VW Tiguan: 7,939 miles

The last few weeks have seen our VW Tiguan carry pretty much everything, including a kitchen sink!

Firstly, it was off to the picturesque Anglesey Circuit in North Wales for the photoshoot for our upcoming Performance Car of the Year Special Issue.

It’s one of the highlights of the road test year, but it’s also incredibly hard work, with changeable weather, early starts and late finishes ensuring huge appetites all round. And it fell to me to keep the 11 Auto Express staffers fed and watered.

While we didn’t need the kitchen sink, the VW was responsible for transporting the kit required, including a barbecue, lots of food and plenty of cleaning equipment for the 20 cars that were being put through their paces.

It swallowed that load with ease, and even returned more than 40mpg on the trip north west. Five hours in any car is a stretch, but the Tiguan proved a comfortable and stress-free companion, and the air-cooled glovebox was a boon –keeping my supply of chocolate from melting! The other big event that helped to cement the Tiguan’s place in my affections was the Cancer Research Race for Life five-kilometre run at Kempton Park, Surrey.I was spurred on to enter after a family member was diagnosed with cancer, but I didn’t want to race on my own, so I got some family and friends to join me.

With the weather forecast looking good, I packed a picnic for 20 or so people. The VW’s tall load area was put to the test again as it was filled with cool boxes, rugs, tarpaulins and all manner of other outdoor eating paraphernalia. It looked as though we were on the way to a wedding as we tied pink ribbons on anything we could for our drive to Kempton, and with plenty of rear legroom, the Tiguan provided comfortable transport for five adults.

I’m chuffed to say I finished the race, and raised nearly £1,000 in the process. You can still help to boost that figure by making a pledge online (raceforlifesponsorme.org/lesleyharris5) – but while I’m still recovering, the Tiguan hasn’t even broken into a sweat.