THERE'S a kind of enduring conundrum as far as making seven-seat MPVs is concerned.

Does one go for space at all costs or is it better to compromise in pursuit of driving pleasure?

It's certainly a tricky one but the latest Volkswagen Sharan manages to sit on the fence somewhere between the two.

Interestingly it's the first all-new Sharan since the original version was launched back in 1995.

Thought it looks more compact than its predecessor, in part due to the familiar VW family nose, it is actually slightly longer and wider and it sits lower too.

The MPV market is an interesting one in that one might have imagined a trend for them to get ever bigger.

But in reality not that many manufacturers make the kind of veritable home on wheels where you can rearrange the seating to turn it into an approximation of your lounge if you so desire.

In truth the Sharan was never one of those truly cavernous people carriers of old, in the mould of the Chrysler Grand Voyage or Renault Grand Espace - vehicles that are out on their own in terms of maximising space and comfort.

Perhaps the fact a lot of manufacturers have been reluctant to compete with them is down to the emergence of all manner of seven-seat alternatives, from compact MPVs to adaptable SUVs.

It might also be due to customer demand for vehicles that drive less like a minibus and more like a car.

Whatever the case, the Sharan aims to squeeze as much as possible into its dimensions and does so reasonably well.

You can opt for either six or seven-seat versions and the rear seats all fold flat to create a van-like loading area.

Impressively even with all three rows in use it has a decent amount of boot space too, aided by a slightly sunken boot floor that enables you to get a surprising amount in.

The third row of seats doesn't offer quite as much comfort as the others but the amount of legroom is flexible and adjusted by moving the middle row seats forward.

This helps ensure the Sharan's third row still does a pretty good job of it.

I experienced them myself and they certainly weren't anything like the short-journey emergency or children-only seats one sometimes encounters.

There's certainly a decent amount of knee and legroom, even if they did lack the solid and permanent feel of the seats further forward.

The cabin feels big, open and airy and the sliding doors that helped to define the MPV genre are still a useful feature that makes getting in and out in tight spaces a breeze.

To drive the Sharan feels good. It's not quite up there with its Touran stable mate when it comes to driving dynamics, but conversely if offers far more space.

It certainly doesn't excite but for a vehicle of its size it handles as well as one could reasonably expect and rides nicely too.

The proven 2.0-litre diesel engine does a good job of powering it along, my test car featuring the lower powered 140bhp variant, which also returns an impressive 50mpg on the combined cycle.

Overall it's a commendable and versatile family car, with a smart and well-finished interior and an enviable 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Unfortunately I had occasion to call on its protective prowess when a distracted driver collided with me while I was negotiating a roundabout.