Touran Owners Club

Review: Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI Bluemotion

Review: Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI Bluemotion

The Touran was first introduced in 2003 as Volkswagen’s flagship MPV, and it quickly became a massive hit with 1.1 million being sold since. However, times are changing on the back of rising motoring costs and in order to maintain the Touran’s position as a major player in the market Volkswagen has been forced to take action.

 

Rising Costs

British Motorists are being heavily affected by the recession, with the AA recently reporting that that cost of car and commercial van insurance rose by 40% over the course of last year. This means that the average motorist is now paying £791 per year for insurance alone.

However the price hikes have not stopped there, with the cost of fuel spiralling out of control. It is simply no longer possible for the average motorist to be able to afford to run a fuel guzzling MPV as a result of this and the fact that many insurers now offer big discounts to owners of environmentally friendly vehicles. Volkswagen have realise this trend and have therefore introduced a new version of the Touran which utilises hybrid fuel saving technology. This has resulted in the new model being capable of a remarkable 61 miles per gallon which means massive fuel savings for Touran owners, while its 121 g/km CO2 emission level means that your insurer will offer a discount as well. However, many people have been critical of environmental cars in the past for sacrificing space and performance to an unacceptable level. Does the latest Touran fall foul of the same problem?

 

The Car

In general, the short answer is no. The 1.6 litre Turbodiesel engine is surprisingly nippy, along with its seamless seven speed dual gearbox system which operates remarkably smoothly. One area which this reviewer had expected to be of annoyance was the stop-start engine feature, which switches the engine off temporarily at traffic lights in order to save fuel. However, this was a minor inconvenience in an otherwise flawless driving experience.

Despite Volkswagen’s efforts to save fuel, the car still features a range of impressive technologies aimed at making the drivers life easier. This includes a parking assist system, air-con and electronic stabilisation control which improves the cars stability by detecting and reducing skids. The car also looks far more stylish than its predecessor thanks to its wider and lower chassis positioning and more sculpted front and rear end.

However, one area which has been compromised to achieve fuel saving is the space available inside the car. The new model is less than 4.4 metres in length, so despite there being enough seating for seven people, achieving this with normal sized people may be a little tricky (especially if you have any bags to take with you in the back). The interior has also been criticised by some critics for being a little dull, but it can be argued that in true Volkswagen tradition the car is well made and sturdy rather than drab.

 

The verdict

As you would expect, the new Touran is a fantastically well made and reliable car with good performance. The fact that Volkswagen have maintained this level of quality despite the massive fuel saving and similar pricing level (£20,000) is quite frankly astonishing. If you are looking for a new car which will help you beat the ever increasing price of fuel and insurance, then this could be the answer to your prayers.