VW Touran – anyone got one?

Hi,

I currently have a T5, which as much as I love is becoming a costly daily driver with fuel etc.
There is potential that I will have to start driving more for work so was thinking of getting something more car like so it’ll be a more comfortable place to be.
The touran seems to be a good compromise of car like handling but still having enough space for holidays with a couple bikes.
What I’m really wondering is can you fit a bike in the back of the car easily as this is still important to me in case I can go for a quick spin after work.

Any pro’s / con’s would be good too.. Will be getting a new / nearly new one if I do go down this route.

Thanks!

Bike in back = two seats down and a front wheel off job.

Ours (2005) is most practical and kiddy friendly car we’ve owned.

Also least reliable (and I owned a Peugeot 309 once…) and costly to fix. Disappointing really.

Had one for 6 years. Plus points were perfect driving position, vast space for a golf sized footprint and it being a gloriously anonymous appliance. More squeaks and rattles than there should have been. Clever seats too.

Had one for a couple of days on a test drive. 2 litre engine was good, plenty of space and well thought out inside. Could get my 29er in the back with the wheels on by lowering the rear 5 seats. Only thing I didn’t like was that it wasn’t as well put together as what I thought a VW would be. Went for an S-max instead, which seems to be better built and Ford had a better finance offer at the time.

That’s mad. I went the opposite way and would not go back in a million years.

Had my 2005 1.9 for 9 years, now at 102,000 and only ever had abs pump (under warranty) new battery and consumables ,regularly get 50mpg and like the raised driving position,being able to carry most stuff I throw in it and most of all reliable ,would recommend

Had 2, first was very practical but unreliable, 2nd one we still have 4 years in hadn’t missed a beat. Boring but very practical. Owned both from new. Biggish usable boot, almost van like with the middle row of seats out.

Had mine for 10 years and 100000 miles. Only got rid of it in March. Mine was nigh on faultless the whole time. Got a new turbo at 108000 but that was about it other than tyres and brakes.

Hit and miss on reliability by the sound of it.

If it helps, I was in one that had done 600,000 miles a while back and was still going strong and felt decent as a passenger.

Have a full load restraint system for one that’ll be in the classifieds soon

How many seats do you need? They’re basically a caddy maxi, plenty of those ex British Gas maxis about for decent money, then you can configure it to suit yourself.

Mine (Wifes actually) blew a turbo at 3.5years and 27000 miles.

Drove well but as mentioned earlier a bit rattly on the dash. S models feel basic. Sport models look nicer inside.

Just swapped our 12 plate Touran for a Golf estate after owning it for 5 years.
I used to remove the middle rear seat and with the front wheel off the bike it could stand up in the back and still fit 4 people and luggage…
Pros…
Flexible interior, always find a cubby hole to store stuff.
Drove well, road holding and comfortable.
Pretty reliable over 60K we had a circulation pump replaced and usual cam belt and bits.

Cons…
The 1.6 diesel is pretty gutless
No spare wheel ( what a ridiculous idea) caught us out twice
Not the best quality VW I have owned and this was my 9th. The new Golf is night and day by comparison.
DPF which never caused us an issue but I fell out of love with the Diesel engine after the emissions update, so got the TSi Golf.
Wouldn’t go into reverse some mornings, no idea why.

It ticked lots of boxes for us, would consider another but the 2.0l SE Spec.

Dealers tend to look confused when you ask about them. I’ve been to 3 in my area and one on Yorkshire and all have raised an eyebrow and asked “why”? I’ve been slightly offput by the “wouldn’t you rather have a Passat or a Tiguan” comments, and the “don’t you need a T5/6”? Which really gets my back up as I’ve no aspiration to look like some of the bores who drive those things. So I’ve yet to drive a Touran… no one seems to stock them.
So, how do you get hold of one ?
I’ve been looking to replace and XC60, and have scoped out a few vehicles more practical in nature. Fancy the versatility of the Touran and the fact the front seat folds flat. I like its anonymity, it’s not a massive vehicle with a normal footprint, 2.0 SE (not family spec) dull colour, park anywhere with my kit in and forget about it..
Not scoped an S-Max, one because I don’t like Fords.. and I’ve only ever seen S-Max’s being driven at 40mph plus in shopping car parks, which says a lot.

Bike in back = two seats down and a front wheel off job.

No need to take front wheel off, chuck my bike in the back all the time with no problem.

210,000 miles on petrol engine, only problem in last 2 years has been a faulty relay. lack of spare wheel is a bit daft though. Very versatile, seat moves/removal is easy.

I looked at Tourans a couple of years ago when replacing my Passat, but the ones I saw were unbelievably dull inside. I went for an SMax in the end as it was a much nicer place to be and bigger. The 2 extra seats in the Smax are better than in the Touran as well. I’ve travelled in both and the Smax are definitely bigger.

Saying that, the SMax roof slopes down at the back and this can make it a bit more difficult to get bikes in and out. The Tourans squarer design might have the edge there if you don’t really intend using the rear most seats for passengers.

1.9tdi, no pdf or so many complicated sensors.Its a highland with cruise and stuff including a heated seat that caught fire….

Been pretty faultless and reliable. Returning 5litres / 100km. Comfy place to be for long trips. Loads of storage and versatile seating for the rear passengers.

