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Motoring for Women

VOLKSWAGEN TOURAN 1.9 SE TDI 7-SEATER

As the VW Touran celebrates its first anniversary since being launched in this country following its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, it has gone on to win some rather prestigious awards. These include the Auto Express New Car Honours for Best MPV and the What Car? Magazine for Best compact MPV title for 2004. Scoring a staggering 5 stars in the Euro NCAP tests and 4 stars for pedestrian safety, the Touran is a great contender for a family vehicle.

The Touran is the only vehicle in the compact MPV class to be offered with either five or seven seats although the latter accounts for most of its sales, as there is no price premium. The third row can be folded flat when not required and this is quite useful if you have a small family but they want to bring friends home to play. With the diesel variant accounting for over 75% of the Touran sales it makes sense to review this model. While entry level S is expected to be the most popular, I enjoy my car comforts so opted for the next level up, the SE.

I think we all have to agree that MPV’s are not the most attractive of vehicles and it would take an exceptionally talented designer to come up with a sleek sexy styled car that could also accommodate the practical needs of a family. But in fairness, they are getting better as we saw in the Voyager and C8 last month. VW, renowned for their sleekness, have put a lot of stylish touches into the Touran such as body coloured mirrors with integrated indictors, body coloured door handles and protective door mouldings. The large front windscreen now adorning most MPV’s continues to the back in the Touran providing excellent rear visibility.

The front light clusters at the end of a long bonnet gives the Touran a broad stance while the rear clusters are unusually large which is good for following motorists. The tailgate opens in two stages of height to accommodate short and tall owners. Overall, the Touran is a car that’s exterior grows on you after a while.

The feeling of space is the first thing you notice in the Touran with the exceptional amount of headroom which allows the front seat passengers to sit higher thus giving a good command of the road ahead. The seats are very comfortable thanks to height and lumbar adjustment and with the height adjustable steering wheel, every size of driver should find the optimum driving position. The switches for the electric windows are in the raised section on the door while indicators are on the right of the steering wheel with cruise control on the left. The lights are on a dial to the right of the driver.

The dashboard is simple with two large dials for the speedo and rev counter, the trip computer read-out in the middle with two small dials for fuel and temperature underneath. This simple design does make it easier to read the controls thus keeping more time spent looking at the road ahead. The central console comes down at an angle to reach the driver thus eliminating any over stretching to reach the controls.

Again, quite simple with the air vents, electric seats and air conditioning, three dials for the heating/ventilation, a lovely CD stereo and the two rows for the extra switches like rear demister, fog lights etc. This uncluttered yet fully equipped interior certainly helps the driver concentrate more on the road as opposed to fumbling around looking for the correct switch.

Much attention to detail has gone into the design of the Touran storage facilities with some models having a total of 39 compartments. In the front row, the Touran SE has deep door pockets on both driver and passenger side with an indent to hold a litre bottle, plus a pull out drawer under both seats ideal for handbags. In addition, the lockable glove box could house the CD’s while the three swing down compartments in the large roof console between the seats could house sunglasses etc. However, if you opt for a sunroof, you forfeit the latter.

But it does not stop here; the central console has a useful coin holder by the gear lever, two-cup holders, a dash mounted box plus a disguised box in the format of an armrest again for more personal effects. In the first row, the deep pockets also have an indent for a bottle, pull out trays and elasticated door pockets are on the back of the front seats, while the middle seat folds down to make a picnic tray. There are storage compartments in the floor, ideal for maps, and a12 volt power socket is provided for the games console (as no DVD!) as are additional twin ventilation outlets to keep are little ones at the correct temperature.

The third row has cup holders plus lockable storage compartments. I wonder if the manufacturers are under the impression that children have to have drinks every time they enter the car. Have they thought about the number of toilet stops this results in! The boot has a secret pull out compartment say for tools, first aid box etc.

The seats are quite easy to fold down /remove etc using a strap, but I do wonder, with constant use of this, how long the strap will last. That will be a costly repair. On top of this, the boot in its own right is quite small, so for shopping, you will need to put down the third row. However, this means removing the headrests first which is a bit of a palaver if you need the third row seats on a regular basis.

The 1.9 litre TDI powering the Touran is an adaptation of VW’s renowned and award winning 1.9 TDI PD where the gases now pass through a two-way oxidating catalytic converter, enabling the engine to comply with stringent Euro 4 emissions legislation. This makes it cleaner for company car drivers; it is exempt for the 3% diesel tax levy. The fuel economy is excellent achieving 47 mpg on a combined cycle. As the Touran has a 60-litre tank, it means it has a theoretical range of over 620 miles. But could one keep driving for that length of time without a “kidsbreak”? Somehow I don’t think so.

