Volkswagen Touran - best 7-seater cars

No one could accuse Volkswagen of breaking the mould with the Touran – it’s unashamedly put function over form in its pursuit of being a practical family MPV. The smaller brother to the Volkswagen Sharan, it does without the sliding doors of that car, but still has plenty to recommend it.

The dull styling of the Touran hides a very practical interior. People in the third row get the rough end of the stick, but the middle row slides forward to give adequate, if not spectacular, legroom. Still, the boxy design ensures large windows all round, so every occupant should get a decent view out. Fold down the rear seats and there’s ample space for luggage – and the addition of a fold-flat front passenger seat allows really long loads to be carried.

While entry-level S models are pretty basic, most will step up to SE trim which covers all the essentials – air-conditioning, alloy wheels, and front and rear parking sensors all make this a more comfortable car to live with. There’s the option of a panoramic sunroof, but if you opt for that you’ll lose two handy roof-mounted storage bins. That’s not too much of a hardship, though, as the Touran has ample cubby spaces for all manner of family-related clutter.

The Volkswagen Touran is based on the versatile MQB platform – the same platform that underpins the Golf as well as a variety of other VW Group cars. This endows it with safe and secure, albeit dull, handling but also allows a wide array of petrol and diesel engines to be fitted. All Tourans are economical, though.