Volkswagen Touran review

All models have a front centre armrest, a height-adjustable driver's seat and a steering wheel that has a good amount of in-and-out and up-and-down adjustment. From entry-level SE trim you also get manually adjustable lumbar support and electric lumbar adjustment with a massage function is available as an option. The seat is reasonably firm, but it’s supportive and comfortable enough for long journeys.

Meanwhile, the pedals are well positioned and the dashboard is neatly laid out for ease of use, with instrument dials that are no problem to read at a glance. The air conditioning is controlled by physical switches, rather than through the infotainment screen, making it easier to operate on the move than the current Volkswagen Golf or the Citroën Grand C4 Spacetourer.

The high-set seat gives you a good view of the road ahead helped by the thin-ish and fairly upright front pillars. Add in the big rear screen and generously sized side windows and you're assured of a good view out in all directions.

The Touran's boxy shape also makes it easy to judge the car's extremities, and all trims come with front and rear parking sensors to make life easier still. A rear-view camera and an automatic parking system are also offered as relatively inexpensive options.

Heated, electrically adjustable door mirrors are standard across the range and a heated windscreen is a well-priced option to help you see clearly on frosty mornings.

All Tourans have an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen as standard, complete with a DAB radio, Bluetooth and a USB socket. Upgrade to SE Family trim and you'll get Volkswagen’s ‘Discover Navigation’ system, which adds sat nav and a three-year subscription to the brand’s Car-Net service. The latter provides information such as traffic and fuel prices that could be handy on your journey.

SEL and R-line trims also add something called Car-Net App Connect, which allows you to integrate your smartphone with the Touran's infotainment system, using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Whichever trim you choose, you'll find the operating system easy to use and fairly quick to respond (quicker than the sluggish software in the Grand C4 Spacetourer), although there is the odd small icon that can be hard to hit accurately while you're driving.

The Touran doesn't disappoint for interior quality. Most of its materials feel dense and there’s a decent mixture of textures and soft-touch plastics. The switches and stalks feel well assembled and there’s an overall sense of solidity.

The interior materials begin to take on a slightly more utilitarian feel lower down, as well as in the rear seat area, but don’t detract from the Touran’s generally classy-feeling ambience. The only car that can really beat it here is BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer; its interior quality really is top-notch, but that car is more expensive to buy.