"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
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"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family

The high-capacity passenger car segment continues to gain popularity in the world. Growing demand encourages manufacturers to update their lineup more often, to come up with new concepts in the minivan class. The results of design developments do not please consumers as often as we would like, but the project of the German Volkswagen Turan minivan turned out to be successful. This car in 2016 became the sales leader in the minivan class in Europe.

Overview of the early models of "Turan"

The development by Volkswagen of a new line of minivans called Turan began in the late 90s. The German designers decided to use the concept of a compact van in the new project, which French auto designers had successfully applied shortly before using the Renault Scenic as an example. The idea was to create a station wagon on the platform of a C-class car, capable of carrying a large amount of luggage and six passengers.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
Renault Scenic is considered the founder of the class of compact vans

By that time, Volkswagen was already producing the Sharan minivan. But it was intended for a more demanding clientele, and "Turan" was created for the masses. This is also hinted at by the difference in the starting price for these models. "Turan" is sold in Europe at a price of 24 thousand euros, and "Sharan" - 9 thousand more expensive.

How "Turan" was created

Volkswagen Turan was developed on a single technological platform PQ35, which is often called the Golf platform. But it’s more fair to call it Turan’s, since Turan began to be produced six months earlier than Golf. The first compact van models left the assembly line in February 2003.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
The new compact van had a bonnet layout, unlike the Sharan

The new minivan got its name from the word "Tour" (trip). To emphasize his kinship with the Sharan family, the last syllable was added from "elder brother".

For the first five years, Turan was produced at a special Volkswagen production facility - Auto 5000 Gmbh. Here, new technologies were tested in the assembly and painting of the body and chassis. The high technological level of the enterprise made it possible to introduce many technical innovations in the new compact van, in particular:

  • increased body rigidity;
  • plastic coating of the bottom;
  • diagonal side impact protection;
  • foam blocks in the front to protect pedestrians.

Thanks to the new technological platform, the engineers used the electromechanical steering mechanism for the first time on this model. The device performs the same function as a conventional power steering, but it takes into account the speed of movement and the angle of rotation of the wheels. The big acquisition of the new platform was the multi-link rear suspension.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
For the first time, a multi-link rear suspension was used in the Volkswagen Turan model.

In 2006, for outdoor enthusiasts, Volkswagen released the Turan Cross modification, which differed from the base model in protective plastic body kits, larger diameter wheels and increased ground clearance. The changes also affected the interior. A bright upholstery has appeared, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but also, according to the reviews of the owners, is much more resistant to dirt. Contrary to consumer expectations, Turan Cross did not receive an all-wheel drive transmission, so car owners had to be content with simple off-road in the form of beaches and lawns.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
Protective body kits will protect the Turan Cross body from the effects of sand and stones

The first generation of "Turan" was produced until 2015. During this time, the model has undergone two restyling.

  1. The first change took place in 2006 and affected the appearance, dimensions and electronics. The shape of the headlights and the radiator grille has changed, as can be seen from the exterior of the Turan Cross, which was already created taking into account the restyling of 2006. The length of the body added a couple of centimeters. But the most progressive innovation was the appearance of a parking assistant. This electronic assistant allows the driver to perform semi-automatic parallel parking.
  2. Restyling in 2010 added the option of an adaptive DCC suspension, which allows you to adjust the stiffness depending on road conditions. For xenon headlights, the Light-Assist option has appeared - the light beam changes direction when the car is turned. The automatic parking attendant received the function of perpendicular parking.
    "Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
    "Turan" 2011 repeats the stylistic features of the entire model range of Volkswagen cars

Characteristics of the model range

Just like Sharan, Turan was produced in 5- and 7-seater versions. True, for the third row of passenger seats I had to pay with a trunk with a symbolic capacity of 121 liters, and according to the reviews of the turanists, the rear seats are suitable only for children. In principle, this was the plan of the Volkswagen marketers. The car was created for young couples with two or three children.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
A company of seven people is unlikely to have enough two suitcases, and it will not be able to accommodate more in the trunk of a seven-seater "Turan"