The six-speed is a dream to use and makes the Touran more responsive. These gearboxes are filled with lifetime oil thus needs no routine maintenance. The other beauty of being having a diesel engine, are the services, as engine can reach up to 30,000 or two years before a service is required. Any intermediate problems will be displayed to the driver via the on board computer. The Touran sports a new suspension, which features a completely new four-link independent rear suspension system, and a strut-type front suspension. The engineering is quite superb and the result is excellent road handling.

Another first for the Touran is the fitment of electro-mechanical power steering providing firm, direct when driving hard and effortless at parking speeds. This really helped in the manourvering of the Touran. With disc brakes on all four wheels along with ABS, ESP, HBA and EDL as standard, this car, rest assured will stop without causing undue danger. A lovely car to drive with a great feeling of safety.

Well, what do you expect from the VW giants? Safety and security are in the utmost forefront when designing a car, and the Touran is no exception being declared the safest car in its class achieving 5 stars in the Euro NCAP tests. Driver and passenger airbags with the passenger one having a deactivation switch in case a child seat is installed. Curtain airbag system for the front and second row passengers reducing head injuries and active head restraints to protect against whiplash. Isofix child seat preparation for the outer seats of the second row and three point seatbelts for all five or seven seats with the middle belt retracting into the roof lining if not required. Following Clarkson's report about safety to pedestrians, the Touran scored 3 stars in this area for the Euro NCAP tests, which is a good result.

Security wise, the Touran scored 5 stars for theft and 4 stars for theft from the NCSR – New Car Security Rating tests. Consequently, it falls into insurance group 6, which is astounding for a car of such calibre. This is thanks to an in-cut key which is more difficult to copy, a free-wheeling mechanism for the door locks, an enhanced steering lock clutch to resist forcing plus protection boxes surrounding door lock mechanism.

There are alternating codes for the immobiliser and central locking, plus an advanced alarm, factory fitted CD player which is VW branded and security coded and finally an electronic CAN-bus system linking the central locking, theft protection system, electric windows and mirrors plus internal lighting. No- one, believe me, is going to steal this car, it would be wasted talent – try the Queens jewels instead!

The VW Touran 1.9 SE diesel with seven seats carries a price tag of Ł17,110, which is pretty liberal considering the engine technology under the bonnet, and the amazing array of safety and security features. Running costs are kept to a minimum thanks to the diesel engine producing excellent fuel economy, insurance group 6 and low service intervals. The Touran is a very sold stable car to drive, with superb road handling, great steering and a smooth gearbox. Its function in life to be a family car is well achieved with great use of space for storage coupled with versatility. The spacious interior had the controls at the driver’s fingertips and while the exterior was a little boxy, it does grow on you. Well worth a visit to VW.

THE NEW SEAT ALTEA

The whole Seat range is about to go under the knife with a new facelift bringing the range into modernistic times. Obviously this will take some time, so as a tester, Seat have launched a new model – Altea, which not only shows the new re-vamp but is also a new vehicle concept too – the Multi Sports Vehicle (MSV). The Altea is first and foremost a family car built to satisfy the growing demand for added room and functionality, but with the MSV, drivers will also experience fine handling and a distinctly sporting flavour.

As in all future Seat ranges, there are three new levels of specification. Starting with the entry level, Reference, moving up to Stylance and top of the range Sport.

The Altea boasts a choice of four engines, the 1.6 petrol and 1.9 TDI diesel available on the Reference and Stylance, while the Sport hosts 2.0 FSI petrol and a 2.0 TDI diesel.

All come with a comprehensive list of standard features and with prices staring at Ł12,850 for the 1.6 Reference rising to Ł17,600 for top of the range Sport 2.0 TDI the Altea range is very competitively priced. The UK launch took place in June on the outskirts of Watfod where we had a chance to experience most of the models. The basic differences between them all, is obviously the engine size and level of specification. As a potential buyer, you need to make a list of what is important to you in order to ascertain the specification you want.

A striking new exterior adorns the Altea with the front end featuring the eye catching bold radiator grille with chrome surround, which frames the large “S” logo. The attractive eye-shaped double headlamps give the Altea a rather bold stance while the three-split air vents in the skirt enhances the sporty look.

The Altea's lovely bodylines continue to profile with colour coded door handles, door mirrors and protective body strips further increasing its attractiveness. A clean sweeping line extends from the front of the bonnet to the end of the roof and this smooth contour is unimpeded thanks to one of Altea’s exclusive details, the wiper blades concealed within the windscreen’s A-pillars. This not only aids aerodynamics, but also could, potentially confuse a parking ticket warden who would wonder where on earth to put the offending ticket!

