 In
the era of Ferdinand Piech, Volkswagen poured too much resources into
ambitious
plans like Phaeton, W12 supercar, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti.
This
sounded exciting to car enthusiasts, but did nothing good to
Volkswagen’s
own business. The most apparent is its failure to get on the trend of
MAC
(Multi-Activity Cars, or mini-MPV). For 7 long years since the debut of
Renault Scenic, Volkswagen did not have any products to compete in this
big-selling segment. This was not changed until the arrival of new boss
Bernd Pischetsrieder and Volkswagen Touran.
The Touran is the first car in Volkswagen group to use the new A5 platform, or more commonly known as "Golf V platform". The biggest advantage of this platform is the use of multi-link rear suspensions and a rigid bodyshell. Other new technologies include electric power steering, FSI direct injection gasoline engines, 16-valve diesel engine and 6-speed gearbox. Besides, the Touran also offers an optional third row of seats to make it a 7-seater. On paper, no other MAC can rival it. In real world, does it deliver what it promised? The Touran is actually a well engineered car. Its sophisticated suspensions give it good handling and ride. Its body control remains excellent on bumpy surfaces. Its terminal understeer suits the driving style of MAC drivers. Its steering is precise and well weighted, despite of lacking feel. It is rigid and tightly screwed together, although old customers will be disappointed that Volkswagen saves money by using many low-rent plastics in the cabin. Its diesel engines are strong and performance is class-leading. But in the end, the Touran fails to win hearts. The problem is its designers didn’t know what make people buy MAC. Look at its blend, boxy shape and you know why. The Touran is by no means fun to look. Enter the cabin and the disappointment is even greater - the dashboard design is dull, the plastics are gray, the ambience is dark. This is not a happy place for your family and kids to spend a weekend travelling. The designers also failed to make the third row of seats right. Access to there is difficult. Head and legroom is unbearable for adults, even for short journeys. The seat can be folded flat onto the luggage floor, but unfortunately you have to detach the headrests first. For comparison, Renault Scenic is cleverer. Its 7-seat version has a longer wheelbase to provide the necessary extra room. More
unfortunate to Touran is that Renault Scenic now offers a
higher-quality,
more expensive-feeling and far more desirable cabin. Volkswagen’s
products
used to shine in quality contest. Now no more in Touran.
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| The above report was last updated on 13 Dec 2003. All Rights Reserved. |