VW Sharan (2011) CAR review

By Al

First Drives

02 June 13:00

The new VW Sharan slipped into the MPV marketplace in 2010, a people carrier that had first launched in 1995. in the mid-90s, the Sharan was a product of a venture with Ford saw the original Ford Galaxy, and the Alhambra sharing the same Ford went its own way in 2006, a new Galaxy and S-Max sharing underpinnings, but VW soldiered on with the Sharan.

Is the new VW Sharan worth the wait? How it compare with the Ford post-separation? Read on for our test of the VW to find out.

VW Sharan: and layout

The 2010 Sharan not look that different to the observer but the stats reveal its longer (including 75mm in the and 92mm wider than its but 12mm lower and 30kg too. It’s also user-friendly: the rear doors now and so do the middle row of seats, which by up to 160mm and pivot by 20mm to access easier to the third row of Both rows of rear fold into the floor not in use, Although there is a fold-down mechanism on the seats, a shame that the rearmost squabs still have to be up manually when brought play. Despite VW’s that adults can ride in the we found there’s still not room for adults’ knees there either.

The interior design and layout, as the exterior, conforms to the modern VW Crisp, logical, refined but

VW Sharan: power and performance

The might be larger but the new range the downsizing trend for its petrol and engines. The familiar VW 1.4 TSI petrol the range, and offers 148bhp and 177 lb ft of That’s 10bhp up, but around down on the lower-tune 2.0 TDI 138bhp which also musters a 236 lb ft of torque. A 168bhp 2.0TDI, and a 2.0TSI petrol complete the All engines are available with manual or DSG twin-clutch transmissions. Our car was the 138bhp 2.0TDI that’s to take the lion’s share of sales, pictured in top-of-the-line SEL

Driving the VW Sharan

The Sharan’s very well, levelling roads with ease. Our had the standard fixed-rate dampers. adaptive damping is a £775 extra, but given the relaxed of the engine and the comfortable ride on springs it seems unnecessary. is also a £235 sports option, lowering the Sharan by but Sharan drivers should of their passengers, embrace MPV and stick with the standard

The dynamics trade-off comes in where the Sharan feels gramme of its 1774kg. It’s over its predecessor and thanks to the new wider stance it has a more feel to the driving experience before. But the Ford Galaxy unthreatened as the MPV class driving offering a greater sense of and driver feedback over the

Performance from the 2.0TDI is good, and we thought the DSG gearbox suited the engine’s relaxed better than the standard ‘box. The Sharan comes standard automatic stop/start and an regeneration system to help fuel economy and emissions Low wind, road and engine levels added up to an overall of refinement while driving the

Verdict

The new Sharan is much and with prices starting at for the basic 1.4TSI it offers a alternative to private buyers the Galaxy or the value-brand Hyundai/Kia/Chevrolet But we think the Ford Galaxy the more appealing choice as an MPV that offers less-boxy and a more satisfying driving

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