The Volkswagen Touran is one of the last remaining MPVs (or people carriers) on sale as a new car. It's a 7-seater car that offers fuss-free family motoring and its traditional MPV shape continues to demonstrate what maximum practicality is all about.
With the trend for SUVs such as the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq, the Volkswagen Touran has very few natural MPV rivals.
The fact the VW Touran is a 7-seater car means it rivals the likes of the Toyota Verso while the Dacia Jogger offers seven-seat capacity on a budget. You could also look at something like a Citroen Berlingo.
There is certainly nothing wrong about how the VW Touran looks, but you are unlikely to glance over your shoulder after leaving it in a car park.
However, the pay-off for the anodyne styling is a truly Tardis-like interior. That the VW Touran manages to cram seven seats inside a car not much larger than a Volkswagen Golf is quite an achievement. The front two seats have plenty of headroom and legroom, but the second row is where the Volkswagen Touran really shows off. With a flat floor and three individual seats, there will be no squabbles about a lack of space.
The seats in the third row are a little bit of a squeeze to reach, and not quite as accommodating as those in front. However, they are more than adequate for children, and include Isofix mounting points for child car seats.
Using all the seven seats does compromise boot space, with only 187 litres available. Fold the third row down and this improves to 927 litres, while flattening the second row means a van-like 1857 litres.
Levels of equipment in the VW Touran are considerable, providing you skip the entry-level SE model. Going for the SE Family brings useful features such as satellite navigation and electronically controlled child locks for the rear doors. This is all housed within an interior that feels well-made, and able to withstand the challenges of child passengers.
In a world that has fallen in love with SUVs, the Volkswagen Touran feels like something of an outsider. Yet it offers the kind of practicality most SUVs can only dream of, making it incredibly useful for large families.
From the standard seven-seat capacity to the clever storage throughout the cabin, the VW Touran certainly puts substance over style. Pick the right options and it can feel relatively luxurious, or even vaguely sporty in R-Line trim. Almost all the Volkswagen Touran’s rivals have disappeared from sale, and it offers two more seats than the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.
It means that if you need to move lots of people in a comfortable and spacious manner, the Volkswagen Touran really is your best choice to buy or lease.
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Although diesels are out of fashion, we reckon the 2.0-litre TDI is the best engine in the Touran. If you only cover low miles, though, or spend most of your time driving around town, both the 1.4- and 1.5-litre TSI petrol are absolutely fine, providing you don’t want sparkling performance.
All models are well-equipped. We wouldn’t necessarily bother with the top-spec Volkswagen Touran R-Line - it’s quite expensive and some of its features (like the big 18-inch alloy wheels) aren’t really necessary in a sensible people carrier like this. The sensible money goes on a Touran SE Family or SEL, although the basic Volkswagen Touran SE does the job if you’re on a budget.
Volkswagen Touran 1.0 TSI 115 petrol: Replacing the 1.2 TSI in 2019, this three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine makes the same power at 115PS, but it promises better fuel economy – up to 41.5mpg according to the most recent (and more accurate) official measuring techniques.
Volkswagen Touran 1.2 TSI 110 petrol: The original entry-level petrol engine when the Touran launched in 2015, this 1.2-litre unit has 110PS and comes with a six-speed manual gearbox. It promised up to 51mpg, but that was according to official figures and before the way fuel economies were measured changed.
Volkswagen Touran 1.4 TSI 150 petrol: If you wanted extra punch from a petrol engine when the Touran was first introduced, you'd have gone for the 1.4-litre unit with 150PS. And you could choose between a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG automatic.
Volkswagen Touran 1.5 TSI 150: Since 2021, only the 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine remains in the VW Touran, but that’s hardly a negative. With 150PS, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in less than nine seconds: more than fast enough for a family MPV. Fuel economy averages 42.2mpg regardless of the gearbox chosen.
Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI 110 diesel: The original entry-level diesel engine when the Touran launched in 2015, this 1.6-litre unit has 110PS and featured the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox of a seven-speed DSG automatic. It was boosted to 115PS in 2016, and could reach 51.4mpg.
Volkswagen Touran 2.0 TDI 115 diesel: Sold for around 18 months from mid-2019, this 2.0-litre diesel had 115PS and promised fuel economy of up to 49.6mpg .
Volkswagen Touran 2.0 TDI 150 diesel: The mid-spec diesel Touran at launch had a 2.0-litre engine with 150PS. It too had a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox of an automatic, this time a six-speed DSG.
Volkswagen Touran 2.0 TDI 190 diesel: The most powerful diesel Touran used the same 2.0-litre engine but now made 190PS. It was attached to a six-speed automatic gearbox.
The Volkswagen Touran is offered in four different trim levels, depending on how luxurious you want your family MPV to be. There is also an extensive options list, including features such as LED headlights and a rear-view camera.
Volkswagen Touran S: The entry-level Touran when it was launched, the S model feature an infotainment system with a 6.5-inch screen, DAB, Bluetooth and air conditioning. Alloy wheels were only an option, however
Volkswagen Touran SE: The SE is the cheapest VW Touran on offer, but body-coloured bumpers and alloy wheels avoid it looking too bargain-basement. With seven seats as standard, and plenty of clever storage, it delivers all the MPV functionality you need, just without quite so many frills.
Volkswagen Touran SE Family: Although the regular VW Touran SE has a multimedia touchscreen, you need the SE Family model to gain satellite navigation as standard. It also comes with a panoramic sunroof and rear sun blinds.
Volkswagen Touran SEL: To make your VW Touran feel truly luxurious, the SEL model has plenty of chrome trim both inside and out. It gains larger alloy wheels and velour seats, plus wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Volkswagen Touran R-Line: If you feel your MPV needs to look sporty, the VW Touran R-Line is the answer. It gains a bespoke body kit for the exterior, plus an impressive set of 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, you’ll find seats with R-Line logos, stainless steel pedals and a black headlining.
The Volkswagen Touran’s exterior dimensions are:
Length: 4527mm
Width: 1829mm
Height: 1659mm
Ground clearance: 155mm
The Volkswagen Touran’s boot space is:
187 litres
1857 litres with rear seats folded
Any Touran registered from 1 April 2017 onwards will come with a £180 annual road tax bill. Cars registered before this date have their road tax calculated on the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, so a 1.6-litre TDi model emitting 116g/km will pay just £35 per year. The earliest 1.4 TSI petrol models, however, attract a £180 payment.
As a family-orientated vehicle, the Volkswagen Touran is relatively affordable to insure. The vast majority of the range, from entry-level SE to luxurious SEL, falls into insurance group 18 (out of 50). Only the VW Touran R-Line, with its sportier styling, edges upwards into group 19.
Read our full Volkswagen Touran review
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