75% Which? works for you

(1)

Overview

VW’s Touran MPV is feeling its age now, so can it still compete with Ford’s C-Max and Grand C-Max?

There are few cars on the road that have been in production as long as the Touran. VW gave its smallest MPV a big mid-life facelift in 2010 and it’s benefited from subtle changes throughout its lifecycle of well over a decade. As it celebrated its seventh birthday, the German carmaker treated the Touran to new panels all round - only the doors are carried over from the 2003 original - and also given the Touran a new front end, with oblong headlights and lots of horizontal lines that make it look like a supersized Golf. That’s pretty ironic, as the Touran is based on the same underpinnings as VW’s best-selling hatchback, though from three generations ago.

At the back the rear light cluster is now split across the body and boot lid, plus there are new bumpers and a revised roof spoiler that improves aerodynamics.

It remains as one of the smallest seven-seat MPV options on the market, and the fact the three seats on the second row all fold and slide independently makes it an immensely versatile option.

There’s a wide range of petrol and diesel engines to choose from, ranging from a 1.2-litre petrol all the way to 2.0-litre diesels. We’ve tested four different versions throughout the Touran’s production run, so you can find information on cars that are currently available and those that will only be found today on the used market.

If you’re considering seven-seat rival MPVs, you’re looking at the likes of the Citroen Grand

Recommended models

in the range

Which? caR TOp chOice MOdel

1.6 Tdi 105 BlueMotion Tech Se 5dr

New price: £23,975 Used price: £8,850 FaSTeST MOdel 2.0 Tdi dpF Match 170 5dr New price: £23,765 Used price: £7,595 0-62mph:

9.0 secs

MOST eFFicieNT MOdel

1.6 Tdi 105 BlueMotion Tech Se 5dr dSG

New price: £25,125 Used price: £12,450

combined fuel economy:

61.4 mpg

cheapeST MOdel TO BUy NeW

1.6 S 5dr

New price:

£17,075

cheapeST MOdel TO BUy USed

1.6 S 5dr [5 Seat]

Used price:

£2,575

cheapeST MOdel TO RUN (NeW)

1.9 Tdi S 90 5dr

New price: £18,015 Running costs:

£14,331

(3 yeaRS/36,000 MileS) Good safety, with a five-star Euro NCAP score.

Practical, with a versatile interior layout. Good diesel engines deliver decent economy.

Rather pricey, and entry-level models sparsely equipped. Feeling its age now.

ON Sale:

aug 2003

claSS:

people carriers/MpVs

NeW pRice:

£17,075 - £28,435

USed pRice:

From £2,575

75%

ToTal score:

peRFORMaNce:

BOOT & STORaGe:

Ride cOMFORT:

★★★★

★★★★★

★★★

★★★★

SaFeTy: haNdliNG: ReliaBiliTy:

OwNER’s ViEw

We are a family of five

with growing children, and

sometimes it is useful to

sit the children apart - two

in the middle, one at the

back. When we need the

(2)

We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standing-start and in-gear acceleration, and repeat each test several times.

Ride comfort is assessed by our labora-tory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models.

On the road

The Touran feels secure and easy to drive, although it’s worth opting for one of the more powerful engine choices. Build quality, cockpit layout and interior design are very good.

performance

★★★★

We’ve tested two versions of the now discontinued 1.9-litre TDI diesel engine in 2007 and 2008, with the latter being a BlueMotion model. Our test team could feel little difference engine performance between the two - both a very tractable and pull with sufgficient gusto to keep up with traffic on the motorway, however a little more power would make overtakes a lot easier. Refinement is actually quite good - you’ll find there’s less engine hum and vibration than other VW models of the same period.

The 1.9 has now been superceded by a 2.0 TDI engine, though it’s a dated 138bhp version that’s been replaced by a newer 2.0-litre unit in other VW models. It’s 34bhp more powerful than any other Touran engine we’ve tested and you can tell - it never feels sluggish and provides plenty of punch when you demand it.

