View of a Roomster - In the cabin

The Roomster provides impressive space for five people, lots of flexibility and a minimum of 450 litres of luggage space – getting on for double the amount in a Fabia.

The designers say they have divided the car into a front 'driving room' and a rear 'living room', with the rear seats mounted higher than those in front so that passengers, especially children, can see out of the windscreen as well as the deep side windows.

The rear 'living' area has two full-size outer seats with a slimmer one between them. All three fold or recline (the centre one becomes a storage area when lowered) and the outer two also slide fore and aft. They are all removable.

With the centre section taken out, you can lift the other two seats inboard to compensate for the curvature of the sides at roof level and give tall adults a bit more head and shoulder room.

There's plenty of oddments storage – in the rear sidewalls, the doors, the backs of the front seats, the centre console and the chilled two-tier glovebox.

What's most impressive about Roomster is the amount of space and light inside its cabin. The tall body and raised rear seating position make it roomy enough for four adults. Five would be a bit more of a squeeze – the narrow central seat and a transmission tunnel (which suggests there might be a four-wheel-drive version in the future) make life a little uncomfortable for three in the back.

The people with the worst view are the driver and front-seat passenger, even though they sit higher than in a conventional hatchback. Those thick windscreen pillars can hide other traffic and block your view of corners, and the high dash won't help when parking.

The control layout is typical of modern Volkswagen family designs, with clear instruments, logical switchgear positioning and smart, durable trim. Satellite-navigation, cornering headlamps and an iPod or MP3 player socket are among items you can add which were once the preserve of more expensive cars.