Now with sharper lines, the new German compact MPV looks all set to VW-room!

Photos: Low Fai Ming

Compact MPV's have evolved. Some carry loud racing stickers, huge downforce wings and LEDs in places where you wouldn't expect to find them. For the Touran's makeover, the new model mirrors the same design language that VW graced it's Polo, Golf and new Scirocco, receiving a new bonnet, front bumper, new wing mirrors, rear lights and a restyled tailgate and bumper.

The Touran looks like a enlarged Polo/Golf as a result. Still, you'll find that it's tall stance gives you a commanding view out of the big windows around the cabin. Inside, we find the same flexible seating arrangement. The front passenger seat flips down flat, followed by the three seats in the middle that fold, roll and can be completely removed. They’re heavy, so it would be a better idea to leave them in the car instead of home. There are three metal bars that prop the seats up against the front row.

The rear seats will only seat two, at a pinch. Kids would be fine there, or adults on a short hop across town. If you don't need them, they stow neatly into the floor for a generous boot that is enough for almost everyday cargo duty. With all seats up though, it'll probably just be enough for a weekend grocery run, or a medium-sized pooch.

Fresh new trim pieces in the cabin are plenty even if you go for the base-spec Touran. It’s a no-nonsense-German-simplicity affair and filled with storage pockets throughout, such as those in every door panel, on the ceiling, and under the boot. It feels tightly stitched together too: None of the trim pieces fell apart despite us using it as a quick “home mover” vehicle.

There is also plenty of safety equipment in the base model: Head and side airbags for the front, curtain airbags that cover the first two rows, anti-lock brakes, electronic differential lock and electronic stability control are also standard for both Touran variants.

There are two petrol engines options in Singapore, the 1.4 litre TSI Twincharged (super- and turbo- charged) engine that we tested, delivering 140 bhp and 220Nm of torque, or the Sport variant that has 30 extra horses, 20Nm more torque and additional accessories such as GPS navigation, heated front seats with lumbar support and folding tables on the back of the front seats, just to name a few.

What interests us however is how fast it goes, with VW constantly pointing out the Touran's sporty appeal to the family man. Despite having only 140bhp, it feels more powerful than it is, since the torque comes on strongly from a low 1,250rpm to 4,000rpm (1,500rpm to 4,500rpm in the Sport). The Touran’s ride is slightly firm at low speeds, but the trade-off is that it doesn't roll around fast corners as much as you would expect from a high-riding MPV. It's surprisingly nimble and responsive to inputs too, though it would be better if the steering had more weight and better feedback from the road at higher speeds.

If you do follow our Facebook page, you would have seen pictures of our fully utilised Touran filled to the brim, and despite the additional weight it had to lug around, the engine, coupled with the quick-shifting 7-speed DSG gearbox could reach expressway speed limits easily without pushing hard.

Parked up next to it's rivals, the Touran, despite it's new looks and lights still looks boxy which would put those who prefer a sleeker profile for their cars off. However, not many MPVs in the region of the Touran's price range can offer this amount of space with a quick pace. And, can you really deny fine German engineering?