The Altea’s interior combine’s sportiness and roominess so I can see it appealing to the Dad’s more! Lots of height and legroom in the front while the rear can take three adults with plenty of room even legroom. If only two rear occupants, the large armrest can be folded down for comfort. The front seats are fabulous with ample side support and a long seat base cushion, which extends to the back of the knees.

The driver’s seat is height and reach adjustable with a tilting backrest with lumbar support. On the Stylance and Sport, the passenger seat is also like this. The electric windows are in the arm of the drivers door while the three spoke height and reach adjustable has the indicators /lights on the left and wipers on the right. The Stylance and Sports version have the remote stereo controls also on the steering wheel along with the cruise controls.

The funky looking dash has three sporty black faced instrument dials trimmed in chrome. The central rev counter is flanked by the speedo to the right with a combined fuel level, temperature, clock and maintenance indicator gauge on the left. The central console sweeps out to meet the driver eliminating any over stretching. In this are the air-vents, air conditioning and fabulous stereo/CD player with six speakers on the Reference and eight on the other two variants.

Seat, having families firmly in mind, have included 30 storage compartments, which is staggering for a car of this size. Did I find them all? With a little help.

Within easy reach for the driver and front passenger is a glasses holder above the drivers door, a large glove compartment in the front of the passenger seat, a compartment and two cupholders beneath the central console, a drawer beneath each front seat and a large compartment in each front door which can hold a 1.5 litre bottle.

The front armrest has a two-tiered storage compartment, the top for small objects say CD’s and space below for the CD loader. The passenger seat has a side compartment with space for a drinks can, one for small objects, a 12 volt socket at the front of the central tunnel and an ashtray which can be replaced by another 12 volt socket. No arguing over the games console here!

In the rear the passengers have a compartment on the side of their seat, a door panel which holds a litre bottle, a pouch in the front seat backs for comics, a binnacle a the end of the central tunnel plus an extra compartment and two cupholders with the armrest lowered. At the base of the rear seats there are two straps to secure say, an umbrella, and two hanger hooks for the take-away. The rest of the storage is in the boot, which has a two-tired floor for extra large loads with the rear seats being able to fold flat without removing the headrests.

The Altea’s boot must have had a female behind the design with sturdy rings for fastening nests; side nets and hooks for hanging bags of shopping. The parcel tray has a false bottom for storing the emergency triangle and all Altea’s come with a puncture repair kit, which is housed in the lower floor. So plenty of space for the holiday luggage, but where do the skis go I hear you cry. Quite simply, pull down the middle armrest and simply slide the skis though the opening. Fantastic.

The frugal 1.6 four-cylinder inline engine delivers great performance with a top speed of 112 and a massive 46.3-mpg in extra urban. For the extra oomph, look at the 2.0 FSI with a top speed of 128, 9.6 seconds 0-62 and an equally impressive fuel consumption of 45.6 mpg, which is excellent on a 2-litre engine.

The diesel engines are hot on the heels of the petrol with the 1.9 achieving 114 top speed with an enormous 61.4 mpg. There is quite a jump on the 2.0 TDI with a top speed of 125 and fuel consumption just a little lower at 58.9. With the price of fuel rising each day or so it seems, the diesel may be the better option for running costs.

The 1.6 and 1.9 TDI have a traditional five speed manual transmission while the 2.0 FSI and 2.0 TDI sport the six speed offering a smoother gear change especially noticeable in the lower gears. The new electro- mechanical steering system provides assistance when needed which helps keep the fuel consumption down. The computer detects the road speed and steering wheel turning speed and adjusts accordingly. The result is a very easy car to manoeuvre.

The new Altea features a new front suspension and a new multi-link rear axle, which delivers excellent performance and driving comfort. |On the braking front, normal pressure produces a gradual braking effect but switch on the TCS (Traction Control System) which is standard across the range, and it will prevent the wheels from skidding or spinning. Along with ESP with EBA on the Sport version and peace of mind is instantaneous. The Altea proved to be a lively fun and responsive car to drive.

The Seat Altea host a stream of safety features as standard across the whole range. These include driver and passenger airbags with the front passenger one being de-activated, front side airbags and 2 curtain airbags. ABS and TCS is standard, as is Dynamic Steering Response. The front seatbelts are height adjustable with tensioners and load limiters and all three-rear seatbelts include ISOFIX.

