Touran New VW Touran And Sharan (spy pics & info)

[Giannis]

The BMW really is a messy design, the VW is crisp and sharp, nicely detailed without all the silly bits BMW has added to their family box on wheels.

Why so much hate?

I don't like the 2er AT either, but I'm not that bitter.

I really can't understand why you put out so much repulsion!

 

[tristatez28lt1]

If I was in need of a small van, this would be my choice. Love it!

 

[KiwiRob]

Why so much hate?

I don't like the 2er AT either, but I'm not that bitter.

I really can't understand why you put out so much repulsion!

I would call it constructive criticism not hate. As a design the BMW is a mess, the VW is not, I can't be any clearer than that.

 

[Busty]

The 2er GT is really a mess, much worse than the AT which is acceptable in the right color and with the right rims.

What I really don't get (beyond many other aspects of the car) is why BMW chose this A-pillar shape. It is the biggest stylistic problem of the car since it is too flat. It is already disturbing in the AT but in the GT with its extremely steep rear, it destroys everything. They just shouldn't have tried so desperately to make it look 'dynamic' and like an RWD.

The Touran facelift is very fine inside and outside (though my favorite micro van still is the Sportsvan). The HMI, however, still is a shame.

 

[klier]

I would call it constructive criticism not hate.

lol

What I really don't get (beyond many other aspects of the car) is why BMW chose this A-pillar shape. It is the biggest stylistic problem of the car since it is too flat.

Interesting....never noticed this, but it indeed appears to be a huge part of the awkward shape. Couldn't quite put my finger on it because I am no Van expert like KiwiRob.

 

[KiwiRob]

lol
Couldn't quite put my finger on it because I am no Van expert like KiwiRob.

If you've ever lucky enough to have a girlfriend and multiple children you become a van expert, not by choice, by necessity.

 

[Giannis]

If you've ever lucky enough to have a girlfriend and multiple children you become a van expert, not by choice, by necessity.

You know, children have managed to grow perfectly fine and become successful adults, even though they were transported in VW Beetles and other cars of similar size.

A van is not a necessity. Van is just a choice.

 

[EnI]

When Golf Sportsvan came out I was an instant fan.

I loved the clean sharp lines. Until I've seen the car IRL. It's so bland your eyes start to hurt, seriously! It's a completely mousy & flat design. Especially in gray or silver.

And a few weeks back I got one as a loaner - and I was completely disappointed. The interior felt plasticly, the ride was rather harsh & there was quite some noise from suspension, although the engine (1.4 TSI) noise was adequately silenced in the cabin. The engine also wasn't as responsive in low-revs as I expected from it to be. Sportsvan definitely isn't on the same level as the regular Golf. I even got a feeling the GF's pre-facelift Polo is much more cozy in every aspect (except engine noise in the cabin).

So, if Sportsvan is in any way an indication what Touran is going to be ... Then don't expect too much. Especially not from the "clean sharp lines". Since they are utterly boring IRL.

2er AT isn't a looker either but at least in light colors it looks much more exciting. Not to mention the cabin atmosphere which is levels higher than the one in Sportsvan. And since 2er GT is just a derivative of 2er AT the cabin is more or less the same ... so I guess Touran will come closer to that.

Regarding practicality ... BMW has never offer the same one as econobrands ... And it will probably never will. So, yes, when your primary criteria is practicality, then I guess you should look beyond BMW Group products. Those "more practical" by BMW & MINI are actually more practical when compared intrabrand not so much interbrand.

 

[KiwiRob]

You know, children have managed to grow perfectly fine and become successful adults, even though they were transported in VW Beetles and other cars of similar size.

A van is not a necessity. Van is just a choice.

Maybe when you live in a country like Greece you can get away with not having your kids in car seats, fortunately Norway is not like this. In Norway the authourities can and will remove childen from their parents care if they aren't in approved carseats, plus the fines run to thousands of NOK and loss of license.

I had to buy a van because I could not find a stationwagon in Norway large enough to fit a baby capsule, car seat and booster seat. If we hadn't had a third child I would not have had to trade my beloved V70 in on a Touran.

Now I am van free, I only have one child in a car seat and another in a booster, the third is big enough not to need a booster, so back to a large wagon, this time an A6 Avant.

 

[Rainer271]

^It's almost impossible to find a sedan/stationwagon with a rearseat which is wide enough for three car seats.
But maybe Giannis doesn't referred his post to families with three or more children.
There are parents which need with one child a stationwagon and with two kids already a van offers almost to less space.
Referred to such parents I agree with Giannis post.
But on the other hand the law today referred to children safety is an absolute other one than in my childhood in the 70s. And this is good.

 

[Giannis]

Maybe when you live in a country like Greece you can get away with not having your kids in car seats, fortunately Norway is not like this. In Norway the authourities can and will remove childen from their parents care if they aren't in approved carseats, plus the fines run to thousands of NOK and loss of license.

