Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI (DSG) Review: The do it all MPV

What we like:

Excellent fuel economy and overall build quality. Versatile interior.

What we dislike:

Overtaking on the expressway requires much patience.

Being a slightly stretched Golf platform, the Touran remains an easy car to drive. There’s plenty of glass on the interior (even the roof) which allows excellent all round visibility and makes driving the MPV quite a breeze. The driving position is similar to the Golf hatchback sans the raised ride height.

Powered by a humble 1.6-litre four pot oil burning chugger that replaces the 1.9-litre model, the Touran isn’t going win any races but what you have is a very tractable car that has more than enough dollop to get the job of hauling people and cargo around.

Producing a decent 105bhp it comes in well below LTA’s 130bhp cap for the Cat A COE segment while its 250Nm of torque puts it above the 2.4-litre Honda Odyssey’s 225Nm.

Granted the Touran needs quite a bit of poke before it gets moving and completes the century sprint in 12.8 seconds. Making overtaking on the expressways a bit of a challenge at times.

But once up to speed, the Golf chassis brilliance shines through with its pliant ride. In a fast corner the MPV continues to be well-behaved and shod with an impressively sharp steering rack, you’ll forget its mundane MPV exterior. Power is augmented through a seven-speed DSG gearbox that does its job smoothly and swiftly.

Since VW’s entrance into the Cat A market, the German has been a dominant force. With the introduction of the Touran, it appears that dominance is set to continue for a long time to come. Competitors in this segment will find it hard to match its combination of comfort, quality and economy.

Credits: Story and Photos by Benjamin G. Kline