By Patrick James on 2011-06-12 - The author has been a motoring writer for more than 16 years. Formerly motoring editor at the Coventry Telegraph, he now produces motoring copy, on new car launches and road tests on a freelance basis.
Volkswagen Sharan SE
2.0 litre TDI 140PS
THE German always like to try and build on perfection.
Well the original Sharan, which first hit the roads in 1995, may not have been perfect, but 600,000 sales since then show that it has been pretty popular.
The big people carrier has always been a stylish and practical vehicle that came onto the market to take on the likes of the dominant Renault Espace.
But in true German style, they decided when the time came for a facelift, this would be no minor makeover and the Sharan was revamped from bumper to tailpipe.
It is now wider and longer, but less tall which accentuates a sportier profile while reducing drag. It is also 30kg lighter for better economy.
It is a practical vehicle that can transport seven adults, although the small rearmost seats in the third row would only be comfortable for adults over short distances.
It is on the pricey side compared to some competitors, but is well equipped and will almost certainly have good residual value.
To transport that many people and luggage requires an efficient engine and gearbox plus a decent ride and the Sharan has excellent pulling power with the two-litre, 140bhp diesel, while the ride is firm, but comfortable.
It still feels stable on corners, meaning occupants aren't wallowing all over the shop.
It is also extremely economical thanks to VW's energy saving Bluemotion Technology which includes stop/go and battery regeneration technology to help produce a claimed 50mpg and low CO2 emissions of 146g/km
It pulls well in all gears while the six-speed gearbox is slick and precise.
All Sharans have seven seats as standard. The centre row features three individual seats that can be moved by up to 160mm back and forth if required and, when not in use, can be easily folded to create a flat loadspace, as do the two rear seats. Clever, but I found the Peugeot 5008 simpler to use.
There are sliding rear doors for ease of access, with the option of electric operation.
Stowage space is obviously limited with all seven seats in place to 375 litres, but this increases incrementally as first the third row and then the second row are folded away.
This allows for a massive 2,297 litres of space and an optional cargo management system net means stuff can be packed to the full height safely.
On top of this there are large cup/bottleolders, side pockets, overhead compartments, underseat drawers and other stowage compartments so necessary when transporting a large family.
Exterior styling incorporates what VW describe as the modern horizontal line DNA of its vehicle range while the car has a dynamic look not normally associated with people carriers.
It has striking dual headlamps with narrow grille and large air scoop below. At the rear there is a deep tailgate for easy access plus a roof edge spoiler as well as large, stylish light clusters.
The interior is traditional VW with the horizontal line theme continued with the layout of the instrumentation.
It features a sculpted dash where the main dials and controls are laid out in a neat and logical fashion and the soft touch materials feel both classy and hardwearing. Everything, in typical VW fashion, feels well screwed together.
Safety is a primary concern to drivers of people carriers safety kit includes ABS, ESP stability programme and nine airbags, including a driver's kneebag.
The standard model is well equipped with the usual electric goodoes, but the SE includes climate control, DAB sound system, parking brake with auto hold, multi-function steering wheel, cruise control, auto dimming rear mirror with rain sensor,and parking sensors to name a few.
Four trim levels are available - S, SE, SEL and an Executive version with six seats, aimed at the business market.
Volkswagen Sharan SE 2.0 litre TDI 140PS
Price: £26,970
Mechanical: 138bhp, 1,968,cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox
Max Speed: 121mph
0-62mph: 12 seconds
Combined MPG: 50.4
Insurance Group: 18
C02 emissions: 146g/km
Bik rating: 22%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles
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