I had to buy a van because I could not find a stationwagon in Norway large enough to fit a baby capsule, car seat and booster seat. If we hadn't had a third child I would not have had to trade my beloved V70 in on a Touran.

Now I am van free, I only have one child in a car seat and another in a booster, the third is big enough not to need a booster, so back to a large wagon, this time an A6 Avant.

We don't live in anarchy, here, you know

I can understand that having to fit 3 child seats can be a tough job. My S60 only fits two of them. But a good friend of mine managed to transport his three children safely with all the required seatery in the back of a 2005 Saab 9-3, up until a year ago, that he went down to having only two seats.

I don't know, what your experiences are, but I suggest you calm down your reactions a bit. You don't need to crucify everyone who isn't driving a van yet.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Maybe when you live in a country like Greece you can get away with not having your kids in car seats

What exactly is a "country like Greece"?

If you'd said "maybe in Greece it's different", then I'd accept it.

What a stupid comment.

 

[KiwiRob]

I don't know, what your experiences are, but I suggest you calm down your reactions a bit. You don't need to crucify everyone who isn't driving a van yet.

I'm not crucifying anyone, I think you're having a lauguage issue and probably don't fully understand the nueances of written English.

My experiences are relevant to this topic, I have three children, I needed a vehicle which was capable to carrying three children in car seats, two of the car seats were ISO-FIX, I doubt your friends 9-3 could take two ISO-FIX seats and a booster in the back seats, especially if my larger 2009 V70 couldn't, at the time I also looked at A6, 5 Series, E Class, Octavia, X3, Q5 and GLK, none could do the job, I tested my car seats in pretty much everything I could. Touran worked, as did Sharan, S-Max, Galaxy, strangely enough the 5008 couldn't, and neither could X5 and ML. The Mercedes R Class would have been top of my pick list if I could afford it, as a family hauler R Class is tough to beat; the interior is well designed, perfect for families.

 

[KiwiRob]

What exactly is a "country like Greece"?

If you'd said "maybe in Greece it's different", then I'd accept it.

What a stupid comment.

I think you know what I mean, a country where rules aren't followed to the letter, unlike Norway.

We rented a car in Greece a couple of years ago, when I booked it I requested child seats, when we turned up at the Avis counter the agent said they didn't have any child seats available, he said my wife could hold the baby and the two boys are big enough not to need car seats (they were 3 & 6 at the time). If we were stopped by the police a few EUR should sort out any problems.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

I'm not crucifying anyone, I think you're having a lauguage issue and probably don't fully understand the nueances of written English.

And his spelling? Because you seem to be struggling with that.

I think you know what I mean, a country where rules aren't followed to the letter, unlike Norway.

Yes, but there are better ways of putting it across. It's one thing to ask if there is a general culture of ignoring laws in Greece, but entirely different to say "country like Greece".

 

[Giannis]

We rented a car in Greece a couple of years ago, when I booked it I requested child seats, when we turned up at the Avis counter the agent said they didn't have any child seats available, he said my wife could hold the baby and the two boys are big enough not to need car seats (they were 3 & 6 at the time). If we were stopped by the police a few EUR should sort out any problems.

As I am borderline both offended and enraged, I'll only tell you this:

AVIS is not a greek company. It's an international one, and it's not a country's fault if an international company's subsidiary is not working in the same standards as in other countries. Greece is not to blame for AVIS' behaviour towards you.

I guarantee you that bribing a police officer won't get you out of a fine. Bribing the police is not a part of the general greek mentality. And most traffic violations, like running through a stop sign or a red traffic light, or improper child seats (I checked that one now) result in fines that are well above the minimum wage. A few EUR, thus, won't sort out any problems.

That said, I hope this marks the end of this conversation.

 

[Laurent T]

Back to the Touran itself... has anybody seen a review of the TDI 190 or had a chance to drive it ? Haven't been able to find much about it.
Thinking about buying a Touran and having a hard time to define engine choice : TDI 150 tested on Goldf did not convince me fully, will try the TSI 150 but no opportynity to evaluate the biggest one...

 

[Laurent T]

I know limited number of people are interested here in this kind of car, but bought the Touran TSI 150, manual gearbox.
After 1500km, some thoughts :
- engine is the minimum for this car. It behaves well but doesn't have a big punch.
- very comfortable car with adaptative damping.
- advanced safety/comfort systems work well : adaptative cruise control is a real plus on long drives, it makes for a much smoother drive and limits tiredness / dynamic lights is great : to be able to use high beam on a two lanes road (of course, not with continuous trafic in front) is so cool (and it's fun to see the light beam changing depending on trafic). The system works very well, nobody flashed its light to complain.
So far, happy with this new acquisition.