Volkswagen Touran S 1.6 TDI 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The 1.6 litre four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine produces maximum figures of 103 bhp at 4400 rpm and 185 lb-ft at 1500-2500 rpm which may not sound like a great deal for a car of this size, but with peak torque arriving at such low revs, the grunt it generates feels perfectly adequate. A 0-62 mph time of 12.8 seconds and a top speed of 114 mph are hardly great figures, but this Touran will cruise along quite happily at motorway speeds.

This Volkswagen Touran’s ride is a little firm at lower speeds, but nicely refined when cruising on motorways and there is a minimum of road noise too. Body roll is kept well in check. The steering is suitably light at town speeds making manoeuvring simple and it weights up nicely as your speed increases.

Forward visibility is good and the wide upright rear window makes reversing easy. The driver’s seat and the steering can be adjusted for both rake and reach so most drivers should be able to find a decent position. The dashboard is laid out very well and has easy to read instruments but overall it looks a little uninspiring. It does feel hardwearing though.

The Volkswagen Touran S 1.6 TDI 5dr is a smart and stylish people carrier and the smooth lines and deep windows help disguise its overall bulk. Inside you get air-conditioning, electric windows front and rear, cruise control, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, and a CD player as standard. It also comes with alloy wheels, remote central locking and immobiliser.

Among the available options are metallic paint at £465, rear parking sensors at £340, alarm at £310, MP3 connectivity at £305, Bluetooth for £545 and Satnav at £1090.

This Volkswagen Touran comes with certain safety features including six airbags, ABS, Isofix child seat mountings and stability control.

Volkswagens have above average reliability but they aren’t without problems. This car comes with a three year 60,000 mile warranty.

Boot space is rather limited with all seats in use – just 121 litres – but the third row can be folded flat into the floor to create a larger load area. The middle row can be slid forwards or backwards too or removed altogether with minimum fuss to open up an enormous 1913 litres. There are numerous compartments around the cabin for handy stowage of smaller items as well.

Space is generous for those in the front two rows of seats, slightly less so in the third which would probably get uncomfortable for adults on longer journeys.

At £19,775 the Volkswagen Touran S 1.6 TDI 5dr is an attractively priced MPV. It has a spacious, comfortable cabin with an adequate spec and a cavernous luggage space, with the seats folded or removed. It feels sturdy and well bolted together but it’s not the most appealing people carrier out there and resale values are surprisingly weak.

It is pleasingly economical to run, with a combined cycle of 55.4 mpg and with a CO2 emissions figure of 134 g/km, so the taxes and running costs will be low.