The Essentials

• Price from £18,920
• What Car? says:
• Fuel economy: up to 61.4mpg
• What is it? The boxy looks may not set hearts a-flutter, but for practical family transport, the VW Touran is a safe bet. Your parents would approve.

• Drive

  Good enough to (almost) make you forget you're in an MPV. Perfect for relaxed family touring

• Inside

  A triumph of practicality over style. Everything is just where you'd want to find it - unless you're looking for the glamorous design award

• Safety

  Stability control is standard, along with ISOFIX child-seat fittings; basic models miss out on an alarm

• Reliability

  Built with family use in mind, however VW hasn't shone in recent reliability surveys

• Space

  It's your choice: seven passengers with clutch bags or five on board and a massive boot for their kit

• Standard and extras

  All have air-con, cruise control and alloy wheels but wed upgrade to add Bluetooth and steering-wheel mounted controls

• What's it like to drive?

  For a relaxed and comfortable cruiser, you need look no farther. If it's spine-tingling thrills you want, bad luck. The Touran feels car-like to drive and there's not a bad engine on offer. The 1.2 TSI Bluemotion is a good bet for keeping costs down but if you cover a lot of miles the 1.6 diesel comes in two strengths - depending whether you carry handbags or haulage. Passengers will be grateful for the car's poise around corners and the smooth, quiet way it goes about its business.

• What's it like inside?

  Like a pair of sensible shoes, the VW Touran is comfortable, practical and built to last but unlikely to draw admiring glances. All shapes and sizes should find enough adjustment to get comfortable at the wheel, and all round visibility is excellent. The controls couldn't be simpler and everything feels solid and smart. It's versatile, with three sliding, removable seats in the middle row and two that fold up out of the boot. These two are best for children, however, and with seven-up there's not much room for luggage. There are three trim levels  S, SE and Sport. Even the cheapest (S) models come with air-conditioning, alloy wheels, four electric windows and cruise control. Extras on SE and Sport models include automatic headlights and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, a USB input socket and VW's Park Assist system.

• How reliable is it?

  Owners rated the Touran above average for mechanical reliability in the latest JD Power customer satisfaction survey, however they weren't so impressed with the service from dealers. Safety kit is good, with stability control and front, side and curtain airbags fitted as standard  although these don't protect passengers in the back row. The Touran scored the maximum five stars for adult safety when tested by Euro NCAP, as did the similarly priced Citroen C4 Picasso.

• Should I buy one?

  You can spend a lot on a high-end Touran, but the more basic models are sound buys, even if resale values aren't particularly strong by VW standards. Every version has respectable fuel economy and CO2 emissions, but just remember that a Pegueot 5008 costs about the same and is much more practical.