TOUR LEADER(some text hidden)

By Jonathan Crouch

Ten Second Review word count: 46

Volkswagen's third generation Touran is designed to compete with the best that the compact 7-seater MPV class can offer. Underpinnings from a Golf hatch bring with them highly efficient engines that complement neat design and general quality that is still difficult to better in the sector.

Background word count: 193

Volkswagen really should be good at MPVs. It has, after all, been making the things for well over sixty years. Today's volume Volkswagen people carrier is this one, the Touran. The Touran is the vehicle to which your Volkswagen dealer is most likely to direct you if you've a growing family and need an MPV to suit - though these days, the German brand does offer quite a choice of 7-seater options. Buyers needing something more utilitarian have the Caddy Life MPV, while those in search of greater quality have the five-seat Golf SV. If you need something really big, there's the Sharan, a step down from the enormous Caravelle which really is designed for people who've qualified for their own private parking bay at the maternity ward. For most of us most of the time though, this Touran should be about right, positioned directly against rivals like Vauxhall's Zafira Tourer and Renault's Grand Scenic at the larger end of the compact-MPV sector. Launched in 2003 and updated in 2007 and 2010, it was re-fettled in terms of both engine and elegance in mid-2015 - and that's the version we're looking at here.

Driving Experience word count: 253

These days, just one engine is being offered, Volkswagen's familiar 1.5-litre TSI peterol unit with 150PS, though there is the choice of either 6-speed manual or 7-speed auto transmission. At the wheel, the driving position is quite commanding. True, it might not quite be SUV-like but it positions you noticeably higher than you would be in an ordinary hatchback, offering a better view both of the road ahead and around the glassy cabin - which certainly makes parking easier. In this model, you sit 625mm above street level which, to give you some perspective, is 148mm higher up than you'd be sitting in a Golf. It feels a little sportier this time round too, thanks to the fact that the steering wheel is now more upright. Don't get carried away though: this still isn't an MPV aimed at people prioritising driving dynamics. Instead, it concentrates on the things family folk really care about, serving up the kind of solid, reassuring driving experience they'll be looking for, with direct speed-sensitive electric power steering and reasonable, though not class-leading, levels of refinement. Through the bends, bodyroll is well judged and a standard XDS electronic differential lock helps you get the traction down. If you want the experience to be more rewarding, then there's the option of the 'Driver profile selection' system that's standard on plusher models. Via 'Eco', 'Sport' and 'Normal' modes, this set-up enables you to tweak steering, throttle response and, on automatic models, gearshift timings to suit the way you want to drive.