Volkswagen Touran mini MPV: classy and spacious

Price:£19,790 - £28,350

Pros: Robust, well built interior, cabin quiet at speed, practical, versatile

Cons: Top-end versions are quite expensive, styling is quite ordinary, smallest engines weak

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3.2/5, Carbuyer "The Volkswagen Touran MPV is a no-nonsense people carrier that with its boxy body makes no attempt to hide its

practical

appeal. A family favourite that ranges in price from just under £20,000 to just under £30,000, it's available in S, SE and Sport trim with a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines. Inside, you get a seven-seat layout as standard but can opt for five seats and a bigger boot if you want. All the engines in the range are economical, while the Touran handles well and is easy to drive. The suspension is relatively firm but not so much that the Touran is uncomfortable for passengers. The Ford Grand C-MAX is sportier and the Citroen Picasso's cabin layout is a bit more adaptable, but the Touran is a fantastic all-rounder. Crucially, the interior is robustly built and feels like it can cope with the worse family life can throw at it. Quality is excellent throughout and there's loads of storage. The three individual middle-row seats slide, recline and tumble forward independently, while the extra row-three seats fold flat into the boot floor when not in use.

8/20 Top Gear "Plenty of head and legroom for everyone, and the Touran has the added advantage of being a seven seater. When not in use, the third row folds flat into the floor, leaving a huge 695 litres of space. And even with one rear seat in use, it's still big enough for an industrial-sized pushchair to fit in sideways. And unlike many seven-seat compact MPVs, when the third row of seats are in use there's still a useful 121 litres of space for the shopping."

4/5, Auto Express "It's the MPV with premium appeal! The VW Touran has received a nip and tuck, including updated styling inside and out, and a range of new, more efficient engines. We drove the seven-seater on UK roads for the first time to see if it can topple rivals such as the Renault Grand Scenic and Ford Grand C-MAX."