Bikes do go in with wheels on but seats out and bike on its side. If I was heading this way from a T5 type of thing I would go to a Sharan or Caddy Life.

Touran is so almost good for bikes, its just a wee bit small.

And dull. But it does get stuff done.

5L/100km = 56.5mpg

Friends have slightly larger Sharan/Galaxy/Alhambra and those are brilliant bike cara, seats are removable and movable individually and we’ve had 3 bikes, tent and luggage for 3 inside easily

Sloda Yeti has removable seats too

OP a bike will go in the back of pretty much any family sized hatchback with front wheel off.

We’re on our second one. Had the first for seven years, wore it out,looked around at everything to replace it, and got another. Say no more.

Had one for about 5 years, new camshaft at 70,000 miles traded it at 150,000 for a Nissan Pathfinder. Loved the Touran, hate the Pathfinder. I would have another without question, really good, well thought out vehicle. Only niggles apart from the camshaft were it seemed to eat rear springs and a couple of DMFs, although the last one lasted 80,000 miles. We got well over 50mpg out of ours.

seemed to eat rear springs

Same here. Our 55 was bought at 20k/3yrs, sold at 139k/9yrs.
Are: rear springs, suspension arms at front and glowplugs.
Also wore through three clutches (first at 30k), one abs pump thing (£1300…), Power steering pump, windscreen wiper motor, dpf, full set of wheel bearings and a starter motor. It also had boot strut fail at body mount, an irreparable thing according to VW, so rivnut was used by me.
It was finally lunching it’s turbo, needing timing belt and rusting.
The basic S model has no rear speakers or wiring for and no rear towbar wiring.

Our Toyota of similar age and miles required…..nothing. nowt. Zip.
Hmmmm

Thanks for the info so far guys. I’m still very much in 2 minds about this but I think having a comfortable car may win over the van.
I’m probably letting bikes and the convenience of putting them in the boot put too much emphasis on choosing a vehicle, but I have always been reluctant with the faff to use bike racks etc.

Tbh, the cost to change may be more than keeping the t5 on the go….

I miss our van…

we have had our touran now for a few months. 1.6 se family.
looking beforehand to test drive was a chore as not many seemed to be about. that said the difference between the old generation and the new one is night and day. really well thought out. really good for the kids and as stated an absolute tardis inside.
just done 1000 miles on holiday with roof box and bikes on and the 1,6 was adequate. glad i didn’t pay more for the 2.0. se family spec is also great.

No spare wheel ( what a ridiculous idea) caught us out twice

Have you any idea just how many cars don’t carry a spare these days? It’s unusual to find one with a spare, and cars like Touran, B-Max, C-Max, S-Max and the like never do, because the space is required for load/seats.
It might be worth lookin at the Ford Grand C-Max, its Focus based, but the rear roofline is flatter than the regular C-Max to accommodate the rear doors which slide back, giving lots more side access with the front doors open, and the hatch up.
Grand C-Max

Rear load space:

seifahmad – what sort of MPG are you getting? Will be test driving a 1.6 soon

Caddy Maxi Life has a proper full size spare wheel – just make sure you regularly loosen the bolts and grease them or you’ll be buggered.

Yep got one, love it. Great for family camping trips and also for daily driving. I find it easier to manoeuvre than our previous Octavia estate. Bikes on the roof (which makes it quite high!)

Have you any idea just how many cars don’t carry a spare these days? It’s unusual to find one with a spare, and cars like Touran, B-Max, C-Max, S-Max and the like never do, because the space is required for load/seats.

Between the Touran and Galaxy I haven’t had a spare since 2008.
Since then I have had one puncture – last month.
It does seem a fair gamble to take, especially in the UK.

Saying that, the SMax roof slopes down at the back and this can make it a bit more difficult to get bikes in and out.

I could fit three bikes, upright, front wheels off with seats lowered on their droppers in my SMax, but a Galaxy is the same car in terms of length and width but without the sloping roofline, so more volume in that back end, but not sure if it is enough to not have to drop your saddles. Tourans look significantly smaller than SMax’s and Galaxy’s to me, but I accept looks can be deceptive. My SMax was only 40mm shorter and not much narrower than a SWB T5, so pretty large cars really.

seifahmad – also looking at a 1.6 family as next company car although will be DSG. I spend a fair amount of time in the outside lane, usually around 80, rarely creep over 90. How does it do with accelerating up to speed from the middle lane etc? Also enough poke for safe B road overtaking on those rare occasions when it’s required? Also struggling to get a test drive in the 1.6 DSG…

In Austria at the moment in the middle of a family holiday with my current 1.6 Zafira. To be honest I’ve been really pleased with it and would have another but not on the list anymore.

I like the idea of the caddy maxi life, but can’t quite get over how it looks..
I’m guessing SUVs – whilst looking bigger probably have less usable space in the rear compared with a touran?

Go drive one chrispy- can’t see one from inside and Its the same as the Touran/Golf – just with much more space

They’re basically a caddy maxi, plenty of those ex British Gas maxis about for decent money, then you can configure it to suit yourself.

Except for the basic beam axle rear end – not that there is anything wrong with that. A Touran is just a bigger Golf – not a single difference apart from the body shape.

Touran owner for ever here. Bought at 30k and now at 165k. No major issues of any kind, until last week when 6th gear started to whine under load.