Touran has room for all

It may not look the most aerodynamic of cars, but there’s certainly something space age about Volkswagen’s new Touran.

It’s quite surprising when you first get into the Golf-based car that not only does it have seven seats, they’re actually useable, too - room for all even on a longer trip.

And the engine of the test car was a little futuristic, too. It may only have a modest 1,390cc but thanks to both a supercharger and turbocharger working in tandem it produces a cool 140bhp - something you’d expect from a 1.8 litre at least.

It makes this ‘TSI’ unit, as VW calls it, not only one of the most powerful 1.4s around but one of the smoothest too.

The boost from the two chargers boosts pulling power from tickover all the way up through the rev range; it endows even a car the size and weight of the Touran with a nippy yet quiet and relaxed character worthy of a prestige saloon.

Given its performance - the 0 to 62mph dash takes under ten seconds - economy is good, too, with an average 38.2mpg.

I even managed nearly 37mpg on my daily commuting trip in traffic, which isn’t far behind my own 1.6 litre diesel car in the same conditions.

I was very impressed with the engine but I have to ask if it will really make a serious dent in VW’s diesel sales.

Diesel powers almost nine out of ten of the Tourans sold here, which is not surprising since even the most powerful, with 170bhp, is almost 12 per cent more economical than this stunning 1.4 petrol.

It does, however, outperform the three other diesels in the range and it’s considerably cheaper than the 170bhp diesel, which admittedly is only available in top specification models. You pay your money and take your choice.

This latest version of the Touran was launched in January and has something of a new look, albeit mainly through cosmetic changes. It has a new ‘nose’, surprisingly based on the Eos roadster rather than the Golf, and the new round rear lights familiar from the latest Passat and Jetta.

From the ‘A’ pillar rearwards, though, it has to be said the Touran is slightly on the chunky, even boxy side. Step inside and you’ll see why; in a triumph of form over function VW’s designers have made use of every square inch of space out of the overall length, width and height.

They’ve created a car which is relatively small, easy to handle and park, yet it has the passenger space and comfort of larger rivals.

The rear pair of seats are comfortable enough, with plenty of legroom, for younger members of the family up to mid-teens at least. When not in use they fold flat to form the luggage compartment floor.

With seven on board, luggage space is strictly limited: fold them down and you have double the cargo capacity of a Golf.

The centre three seats slide backwards or forwards, allowing third row passengers a bit of extra legroom if needed. They’re easily removable, too, if you want to turn your Touran into a Tourvan.

The seatbacks fold flat, and the whole seat pivots forward to allow third row passengers easy access.

The basic price of the test car, in SE trim, was £18,235, It’s certainly well kitted out, with an alarm, central locking, semi-automatic air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, cruise control, heat insulated glass, alloy wheels, roof rails, a quality stereo and storage compartments all over the cabin.

Fittingly, for a family car, VW haven’t skimped on safety. The new Touran’s body has been made tougher (which means quiet, too, no squeaks or rattles), and there are head restraints and three-point seatbelts for all seven passengers plus front, side and curtain airbags.

It also comes with anti-lock brakes, an emergency brake assist system plus a range of electronic traction and stability controls.

The Touran, despite its greater size and weight, has also inherited the nimble handling and surefootedness of the Golf which inspires confidence on the road.

The driver and front passenger get ‘comfort’ seats which are bolstered, sports seat-style, and come with a considerable range of height adjustment.

With plenty of headroom throughout the cabin, even the tallest drivers should find the Touran’s cockpit a comfortable place to be. The test car was also fitted about as something of a showcase for the extensive range of accessories.

The satnav system, for example, was integrated with a DVD entertainment system with an aircraft-style flip-down screen in the roof and controls for the rear seat passengers. Headphones ensure passengers can watch a film without distracting the driver.

At £2,725 the price tag is a hefty one but the kids loved it. And there could be an added benefit - not once did I hear the words “Are we nearly there yet?”

Full leather upholstery, including heated front sports seats, added another £1,600.

The Touran rang starts with the 1.6 litre, 102bhp petrol engine and ‘S’ specification for £14,750, while at the other end of the spectrum the ‘Sport’ model with the mighty 2.0 litre, 170bhp engine and VW’s superb ‘DSG’ automatic/manual gearbox is £23,310.

The 1.4 TSI engine comes with ‘SE’ trim versions, with prices starting at £18,235.

By John Griffiths

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