Used Volkswagen Touran MPV 2003 - 2015 review

We've always liked the Volkswagen Touran here at What Car?, and it's not hard to see why. It's a great choice for those who want all the good qualities of the best of VW's products, neatly summed up by the Golf, for example, but who need a bit more room and practicality for a family.

It's VW's compact seven-seat MPV, and in effect it sits on a stretched version of the Golf platform. One of its biggest strengths is that in all of its versions it's great to drive, with neatly balanced handling. The steering assistance is light round town, but it gets heavier as you increase speed, giving just the right amount of feedback to the driver. Body control through the corners is excellent, although the downside of this is a firm ride, especially in the earlier models. The cabin is quiet, though, even with the various diesel engine options under the bonnet.

Among the Touran's other strengths is its versatile seating layout, with a spacious middle row that folds, slides or comes out very easily. The third row in the earlier cars is fine for children, and adults won't moan if the journey is short, but it's not somewhere they'd want to spend too much time. The later Touran versions increased the room available in the back and, while it's not as spacious as the very largest MPVs, most will be more than comfortable enough.

The only real complaint is that the interior has always lacked any design flair, but if you just want a tool to do a job (and that job is moving people), the Touran could well fit the bill.

Initially launched in 2003 with a choice of three petrol or two diesel engines and three trim levels - S, SE and Sport - the range expanded over the years to take in many newer powerplant options.

A facelift in 2006 brought a more distinctive look to the exterior and a refresh for the interior, as well as introducing the more efficient 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine to the range. A second major facelift followed in 2010, with a new look inside and out and a revised platform, as well as some more efficient engines, including a surprisingly refined 1.2-litre petrol unit and a 1.6 TDI diesel in two power outputs.

The Touran has always been a popular car, able in each of its various incarnations to fend off the challenges from newer and, in some cases, more stylish rivals. There are bigger MPVs, but the Touran has always brilliantly balanced all the things that matter to families, and it's a car with, especially so in its later facelifted models, very few weaknesses.

Read on to find out all you need to know about buying a good used one.

Tourans with a high mileage, in excess of 120,000 miles, and Cat D cars, can be had for less than £1000, but we'd advise you to spend a little more if possible. It's better to spend around £2000 as a starting price, and try to secure a car with an average mileage for the year, say 80,000 miles, and a service history to back that up. Between £2500 and £3000 should secure you a 2005/2006 car with an average mileage in good condition, while upping the cash to between £3000 and £5000 should secure a 2008 car, the facelifted model, with around 50,000 to 60,000 miles on the clock, from a trader. By the time you hit the lofty peaks of £10,000 you should net yourself one of the later facelifted 2011 models, with an average mileage and a full history, from an independent dealer, or a 2012/2013 model from a car supermarket. If you have £10,000 to £15,000 burning a hole in your pocket and desire a Touran you should be able to find a 2013 or 2014 car with a below average mileage from a franchised dealer.

The Touran's resale values are strong partly because of the kudos that the VW badge brings, but mainly because it's a versatile family car which should give many years of active service.

So it might not be as cheap to buy as you'd hope, but once you've bought a Touran it shouldn't cost the earth to run. Insurance ratings range from group 11 to 21 for the later models, and VW's impressive engine technology means fuel economy is good. The diesels are the best - although the early 1.9 actually only returned 47mpg - and, although the 2.0 matches that figure, it's the most expensive to insure. Later post-facelift models included the 1.2-litre petrol, which had a claimed average figure of 51.4mpg, and the popular 1.4-litre TFSI petrol that claimed 49.6mpg. However, it's the later diesels that are the star of the show for economy. The 1.6 TDI engine helped the Touran to a claimed average figure of 61.4mpg, a figure actually matched by later versions of the punchier 2.0 TDI diesel.

Surveys have shown the German firm's dealer network isn't as expensive as others when it comes to servicing, but you can always save money by visiting a specialist. VW parts are plentiful, as they're shared between many other models in the range.

First launched in 2003, the Touran originally had three petrol engines and a pair of diesels to choose from.

At launch, S was the basic trim level and came with electric front windows, twin front, side and curtain airbags, traction control, air-con, remote central locking and a CD player. SE trim added climate control and all-round electric windows, while Sport got alloy wheels and sports suspension.

The flagship Touran was the 170bhp version of the larger diesel and it was available with VW's impressive DSG automatic gearbox on SE and Sport. It's worth trying to find if you can afford it, but our pick of the ealry models is the 1.9-litre turbodiesel, which returns the best fuel economy.

The 2006 facelift introduced a host of detail and trim changes as well as the popular 1.4 TFSI petrol engine, replacing the 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol units. This smooth and refined performer was turbocharged and supercharged, and had plenty of punch and reasonable economy. The diesels were tweaked to make them more efficient at the same time. The 2010 facelift introduced the lively 1.2-litre TFSI petrol engine, with a claimed average economy of 51.4mpg. At the same time the diesels were uprated again, with the 1.6 TDI and 2.0 TDI now cleaner and producing better economy figures.

However, lurking over all of this is the spectre of the recent VW emissions scandal, and engines affected do feature in the Touran, notably the 1.6 and 2.0 TDI units, so it's worth checking to see if any fixing work has been carried out on the car you're thinking of buying.

By and large Tourans through the generations have stuck to S and SE as the first two trims, with Sport the top-spec in earlier models, and with SE Family, SEL and R-Line now used to identify the upmarket trims. S is a little too spartan for us, but SE, which in the latest versions adds auto lights and wipers and parking sensors, is a sensible option. Moving up a trim level, to SE Family in the latest cars, Sport in the earlier, usually brings with it sat-nav, an option we think worth having.

Our favourite Volkswagen Touran: 1.6 TDI 115 SE

For a time, the MPV sector was booming, and cars like the Touran seemed to be about to take over the world. Then, not long after, the SUV boom started, and buyers switched their affections to that class of car instead. However, in the interim period, there were plenty of rivals to the Touran launched.

The Citroen Grand C4 Picasso is a spacious and practical car with superb visibility, a commanding driving position and a range of punchy and economical engines. It's one of our favourite MPVs, even if its ride quality is a little below par, and the rear seats are fiddly to fold.

The Vauxhall Zafira Tourer has been around for some time, and the closely related Vauxhall Zafira even longer. The Tourer is the better drive, of the two, with a classy interior, decent space for its passengers and their luggage and it's also well built. Stacked against that, the middle-row seats are tricky to move and its rivals are cheaper to run. It's a good second-hand proposition, though, as there are many cheap cars now on the used market.

Cheaper rivals to the Touran include the Kia Carens, a bargain MPV with seven seats and a seven-year transferable warranty from new. Larger rivals include the Ford S-Max, a better car to drive than most MPVs, with a comfortable ride and room for seven, although it's higher used price and comparatively high CO2 emissions might count against it.

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