Volkswagen Touran hands-on experience – AutoWeek

Although Volkswagen was late in introducing the Touran, 47,933 copies of it were sold in our country during its existence. Some of them did not go to respectable families, but had to put up with a different kind of scoundrel in the backseat. After all, the Volkswagen Touran was police transport. This applies to the first and second generations. As flexible as the car was, the range of engines was also diverse. You can get it with the well-known TSI petrol engines and TDI diesel engines, with or without a DSG automatic transmission.

Space and ease of use

The next driver switched from a Golf Plus with a very small boot, he said. He sees Turan as a breath of fresh air. “With two teenagers, this is an ideal family and IKEA car. “A large suitcase, high seat and flat seats in the back that can fit two bikes.”

Not only is the car suitable for bicycles, livestock also seem to find a good place there. “In terms of space, it's also a joy for kids. Thanks to the three separate seats, there's no problem with three seats in a row (including high chairs) and the largest seat is no longer stuck in the middle. Otherwise there's room in the third row,” he wrote. Driver of a late Touran 1.5 TSI from 2019. “Two seats in the third row are good and comfortable,” wrote the driver of a Touran 1.4 TSI from 2019. 2016, “Already used it to take friends to swimming lessons.” You pay for this flexibility “Please note that this makes the trunk smaller, even when folded it provides an 'extra bottom' in the trunk.”

“I'm still happy with the space in the car, especially on the back seat and in the trunk, and the fact that the car is quite quiet,” says the largely satisfied driver of the 2017 Touran 1.2 TSI. The car is at fault in his opinion. “There is no glasses compartment in the interior mirror, only a drawer under the passenger seat, no double floor for the rear passengers, in the luggage compartment there is only a box above the left rear wheel.”

Comfortable to sit and operate

If we look at the additional interior experience, we see that users spend a few words on the chairs. A rider who does just that writes: “I think the seating position and comfort are simply wonderful.” The driver of the 2016 Touran Highline has Ergo Active seats and is happy with them, too. “Good seats/good driving position!” he writes enthusiastically. The same applies to operation, including the infotainment system. “If everything works, the infotainment system will be easy to use, and all the other options also work well/simply.” At the same time, you realize that the system does not always work correctly. More on that later. It's also possible to use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via App Connect. “The last drawback: the app connection is not activated. It costs about 400 euros at the dealer… yay…”, answers a puzzled used car buyer.

Road behavior and driving movements

The driver of the 2016 Touran 1.4 TSI Highline, equipped with a DSG automatic transmission, has high praise for his multi-purpose vehicle. “We've had the car now for a year and a half. It's still very comfortable, quiet and kid-friendly. I regularly drive other cars or rent cars, but have never had a better experience (including the Audi A6 and Q5).” However, he finds the throttle response outstanding. “The car sometimes reacts a little erratically to the gas at low speeds. It slowly accelerates in two, more gas, and then quickly accelerates forward.

The Comfortline rider mentions the same phenomenon. “The accelerator pedal seems to respond sometimes a little slowly, but if you press it hard, it's very quick. This probably takes some getting used to. He's very satisfied with the 1.4 TSI and DSG automatic transmissions. “The automatic responds well and seems to He does his job well. I'm underestimating a 150bhp engine, and the overtaking is really nice! We're glad we didn't opt ​​for the 110-hp model.

Our former Golf Plus driver pits the Touran against his own benchmarks. “The car steers somewhat lightly and has a stiffer suspension than the Golf,” is the conclusion. “The Touran drives very quietly and smoothly, but it's also light and a bit numb. When the kids leave the house, I drive lower to feel more connected to the road.

Maintenance, malfunctions and irritations

So far, the Touran has been a good all-rounder and does its job without getting in anyone's way. This picture changes somewhat when we look at the problems. “At 3,500 km, I felt the first hesitation in the engine when accelerating on the highway,” wrote the driver of the Touran 2.0 TDI. “A few days later, the warning light remained on after starting and the vehicle's engine power was reduced. Restarting or warming up did not seem to help. Roadside Assistance analyzed a malfunction of the No. 4 injector…” After replacing all four injectors, the vehicle was back in operation Correctly again.

The driver of a 2016 Touran 1.6 TDI Comfortline Business also had starting problems. “The adaptive cruise control system has been faulty since the beginning of this week, and the vehicle is less than two weeks old,” he wrote. This issue was eventually resolved after a number of dealer visits. Vibration has also been resolved. We hear nothing from this rider who has traveled between 10,000 and 214,660 kilometers until it is time to say goodbye. “We had to say goodbye last month after the rental company decided not to carry out the 210,000 km service due to very high costs. 4x brake disc, timing belt, water pump and compression kit for the DSG gearbox. Just spare parts wear out, but yes also a disadvantage of renting… They decide.” The car appears to have an average weight of two tons.

One of the drivers we mentioned earlier reported a malfunction in the infotainment system. “Navigation problems still exist,” he writes after more than 25 thousand kilometers. “Two traders cannot resolve the message 'No location data available' in the on-board computer.” There is another problem that is less serious and can be solved. “The door seal on the right rear door was removed and replaced under warranty.”

The image that emerges of the Touran is one of a car that does what you expect it to do. It's not sexy, but it convinces with its space and flexibility – although it doesn't have as many storage compartments as some rivals. According to the owners, the “truck” drives very well, but it is a bit numb and the 1.4 TSI engine, with DSG automatic transmission, reacts to turns with the accelerator pedal. “In terms of space, the Touran is the best car,” says one of our drivers. “Unfortunately, Volkswagen is no longer available in the Netherlands, so I had to look for another car.” Skoda became Kodiaq.