To secure the Altea is an immobiliser, a volumetric alarm with back-up horn, remote central locking with deadlocks, visible Vin in the windscreen and locking wheel bolts on the Stylance and Sport. No wonder the insurance groups are low with the 1.6 and 1.9 Reference and Stylance in Group 5E, the 2.0 Sport TDI in 8E and Sport 2.0 FSI in 9E.

I have always thought Seat to be a little old hat but the new Altea has complete blown this theory away. And what is also good news is that the whole range will be updated with this truly funky front styling.

The combination of a family/sport has worked and I am sure it will appeal to many families especially with the internal dimensions, loads interior space and of course, all those storage compartments.

The ride and handling was great and the safety features all in place. Running costs are kept down not just with the liberal price tag, but the excellent fuel economy and low insurance groups. What was my favourite? Probably the 2.0 FSI Sport but value for money would be the 1.9 TDI Stylance at Ł15,050.

HYUNDAI SANTA FE V6 CDX

Many of you might be wondering what on earth is the Hyundai Santa Fe and in fairness, it is a car that has only just caught my eye despite being around since 2001.

What attracted me to Hyundai’s first four wheel drive was the stunning exterior and delving deeper, the extremely liberal price tag it comes with. I immediately thought, “cheap and cheerful”, but when the standard equipment was revealed, I felt that this is a car whose profile needs to be raised.

Wider and longer than the Landrover Freelander, with the refinement of the Grand Cherokee, the Santa Fe is the four-wheel drive in the affordability level.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a rather global car, styled in America with a Porsche designed gearbox, an Austrian developed four-wheel drive system, and of course, the famous Korean value for money.

The engine choices are the all-new 2.4 litre or 2.7 V6 generating 143 and 177 bhp respectively and a 2.0 litre 115-bhp diesel available in both manual or automatic. The 2.7 engine is mated to an “H-tronic” automatic gearbox that offers the driver both a manual and automatic gearbox option in one.

Prices are impressive with Ł15,995 for the GSI (2.4) Ł16,995 for the GSI (2.0 diesel) and Ł17,995 for the CDX (V6 2.7). As I enjoy the comforts of an automatic and the fact leather upholstery is included in the price – so much easier to clean up the spilt drinks and biscuits – I opted for the latter.

On first impressions, the Santa Fe is a bold brassy “don’t mess with me” kind of car but fabulously awesome in design with a striking stance that certainly turns heads. It's huge front windscreen drops into a long wide bonnet housing the light clusters that flank the large grille.

The skirt carries down to incorporate two large round fog-lights and a deep air grille. But it is to profile where the Santa Fe excels. A cross between a Jeep and a Volvo, the car goes on and on in length. What does it for me, is the middle section with the curvaceous indent rather like a waistline, which gives the Santa Fe an element of femininity against a masculine background.

With the “steel ramp" running across both doors for that “trucker look” but actually aids entry and exit, the stylish colour coded door handles and door mirrors plus body mouldings further enhance its good looks. To the rear, the curvaceous lines continue with the rear light cluster protruding from the side of the car emphasising the wide bold stance.

The colour coded bumper incorporates the rear fog lights and trailer puller, with the tailgate having a chunky opener and rubber strips to protect luggage. Let’s not forget the roof with a large electric sunroof and luggage bars. The Santa Fe is a fine handsome beast if ever I saw one.

The Santa Fe just gets better. Simplicity personified yet very spacious and practical. From the driver’s seat, all the controls seem to sweep around the driver making them easily accessible. The electric windows and door mirror control are sensibly place in the driver’s armrest. The height adjustable steering wheel houses lights on the left, wipers on the right with the cruise controls in the centre.

The dashboard is simple so reading the instruments is with ease giving more time to concentrate on driving or referring the children. The central console, again is simple with large air vents, switches for fog light and rear demister, then a fabulous CD player for mummy’s s music – the Practical Parenting freebie tapes finally become defunct! The air conditioning controls are on a dial format and I have to say, the Santa Fe has one of the best air-conditioning systems I have experienced.

In a set mode, there are air vents in the driver and passenger door arm which means cold air blasts out and hits you just under the arms giving instant refreshment. Within five seconds of ignition, the car is cool and so is the driver. Excellent design. The seats are fully adjustable on a raised platform giving superb forward visibility and some nice touches of chrome effect are splattered around the door handles and handbrake.

The best assets so far has to be the ease of entry and exit, spacious with loads of height room and or course, the air –conditioning. So what about storage? Well, that’s not bad either with two deep door pockets in the front, a deep lockable glovebox, a small box under the stereo for Robbie Williams CD’s – OK, and Busted for the kids.

