What's it like to drive?

Crowned What Car's Compact MPV of the year in 2005, the Volkswagen Touran thoroughly deserves the title. It's quick and nimble around town, smooth and speedy on the open road. It also goes exactly where you tell it to without making you grip the steering wheel so hard your knuckles go white. And good body control means your passengers won't be reaching for their sick bags, even on the most miniature of roundabouts. Try the petrol engines for smoothness, the diesel engines for power.

What's it like inside?

Volkswagen has opted for function over form inside the Touran: everything's in its proper place and easy to use, but it isn't the most flamboyantly fashionable of interiors. But what it lacks in looks, it makes up for in cubby holes with a full 39 interesting places to put things. There's space for big stuff, too: you can slide, fold or take out the spacious middle seats. Grown-ups can even hitch a lift in the back seats, but they won't thank you if it's a long journey. Fold them into the floor instead (the seats, not the grown-ups) and voila: a giant boot.

Will it break the bank?

The VW badge works wonders when it comes to selling secondhand and the Volkswagen Touran will do your purse proud: it's popular, so you'll get plenty of money back. You get respectable mileage to the gallon with the diesels but, unfortunately, no company car tax breaks. It's made of pretty tough stuff, too, so you can let the kids loose without fear of it being damaged. If you're up front, you get head and side airbags and there are curtain airbags which run the length of the cabin. You also get anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control. There's heaps of equipment, whichever model you choose: from air-con to fully adjustable driving position. Climb a few rungs up the range ladder and you can also have cruise and climate control.