While the 1.6-litre motor shares the same 104bhp output as the replaced 1.9-litre diesels mentioned above, it can’t be described as especially quick – the model we tested completes the 0-62mph dash in 12.8 seconds. That’s not to say it’s underpowered, but it’s far from a rocketship. We also think the 1.6-litre diesel is the smoothest and most refined of all the diesels previously and currently available.

We’ve short-shifting manual gearbox is slick and precise - you can move through the gears quickly and effortlessly. We’ve also tried a DSG dual-clutch automatic, which is a transmission we really like. It shifts gear swiftly with no jerking and there’s no dramatic drop in revs between gear selections.

Model tested acceleration (37-62mph) Rating

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 8.1 secs

★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 8.6 secs

★★★★

Ride comfort

★★★★

The Touran’s suspension absorbs bumps with ease, and body roll is well controlled to help prevent queasiness in the back seats.

Model tested Rating

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010)

★★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007)

★★★★★

★★★★

how we test

performance Ride comfort

(3)

On the road

continued...

handling

★★★★

Despite the Touran’s height - it’s a lot taller than the Golf - it hardly leans in bends. It corners very well, in fact, and it feels stable and secure. Even when you change direction suddenly at high speed, in an emergency situation, for example, the standard-fit stability control activates, helping to keep it under control. Steering is light, smooth and responsive and the turning circle is about average for a car of this size.

★★★★

★★★★★

★★★★

Brakes

★★★★

The Touran’s brakes are powerful and effective. Of the four models tested, the 2.0TDI diesel (tested in 2015) performed best, stopping from 62mpg in just 35.5m.

Model tested Braking distance (62-0mph) Rating

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 37.7m

★★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 38.5m

★★★★

★★★★★

Refinement and noise

★★★★

The cabin feels well shielded from unwanted noise, thanks to good sound insulation. The diesels are surprisingly quieter and more refined than they feel in other VW cars.

Model tested cruising noise Rating

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 69dB

★★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 68dB

★★★★

On-the-limit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry..

The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 62-0mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues.

The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score.

how we test

handling

Brakes

(4)

On the road

continued...

cabin and controls

★★★★★

Build quality is very good, and the Touran’s switches and controls are laid out sensibly and fall easily to hand. The speedometer, rev counter and other key sources of information are all easy to read. You can adjust the seat height and the steering wheel’s reach and height to help you find your most comfortable driving position. You do have to consider a lot of the technology currently available in the Touran is showing its age - infotainment features and touchscreen systems aren’t the same as you’d find in more recent Volkswagen models.

★★★★★

★★★★

Visibility and parking

★★★★

Visibility from the driver’s seat is good, thanks to the high seating position and large side mirrors. Most of the Touran’s dimensions can be estimated easily when parking, with the possible exception of the front. Rear parking sensors are optional on S spec models, but standard on the SE and Sport. A rear-view camera is optional on all models.

There’s also an optional park assist system that will reverse the car into roadside spaces for you – we tried it and found it worked well.

Model tested Turning circle Rating

★★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 11.2m

★★★

★★★★

We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easy-to-use heating and ventilation adjustments.

Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360-degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver’s eye view and any obscured areas.

how we test

cabin and controls

(5)

We take measurements all around the driver and passenger’s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don’t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out.

We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers’ expert knowledge and experience from thousands of differ-ent cars. And we measure the head-, leg- and elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.

how we test

Getting in and out

Seat space and comfort

comfort and practicality

The Touran is very practical inside, and the standard seven-seat layout can accommodate up to four adults and three children fairly comfortably. It can also be turned into a great load-lugger with the rear seats folded down or lifted out. The only gripe is that it can take a while to warm up all that space in the back on cold days.

Getting in and out

★★★★

Accessing the front and second row of seats in the Touran is easy. The front is spacious, the cabin feels wide and headroom is good for people up to 6ft4 inches tall. Legroom in the second row is reasonable, unless you’re sitting behind someone who is very tall.

