phaeton

What's new?

Not a lot. I think you'd call this finessing. There aren't huge changes to the facelifted Touran – which went on sale in the UK last week – but there have been plenty of detail tweaks to Volkswagen's five- or seven-seat compact MPV.
Visual newness stretches to new, Eos-esque headlights and chrome grille surround, different tail-lights and new bumpers front and rear. Inside, surfaces have been upgraded and switches tidied. There's steel finishing on the dials and a metallic finish to the centre console.

What's it like?

It all looks and feels pretty good, really, but the rearmost chairs (a no-cost option) are a bind to get into and short on space for all but small kids.
From spring, you'll be able to add extra protection for the Touran's new bumpers with the Park Assist system. Letting the car guide you into parallel parking spaces is an odd feeling but from our experience of it abroad, it works.
Elsewhere, the ESP/ABS has been modified to supply counter-steering – a short twitch through the wheel if it thinks some corrective lock is needed. If the system kicks in under hard mid-corner braking, Volkswagen reckons stopping distances can be reduced by up to 10 per cent.
Otherwise there are no chassis changes, so the Touran remains a respectable enough drive. The 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel in our test car was a responsive, quiet thing, mated to a slick-shifting manual gearbox. The electric power steering was light and accurate, the ride fine and refinement generally good.
Should I buy one?

Yes, if you’re after a sensible family car. But if you're looking for dynamism or tactile interaction, look elsewhere. This is pure car-as-transport worthiness.

Matt Prior
First drive data

How much?

• Price when new£19,920
• Price as tested£19,290

How fast?

• 0-62 mph10.6 sec
• Max speed122 mph

How big?

• Weight1561 kg

How thirsty?

• Combined46.3 mpg
• CO2 emissions159 g/km

Engine

• Layout4 , 1968 cc
• Max power138 bhp at 4000 rpm
• Max torque236 lb ft at 1750 rpm

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cawimmer430

phaeton

No Tourans here, we get the Caddy Life instead.

VW never had TDIs here in Australia but with German mastermind Jutta Dierks VGA Managing Director, Jutta's turned sales around and VW made the it in the Top Ten last year selling 21K vehicles, in 2000 it was 8k, in 1990 it was 800.

So since VW took control of ops in 2001 VW have been on a high and have sparked a diesel revolution with TDI

Imhotep Evil

Stylish ?!

NarutoRamen

HA HA HA....thats exactly what I thought...LOL

cawimmer430

Good news indeed.

Is this what your Australian VW Caddy Life looks like?

phaeton

Yes thats the one, unfortunately we don't get the Colour Concept China does

cawimmer430

Weird though. Why is VW offering THIS and not the Touran?

phaeton

Price most likely & mini MPVs don't really sell well here

Yannis

For a MPV it's a stylish car indeed.