| Hands up who thought 7 Up was a drink? We did | | | | through its high gearing, especially when |
| too until it took on a completely new | | | | you're cruising at motorway speeds and its |
| meaning, thanks to a compact VW people | | | | not having to work too hard at all. Its |
| carrier and a willing bunch of volunteers... | | | | combined fuel consumption figure is quoted as |
| VW's latest version of the Touran arrived in | | | | 38.2mpg. My best was an indicated 34.6. Its |
| the car park with the obligatory press pack | | | | power output is given at 140PS at 5600rpm, |
| detailing the fact this was the 1.4 litre SE | | | | and the torque figure of 162lb/ft is there |
| TSI model (£18,250 on the road). 1.4? | | | | from 1500 to 4000rpm, so it is well able to |
| Surely not. After all, there are seven seats | | | | keep up with the flow of traffic. The styling |
| in there. A run down to Stansted (with six | | | | is surprisingly neat given its shape. Square |
| empty seats) for an early morning flight | | | | at the back but in a stylish way, everything |
| served to show what a relaxing car the Touran | | | | inside is pure Volkswagen, from that classic |
| can be on a motorway trip. No undue road or | | | | blue backlighting of the instrumentation to |
| engine noise, the little 1.4 TSI slipping | | | | the overall fit and finish. I usually prefer |
| along effortlessly, belying its sheer lack of | | | | to sit low in a car but in something like |
| cubic centimetres. Cross country on the way | | | | this it's no hardship to be a bit higher as |
| back it didn't let itself down either, having | | | | the view of the instruments can be |
| enough zip to get past the lorries stuck | | | | compromised. And as it's a taller vehicle it |
| steadfastly at 40mph while others were forced | | | | helps to give a more commanding view of the |
| to follow in line astern, fingers drumming on | | | | road. On which its composure is exemplary. |
| the steering wheel in frustration. But that | | | | What a deceptively good car. I like the neat |
| was in single user mode. What, we wondered, | | | | way the rear seat belts for the sixth and |
| would it be like with the full complement of | | | | seventh seats, and the centre one in the |
| seven seats filled? We picked carefully from | | | | middle row, stow up in the roof well out of |
| the office. Two more petite members of staff | | | | the way, as well as the fact it's a really |
| for the rear two seats, a couple of lads | | | | user friendly vehicle. The seats are easy to |
| eager to leave the computer screen for a five | | | | tip when you need access to the rear, and the |
| minute break and a couple of lardy boys for | | | | back pair can be quickly folded flat when you |
| good measure. And a six foot five inch driver | | | | need a bit more carrying capacity. This |
| for good measure. Did it falter? Not a bit, | | | | version of the Touran has been on sale since |
| to be fair. It had that fully loaded feel to | | | | January and like its predecessor, offers |
| it, but it pulled capably in all the gears | | | | pretty good value for money through a good |
| and gave the impression there was more there | | | | level of standard equipment, decent engines |
| if needed. It's the engine lettering that | | | | and a flexible outlook on life. Take your |
| gives the game away. TSI means it has an | | | | pick from three variants - S, SE and Sport - |
| engine driven supercharger as well as an | | | | all of which have alloy wheels, air con, a CD |
| exhaust gas turbocharger. The supercharger | | | | player, and remote centre locking. Touran has |
| works at lower engine speeds with the turbo | | | | always been acknowledged for its safety |
| kicking in as engine speed increases. The end | | | | features and the new model has front, side |
| result is excellent driveability and good | | | | and head airbags as well as ABS and ESP. |
| performance throughout the range. Torque | | | | There's also a new counter steering feature |
| (pulling power) is always good and there's no | | | | which improves stability under braking and |
| discernible turbo lag to impede progress. It | | | | can actually reduce stopping distances by up |
| means you can have a relatively small engine | | | | to 10 per cent. |
| like this that will give good fuel efficiency | | | | |