Volkswagen Sharan – comfortable and compliant

ROAD TEST

There are journeys that can lull you into a sense of false security.

Like a trip to Aberdeen for instance.

The most common responses were ‘you’re not driving there, are you?’ and ‘don’t they do flights from John Lennon Airport?’

I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about, I’d driven to Scotland umpteen times and, true to form, we crossed the border in bang on two hours.

That’s when the time began to drag, and the stops became more predictable.

Stops for coffee, the toilet, fresh air, water/coffee/Coke, fuel, earplugs that actually worked, another pee – until a mere six hours and 47 minutes after setting off we arrived at said destination.

My immediate reaction was to announce I wouldn’t be taking that trip again, temporarily forgetting that there was the little matter of the return journey.

But then things could have been a lot worse. A few days earlier I was staring at the prospect of facing the same drive in a ritzy Street version of Volkwagen’s up! city car.

I don’t doubt we would have got there – with double the number of fuel stops and without any luggage.

Thankfully, Volkswagen came up with the latest version of its Sharan seven-seat people carrier, a model which has been in the vanguard of user-friendly MPVs for bang on 20 years.

Two attributes in particular stand out with the Sharan.

Firstly, like all Volkswagen products it is beautifully engineered – you can bank on its solid build, high quality materials and efficient engines.

And given that this is more family vehicle than airport hopper, it is well designed, easy to live with and durable.

Four engines are up for grabs – one petrol and three diesel, and the tested model featured the brand’s 2.0-litre TDI diesel with 140PS of punch and DSG automatic transmission.

Quite high revving in low gear around the suburbs the Sharan really comes into its own on faster roads and motorways, where I was able to average around 43mpg – half decent given the numbers and gear on board.

Smooth, comfortable and compliant, it kept the extremes of exhaustion at bay over its marathon return route.

If you need seven seats in place then don’t expect to cram much stuff behind them, but with the rear pair folded down there’s ample room to cram in a family’s suitcases and oddments.

VW’s EasyFold seating concept ensures the rearmost five tumble and flip with the minimum of fuss while access is both simple and safe courtesy of electrically siding doors.

Five trim grades are currently available, the tested model featuring the top level SEL which comes packed with upmarket goodies and useful technology.

Quiet and refined, the Sharan may be at the upper end of the price range among MPVs – the tab starts at £25,550 for a 1.4-litre petrol S model rising to £36,280 for a 2.0 184PS diesel SEL DSG version – but then you get what you pay for, and in the case of the Sharan that’s a lot.