Review of the new Volkswagen Touran 1.4 TSI

Ruining a perfectly decent MPV is really rather easy. All you need to do is to specify it with the smallest petrol engine available and you'll be treated to a car that can't pull its weight up hills, will leave you in cold sweats as you line up at a busy roundabout and which will consume juice at a rate that belies its modest engine capacity. That's the received wisdom anyway. Unfortunately nobody chose to tell Volkswagen have a 1.4-litre Touran on their books that's well worth your attention. Equipped with both a supercharger and a turbocharger, the Touran TSI is good for 140bhp yet returns excellent economy and low emissions. It's almost too clever for its own good.

I'm guessing you're a little cynical about this engine. I was before I drove it. My line of reasoning was that it sounded a good idea on paper but couldn't possibly live up to Volkswagen's hype. After driving it, I have to admit it's something very special, albeit with the slight reservation that this is a very good idea looking for a market. The reason is that the supercharger and turbocharger double act doesn't provide the efficiency advantages on engines much larger than 1.4-litres when so-called parasitic losses increase markedly. It's also difficult to justify the expense of fitting them to smaller engines destined for budget cars as well, so the scope of TSI technology is, for the time being at least, somewhat limited. Perhaps that's why other companies in the Volkswagen empire such as Skoda, SEAT and Audi have passed on using it.

Although it's not a solution that will suit all cars, it does a very good job in the Touran. A 170bhp version of this engine is fitted to the Golf GT and may eventually find its way into Volkswagen's efficient midsize people carrier, but even with 140bhp on tap, the figures are impressive. With a top speed of 111mph and a sprint to 60mph of 9.5 seconds, the Touran TSI isn't about to detach anybody's retinas but that's pretty brisk for a mini MPV, with peak power chiming in at a heady 5,600rpm with a redline way up at 7,500rpm. What's more, the engine pulls all the way to the rev limiter. Accelerate hard from a standing start and you'll hear the moment the supercharger gives way to the turbo at around 4,500rpm but there's precious little change in the linearity of the acceleration.

"Small, powerful and inexpensive are three very solid foundations for any engine and the Touran's TSI unit ticks all three boxes"

Volkswagen has worked hard to tune the sound of the Touran's two forced induction systems so that the acoustic signature isn't too strident and the Roots supercharger is housed in an insulated jacket to reduce the trademark whining sound. A good deal quicker than the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol engine, the 1.4 TSI also returns far better fuel figures. Around town it'll manage around 29.1mpg while on a run that figure will extend to over 48mpg. A realistic average is around 38mpg. On a variety of test routes, I managed 35mpg, although that did include one section where the road opened beautifully and pedal was acquainted with metal rather frequently.

Although the 1,478kg Touran is quite a mission to haul about, virtually all of the 220Nm of torque chimes in from as low as 1,750rpm so it never feels slow off the mark. The effervescent feel of the engine at the upper reaches is infectious and the smooth six-speed box is an able companion for getting the best out of it.

Offered in SE trim at £18,445, the Touran TSI might at first seem rather expensive but judge it on its capabilities rather than its engine capacity. It looks set to be a success for business users who'll appreciate the downsizing possibilities as well as the modest 180g/km carbon dioxide emissions.

If you do chop in a Passat to get a Touran, it hardly feels as if you're roughing it. The SE trim level includes standard safety features such as driver and front passenger airbags, side impact airbags and curtain airbags. Volkswagen's Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and ABS brakes keep the Touran on the straight and narrow and 16-inch alloy wheels enhance the exterior. The SE package is completed with electric windows and a radio/CD player with eight speakers.

The latest Touran also benefits from a far racier look than the original. A facelift restyled the front and rear lowering the car visually and creating a more dynamic appearance. Inside, the trim materials have been refreshed with a stainless steel finish for the dials being particularly fetching.

The Touran's seating system is certainly flexible. The rearmost pair of seats, whilst only really suitable for kiddies, can fold flat into the floor which means that for most of the time, you'll have an easily accessible and spacious luggage bay. You can even fold the middle seat of the middle row, making a four seater that can transport long items like skis with supreme ease. All three of the middle seats slide backwards and forwards on separate runners. Quick release levers take care of seat removal and it's good to see seats that don't weigh a tonne. With 39 separate storage areas around the cabin, you may need to make a mental checklist of what you left where. Included in that number are under seat trays to keep valuables out of sight, three fold-down roof mounted cubbies, a rear under floor bin and more cup holders than the Barcelona FC trophy room.

For many customers, a diesel Volkswagen Touran will always be a better bet but if you enjoy the character of a very good petrol engine but don't like the accompanying bills, the 1.4-litre TSI unit is a decent alternative. The trouble is, how many such customers buy Volkswagen Tourans? A slight oddity but nonetheless very interesting, the Touran TSI could be the answer to a question you never thought to ask.

TOP 5 TOURAN DEALS

The results below show the top TOURAN deals on buyacar

Volkswagen Touran 1.6 TDI 105 SE 5dr DSG Diesel Estate
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