Part of the marketing concept of "Turan" was and remains the principle of a transforming car. The seats have a good range of adjustment forward, backward and to the side. The middle chair of the second row, if necessary, is transformed into a table. In addition, the seats can be removed altogether, then the minivan will turn into a regular van. In this case, the trunk volume will be 1989 liters.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
With a flick of the wrist, the family car turns into an elegant van

The seven-seater configuration does not have a full-size spare wheel, but is equipped with only a repair kit that includes a compressor and tire sealant.

In addition to the trunk, the designers allocated 39 more places in the car for storage of various things.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
Not a single millimeter of space in the Volkswagen Turan cabin will be wasted

A wide variety of options for the internal structure was able to accommodate in a small body. "Turan" of the first generation had the following weight and size characteristics:

  • length - 439 cm;
  • width - 179 cm;
  • height - 165 cm;
  • weight - 1400 kg (with 1,6 l FSI engine);
  • load capacity - about 670 kg.

The body of the first "Turan" had good aerodynamic performance - the drag coefficient is 0,315. On restyled models, it was possible to bring this value to 0,29 and come close to that of the Volkswagen Golf.

The Turan engine range initially included three power units:

  • gasoline 1,6 FSI with a power of 115 hp;
  • diesel 1,9 TDI with a power of 100 liters. With.;
  • diesel 2,0 TDI with 140 hp

With such engines "Turan" was supplied to the Russian market. For a European client, the range of power plants was expanded. Here appeared motors of smaller volume and power. The transmission was equipped with a five- and six-speed manual and a six- or seven-speed DSG robotic box.

The first generation Volkswagen Turan turned out to be a popular family car. Between 2003 and 2010, over one million of these minivans were sold. Turan also received high marks in the field of security. The results of crash tests showed the maximum level of protection for passengers.

New generation "Turan"

The next generation of "Turan" was born in 2015. The new car made a splash in the minivan segment. He became the leader in popularity in his class in Europe in 2016. The volume of sales of this compact van exceeded 112 thousand copies.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
The new "Turan" has acquired the features of fashionable angularity

The new essence of the familiar "Turan"

It cannot be said that the "Turan" of the second generation has changed a lot in appearance. Of course, the design has been updated to match the entire Volkswagen lineup. There were long deep vyshtampovki on the sides of the car at the level of the door handles. Updated headlights, grille. The shape of the hood has changed. These changes gave "Turan" the image of swiftness, but at the same time, he still gives the impression of a good old family man. It is no coincidence that Volkswagen chose the phrase “Family is a tough job. Enjoy it”, which can be translated as “Family is both hard work and joy.”

In general, the layout of the car remained the same. But as they say, the devil is in the details. The car became longer by 13 cm, and the wheelbase increased by 11 cm. This had a positive effect on the range of adjustments of the second row and, accordingly, on the amount of free space for the third row of seats. Despite the increased dimensions, the weight of the car decreased by 62 kg. The weight reduction is the merit of the new MQB technology platform on which the car is built. In addition, composite materials and new alloys are more widely used on the new platform, which made it possible to lighten the design of the "cart".

Traditionally, the arsenal of electronic driver assistance tools is impressive:

  • adaptive cruise control;
  • frontal proximity control system;
  • adaptive light system;
  • parking assistant;
  • marking line control system;
  • driver fatigue sensor;
  • parking assistant when towing a trailer;
  • multimedia system.

Most of these components were previously installed on Turans. But now they have become more perfect and more functional. An interesting solution is to amplify the driver's voice through the speakers of the audio system. Quite a useful function in order to shout out the raging children in the third row.

