VOLKSWAGEN

Touran

The stylish Touran offers seven-seater versatility like no other. In fact, there are more than 500 seating variations depending on your needs. On top of this, the Touran is packed with classy equipment and boasts great safety features too.

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Test Drive

VW Touran SE 2.0 TDI 140PS

With its blend of clean lines and eye-catching design, the new Volkswagen Touran is an ideal multi-purpose vehicle for the family who like life to be compact.

Admittedly, there are much larger choices out there, but the Touran offers excellent versatility along with great handling and top notch features all rolled into one very affordable model.

Oh too often, manufacturers inform us that their MPV is easy to operate with flexible seating patterns and, oh too often, the seats get stuck in positions they shouldn’t be or fingers become trapped in the process.

Thankfully, that’s not the case with the Touran as the second row features three individual seats which can, in a few easy movements, slide forwards or backwards, move sideways, fold down or even be removed completely. And the third row of seats – which ideally are for children – can also be folded away when not required.

The test model looked pretty impressive from all angles with its roof rails, body-coloured bumpers and door handles, smart alloys, heat insulated tinted glass and snazzy light clusters.

And once inside, there is plenty of technical wizardry to keep you occupied.

The interior has a relatively simplistic design which again adds to its appeal because all dials and controls are very easy to operate without being distracted from the road ahead.

Features include air conditioning, rain sensors, automatic dimming rear view mirror, a leather multi-function steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, a touch screen sat nav system with integrated voice control, a 30GB hard drive and a audio system that is compatible with all modern day music devices.

Comfort levels are good and the driver benefits from unobstructed all-round visibility and the optional extra rearview camera (£220) is always an added bonus when reversing.

In and around town, the Touran proved nice and agile and was easily manoeuvred into tight parking spaces. And then out on the faster roads, the 2.0-litre diesel-powered engine provided ample oomph.

Admittedly, the Touran is not the fastest out of the blocks, but it can easily hold its own with faster moving motorway traffic and acceleration through the six-speed manual transmission was very smooth.

Storage options are plentiful thanks to the fold-flat seats option and there are numerous smaller compartments throughout the cabin including two useful overhead bins.

VW has fitted a comprehensive list of safety specifications to the Touran, such as anti-lock brakes, hydraulic brake assist, electronic stabilisation programme, numerous airbags and an excellent alarm to keep away any intruders.

All in all, the Touran is a great value, compact MPV with all the trimmings.

Test Drive

Volkswagen Touran SE 1.4 TSI 7-seats

The Volkswagen Touran really does seem to have it all.

Whereas many manufacturers sacrifice performance and style in a bid to produce a multi-purpose vehicle, VW has crammed its MPV with quality creature comforts and it still delivers a very responsive ride too.

The seven-seater supplied for my test drive was priced at a little over £18k, but for that outlay you do get a whole lot of spec, including cruise control, air conditioning with a dust and pollen filter, snazzy roof rails, and even heat-insulating glass plus a whole lot more.

Inside the spacious cabin, versatility is apparent at every turn.

For maximum passenger capacity there are three rows of seats, but the rear seats can easily be folded flat, adjusted forwards or simply removed to open up a vast storage area. In addition, there are several useful, smaller storage compartments scattered throughout the vehicle.

I did find that if all seats were being occupied, then the boot area was a little limited but it’s not that often the vehicle will be transporting seven people plus suitcases.

The drive itself was most enjoyable. The high-seated driving position meant visibility was good, although the number of headrests do rather obscure any view through the back window. All occupants also benefit from the light and spacious cabin where there is plenty of legroom for larger-than-life adults.

Then, out on the more open road, the 1.4-litre engine delivered ample power and the six-speed gearbox was very responsive.

As one has come to expect from VW, the vehicle is kitted out with a host of quality safety features such as anti-lock brakes, electronic stabilisation programme, traction control and numerous airbags too.

And there is a counter-steering feature on the latest models which improves the vehicle’s stability and can reduce its stopping distance by up to 10 per cent.

The Touran really is perfect for the family that enjoys an active lifestyle, but doesn’t want to break the bank on a vehicle in the process.