Volkswagen Sharan Diesel 2.0 TDI

The perfect MPV. Period. Read on to find out why...

Everytime I take a Volkswagen Sharan out, it never fails to impress the people I show it to. Few things often stand out:

• It looks good - most of my friends will readily admit that it's a handsome looking MPV.
• Sliding doors are cool - the doors always kick off a conversation on how they're more convenient when parking in tight spaces.

• The multiple controls for the doors are even cooler - you can operate the doors from inside the B-pillar, on the front console, and even the key fob.
• It's powerful - those who have the time to go a spin with me usually go "Waaahhh! So big but so fast!?"

That would have summed up my review actually. Except that the Sharan I was talking about up there is the petrol version. What I'm testing today is the diesel, and boy do I have another list of goodies to share with you.

I'll keep this review simple and straightforward; you won't find another MPV out there that can deliver so much on a plate. Aside from the already great points mentioned earlier, I'll add another five more points, and that'll be the end of my review.

1. It's so roomy. You can fit five adults and three kids in there. Easily. The boot is reasonably spacious even with all the seats up. But with the last row folded down, you can have a picnic at the beach without getting out of the car!

2. It loves kids. Kids love the Sharan too! A huge panoramic roof lets light in and is perfect for a drive down Orchard Road during the Christmas season. It never fails to get the little ones all excited. The middle row in our test car has the integrated child seat configuration too. All you have to do is pull a latch, and the base of the seat goes a step up and clicks firmly onto the back of the seat. The headrest can be swapped for a matching leather bolstered version as well. This can be specced for the two outer seats on the middle row.

3. It loves the earth. Despite being a large car, the Sharan has a low CO2 emission of 154 g/km. As an MPV, it has the potential to move a larger load and more people on every trip, compared to a coupe or a sedan.

4. It's easy on your pocket. With 174 bhp and a massive 380 Nm of torque, you\'re never short of power. Yet, even after having fun driving the car hard, the needle on the fuel gauge would have hardly moved.

5. It's packed with tech. Equipped with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), the Sharan will allow you to choose between Comfort, Normal and Sport damper settings. The gearbox is a robust 6-speed DSG unit with paddle shifters, the doors are electronically operated and have an anti-pinch safety feature, and it's got a whole lot more of other features that deserve a closer look in person.

Lest our readers accuse me of hard selling the Sharan, I\'d have to say that it\'s not the perfect car. But it is the perfect MPV.