Getting into the optional third row of seats is harder, as space is tight and you have to fold the second row of seats forward first. This third row is really only for children – most adults will find it cramped back there. At least headroom is generous in all seats.

★★★★

Seat space and comfort

★★★★

The height-adjustable front seats feel very well contoured and comfortable, as do the two outer rear seats on the second row. The centre seat would be uncomfortable for tall passengers on longer trips, though.

★★★★

(6)

Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won’t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible).

Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty -10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air condition-ing, where fitted.

how we test

Boot and storage

heating and ventilation

Boot and storage

★★★★★

With the third row of seats in place boot space is almost non-existent with just 105 litres to play with. However, the third row pair of seats are easy to fold away, creating a capacious 475 litres of space. This increases to 810 litres if you are happy to load the boot to the ceiling.

The second row of seats can also be folded down or removed altogether to give a total of 1,920 litres if loaded to the ceiling (1,095 litres if you load to the underside of the windows), making the Touran able to transport bulky items of furniture. And loading the boot is a piece of cake, thanks to the large opening.

However, folding these second row seats is a bit tricky as you have to first flatten the seat back, then pull on a release cord and lift each seat forwards separately.

Storage space for small items is excellent. There’s a large illuminated and cooled glovebox, and the latest Touran boasts 35 different storage cubbies around the cabin. On top of this, the backs of the front seats have storage pockets and integrated trays, and the centre second row seat can be turned into a table.

Model tested Boot space (seats up/down) Rating

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 475 litres / 1095 litres

★★★★★

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 475 litres / 1095 litres

★★★★★

heating and ventilation

★★★

Manual air conditioning is standard on entry-spec cars range - only top of the range models get two-zone climate control.

In the models we tested it took a while for the air in the back of the car to warm up to a pleasant temperature in cold weather.

★★★

★★

★★★★

(7)

We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions – using realistic test cycles – to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we mea-sure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway.

how we test

Fuel consumption

Running costs and depreciation

The 1.6 TDI BlueMotion diesel offers the best blend of power and fuel economy, although it’s pricey to buy. Servicing shouldn’t break the bank, thanks to the relatively long service intervals, and the Touran’s resale values are better than those of many rivals.

Fuel consumption

We tried the 1.9 TDI (104bhp) with the DSG automatic transmission and measured 42.2mpg, compared with the official figure of 47.1mpg; the manual version tested at 47.1mpg (shy of the 52.3mpg figure). We also tested the 2.0 TDI (140bhp) which, even though it’s more powerful, was more economical: 53.3mpg according to our measurements, versus the official claim of 58.9mpg.

We’ve also tried out the 1.6 TDI BlueMotion, which averaged an impressive 57.7mpg (claimed 61.4mpg).

petrol (combined mpg, claimed)

34.4 mpg - 47.9 mpg

diesel (combined mpg, claimed)

40.4 mpg - 61.4 mpg

Model tested Urban (claimed/measured)

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 51.4 mpg/53.3 mpg diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 37.7 mpg/34.0 mpg diesel 1.9 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2008) 40.4 mpg/36.7 mpg diesel 2.0 (138bhp) manual 5-dr (2015) 48.7 mpg/49.6 mpg

Model tested extra urban (claimed/measured)

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 68.9 mpg/67.3 mpg diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 53.3 mpg/52.3 mpg diesel 1.9 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2008) 60.1 mpg/57.7 mpg diesel 2.0 (138bhp) manual 5-dr (2015) 64.2 mpg/60.1 mpg

Model tested Motorway (measured)

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 48.7 mpg

diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 39.2 mpg

Model tested combined (claimed/measured)

(8)

While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines.

We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test – after all, it’s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags...

Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from.

how we test

emissions

Safety

Security

emissions

The current Touran line-up has a CO2 emissions output range from 121g/km (1.6TDI BlueMotion) to 159g/km (1.4 TSI petrol). That means models sit in VED bands D to G.

petrol (CO2, claimed)

137g per km - 197g per km

diesel (CO2, claimed)

119g per km - 189g per km

Model tested emissions (claimed/measured)

diesel 1.6 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2010) 121g per km/130g per km diesel 1.9 (104bhp) automatic 5-dr (2007) 157g per km/180g per km diesel 1.9 (104bhp) manual 5-dr (2008) 144g per km/152g per km diesel 2.0 (138bhp) manual 5-dr (2015) 127g per km/169g per km

Safety and security

All models come with stability control as standard, along with a tyre pressure loss indicator, safety-optimised head restraints and a flurry of airbags - the quota includes curtain airbags for front and second-row passengers, driver and front passenger airbags and front-seat side impact airbags. Lane assist is an optional extra across all specs.

There are Isofix mounting points to allow you to fit child car seats, and the front-passenger airbag can be deactivated so you can fit a rear-facing child seat up front too.

This is our video of the obstacle avoidance test carried out on the 2003 Volkswagen Touran. Please enable JavaScript to access this content. Here are the videos of the 2003 Volkswagen Touran Euro NCAP frontal, side and pole crash tests.

euro Ncap score

★★★★★

The Touran achieved a good five-star result for overall adult occupant protection in the Euro NCAP crash tests, and its three-star pedestrian protection rating is also meritable.

Adult occupant

★★★★★

Child protection

-Pedestrian protection

★★★

Which? safety rating

★★★★★

The Touran scored 12 points in our independent safety inspections, which makes it one of the safest mid-sized MPVs we’ve tested, alongside the Ford S-Max.

Active (crash avoidance) 71%

Passive (crash safety) 73%

Child 81%

Pedestrian 63%

Security

The Touran is hard to steal - among the best MPVs in this respect - but makes life too easy for smash-and-grab thieves.

Theft of car: Theft from car:

★★★★★

★★★★

(9)

Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give top-level satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand’s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five.

These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners’ ratings are subjective – so may differ from Which? Car test scores – but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space).

about our survey

Brand ratings

Model ownership ratings

OwNER’s ViEw

It’s reliable and powerful

with reasonable

acceleration

OwNER’s ViEw

It’s roomy inside, has lots

of cubby holes for bits and

pieces. It’s big enough for

my large dog and at least

Which? car Survey results

The Which? Car Survey is the UK’s most robust reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2015, drivers told us about 58,000 cars, covering more than 484 million miles in the previous 12 months (that’s equivalent to driving to the moon and back a hundred times). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars.

Note: Star ratings below are from 1-5 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under ‘Most common faults’ indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months.

Brand

sample size: 4,743 people

Volkswagen ratings

Overall owner satisfaction for this brand

82%

Brand reliability

-Dealer sales service

★★★

Dealer servicing & repair

★★★

Model:

Volkswagen Touran (2003-) samp

l

e size: 225 people

Ownership ratings

Overall owner satisfaction for this range

81%

Driving enjoyment

★★★★

Ease of driving

★★★

Comfort

★★★★

Dash layout and controls

★★★★

Practicality

★★★★★

Value for money

★★★

Running costs

★★★★

in-car technology

★★

(10)

-We split reliability into breakdowns (in-cluding failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor is-sues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five – the more stars, the more reli-able the car.

Want to know what’s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and non-en-gine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars.

about our survey

Reliability ratings

Most common faults

Which? car Survey results

continued...

Reliability ratings

Overall Reliability

★★★

Up to 3 years old 4-8 years old

petrol cars Reliability

-

-Breakdowns

-

-average annual repair cost

-

-diesel cars Reliability

-

-Breakdowns

-

-average annual repair cost

-

-all cars Reliability

★★★

Breakdowns

2%

6%

average annual repair cost

£98

£259

Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months

average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months

Most common faults

Up to 3 years old in-car-entertainment

5%

interior Handles

3%

Rainwater seals

3%

Auto transmission

3%

Exterior Handles

3%

4-8 years old Exhaust system

6%

Lights

6%

Ventilation - Other

5%

washer / wipers

5%

Cam Belt

5%