There is a pull out tray under the passenger seat – great for maps, and in the central console, a small box next to the lighter, a useful coin holder, two cup holders one in front of the gear box, the other behind so the front occupants are not arguing over who’s is who’s. In the drivers armrest are two concealed spaces, a flat one then lift it up and there is a large box beneath ideal for keys/phones etc. In the roof next to the electric sunroof controls is the useful sunglasses holder and both sun visors have vanity mirrors.

To the rear, the backs of the front seats have elasticated pockets for the kid’s books/comics, two deep door pockets and a pull out drinks holder. If you have only tow children in the Santa Fe, you will be pleased to know that the centre armrest can be pulled down to stop the fights getting too bad. The boot comes complete with dog guard, a parcel shelf, shopping net to keep the eggs safe and a large side pocket say for the first aid kit. I am not sure if Hyundai had families in mind for their first four wheel drive vehicle, but it is certainly turning out to be a great contender.

With a 2.7 litre V6 engine under the bonnet, the Santa Fe is by no means sluggish with a 0-62 in 11.6 seconds and top speed of 113 mph, yet petrol consumption is a staggering 30 mpg in combined cycle. That’s a lot for a 2.7 engine. Despite being wide, the car is a joy to drive with great handling thanks to the front suspension having MacPherson struts with coil springs while the rear sees a double wishbone with coil springs.

The electric power assisted steering is just right for a car of this size with no sign's of over or under steer. This coupled with the rear quarter light windows, aids in the manourvering of the Santa Fe even in tight parking bays. But this H-tronic transmission was fabulous with the Hyundai Integrated Vehicle Electronic Control system which basically ensures the transmission always find the right gear both uphill and downhill.

The computer will allow for a shift to be skipped to allow greater power when needed or to apply engine braking when slowing down. The driver can change to the second gate of the H-tronic and control the gear changes using + upshift or – downshift. OK if you are bored, but let the auto take the strain out of the driving I say. More time to play I-spy.

The permanent four wheel drive system features a Double Differential Unit (DDU) which is effectively the transmissions “brain” ensuring driving stability and excellent handling even under poor road conditions. The DDU gives a 60% power distribution to the front wheels and 40% to the rear, but as road conditions change, the viscous coupling in the transfer case adjusts the front and rear wheels, absorbing differences in wheel rotation.

But do not be alarmed, there is no need to select a different drive mode – the Santa Fe calculates the conditions itself. Excellent technology resulting in an excellent ride and handling.

Thanks to the use of a Cray supercomputer which simulates crashes at many angles along with many actual tests, the Santa Fe earned four stars (drivers side) and five stars (passenger side) in the American NCAP front offset crash tests. And in the side impact tests, the US testers awarded it five stars on both driver and passenger.

To top that, in 2003 the Santa Fe scored excellent four stars in the Euro NCAP’s crash test survey. Unheard of for a Korean car you say, well it shows how advanced the Koreans have become since the eighties. The Santa Fe has a frame –type monocoque body and seven-way impact dispersion to give it maximum strength and protection in the event of a collision.

All models come with ABS with EBD enabling maximum force to be applied to the wheels with the most grip whilst preventing wheel lock up. The automatic fuel cut-off facility comes on in the event of an accident along with a collision sensor and lock release mechanisms to allow a quick exit for all occupants. If the airbag is deployed, the central locking system will automatically unlock.

Driver and passenger airbags, front seats with pre-tensioners and childproof locks complete the safety features as standard on the Santa Fe. Security is in the form of an engine immobiliser and remote central locking with anti-theft alarm. It falls into Insurance group 13D.

I am still reeling from this car, staggered over the amount of equipment; technology and safety features the Santa Fe is adorned with, yet an unbelievably low price tag. I kept expecting some really important bit of kit to be missing but it’s not.

This is why I have awarded the Santa Fe with a five star rating in all categories. The car has to be one of the best values for money around. It ‘s a lesson to the more common manufactures, watch your backs these smaller manufactures are really starting to catch up.

As you are probably aware now, I loved the Santa Fe, loved the exterior looks, the interiors space, the position of the controls. There was nothing cheap looking which you would expect in the lower price tag market. The drive was excellent especially the automatic gearbox, and with fantastic safety equipment it brings peace of mind.

Further peace of mind is found in Hyundai’s five year unlimited mileage warranty, six year anti-perforation warranty and three years RAC Assistance. Practically wise, the Santa Fe had all the makings of an excellent family car. As in the words from the King in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - "I want DAT car”!