Reviews - Volkswagen

Overall Rating

For status-conscious buyers, brand image is everything. It certainly pushes Sharan into top position on price, compared with Galaxy and Alhambra. Sharan is very good, but are its cousins better value?

• Top quality family MPV with good engines
• Reliable, refined and respected
• Excellent 130bhp TDi PD diesel

• Costlier than Galaxy or Alhambra
• And with less equipment than key rivals
• Not much luggage space with all seats in use

The bold VW grille badge says it all: style, quality, efficiency, durability, refinement, prestige. And Sharan seems to have it all, packaged in an elegant, family-friendly MPV body with generous space for five plus luggage. But it's up for replacement in 2005, so is it worth the premium over Galaxy or Alhambra? Plus points are many: a car-like driving experience, an efficiently planned interior (though there's little luggage space in seven-seater mode), low noise levels, very little body roll, a great driving position, and a wide choice of engines and equipment levels. Only real minuses are the passenger/load space compromise (where it's hardly alone) and a firm ride on some surfaces. Best engines are the TDi turbodiesels of 115 and 130bhp, which give up to 45mpg, accelerate eagerly and cruise easily. The petrol 1.8T is far quicker than the dull 2.0, while the brisk 2.8 V6 is just too thirsty.

JD Power stars: 2

NCAP: 3

Best Models: 1.9 TDI PD 130

Worst Models: Carat 2.8 V6 and 4Motion

• Chrysler Voyager (2001-)
• Peugeot 807
• Seat Alhambra (2000-)