses will have given an appreciative nod, even without any obvious bells, whistles or bunting. It’s smart, understated and enjoyable to drive.
Now it has the option of a magic door-mirror switch. In Trailer Assist mode, this becomes a joystick to tell the car where you want the trailer to go – even if you want to park it in a space at a right angle to where you are now.
Once the switch is pointing in the right direction, you reverse slowly with your arms folded and watch in astonishment as the steering wheel whirls one way and another, while trailer goes exactly where you need it to be.
I’ve never parked a trailer in my life, but I tried the system on a new Passat estate, and manoeuvred a trailer containing two bikes in an impossible slot all in one go. I’d still be trying now without this system.
A Smart Choice
The latest Passat model is all-new, lighter and more economical , while offering more comfort and clever safety systems. It’s the first VW to offer a heads-up display that projects information such as speed on to the windscreen. Naturally, you can connect to online services through your smartphone. I’m sure it’s far cleverer than I am.
New VW Passat ranges from £22,215
Optional Trailer Assist £465
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