German engineers do not calm down and increase the number of storage spaces in the cabin. Now there are 47 of them. The seats on the new "Turan" completely fold into the floor. And it will not work to remove them without professional dismantling. Thus, Volkswagen specialists took care to save the driver from the extra burden of transforming the cabin.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
In the new Turan, the rear seats fold to the floor

The intention of the designers also influenced the driving qualities of the car. According to those who participated in the test drives, the new Turan is close to the Golf in terms of the nature of the control. Golf feeling from the car enhances the interior.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - with thoughts about the family
The new design of the steering wheel, which was used in the new Turan, is gradually coming into fashion.

Technical characteristics of the new "Turan"

Volkswagen-Turan of the second generation is equipped with a wide range of power units:

  • three types of diesel engines with a volume of 1,6 and 2 liters and a power range from 110 to 190 liters. With.;
  • three gasoline engines with a volume of 1,2 to 1,8 liters and a power of 110 to 180 liters. With.

The most powerful diesel engine allows you to reach a maximum speed of 220 km / h. Fuel consumption in the combined cycle, according to the calculations of engineers, is at the level of 4,6 liters. Petrol unit with a capacity of 190 liters. With. reaches a speed close to a diesel competitor of 218 km / h. Gasoline consumption also demonstrates decent efficiency - 6,1 liters per 100 km.

The most powerful diesel and petrol engines are equipped only with an automatic transmission - a 7-speed dual-clutch DSG robot. According to motorists, this version of the gearbox is more optimally tuned than on the first Turan.

The second version of the gearbox is the already traditional 6-speed manual.

"Volkswagen-Turan" - diesel vs. gasoline

The choice between diesel and gasoline modification sometimes raises a lot of questions when purchasing a car. As for the Turan, it is worth considering that the minivan has a voluminous body and a large mass compared to ordinary cars. These features inevitably affect the increased consumption of gasoline, but not as fatal as it seems to many.

The diesel engine is more economical and less polluting. Actually, for these two reasons, diesel engines are so popular in Europe, where they know how to count every penny. In our country, experienced motorists recommend taking a car with a diesel engine only if the expected annual mileage is at least 50 thousand km. Only with such high mileage diesel will give real savings.

Raising the question of choosing between two types of engine is often speculative. It is always worth considering specific types of engines, and not wondering whether it is gasoline or diesel. For example, in the range of diesel engines there are frankly unsuccessful units with a volume of 1,4 liters. But the 1,9 TDI and its two-liter successor are considered a model of reliability. One thing is certain - who once traveled on a diesel engine will remain faithful to him for life.

Video: new Volkswagen Turan

Reviews of the owners of "Volkswagen-Turan"

Volkswagen-Turan was supplied to Russia through official channels until 2015. Another economic crisis prompted the leadership of the German automobile concern to stop deliveries of a number of models to our country. The Volkswagen Turan was also on the banned list. In the hands of the owners there are many cars that were originally operated on Russian roads. Reviews are not always unanimous.

It's not just that he's popular in Europe.

22 November 2014, 04: 57

I'll be brief — a lot of flattering said about the car, but a lot of negativity. We sell new ones very hard (mostly they buy companies on lease for use in taxis). The main problem: the price - a normal configuration can be bought for almost one and a half million. With such a price tag, it’s hard to compete with, for example, the Tiguan (which has both clearance and all-wheel drive). The Germans still do not offer any of this, although the golf platform allows you to painlessly apply all these charms, which are so necessary in our country. In fairness, let me remind you that Turan is assembled only in Germany, and the euro exchange rate also affects the cost. I was impressed by the list of factory options (on my car -4 sheets), like little things, but without them, other cars are no longer taken seriously. The car is quiet (thick metal, insulation and wheel arches with fender liner do their job). Outwardly - nothing superfluous, modestly but looks serious - straight lines, rounded corners - everything is businesslike. All controls are located — as it should (at hand). The seats (front) are an example of orthopedic art. I praise the rear ones for their quick release and separate design - not a sofa at the back, but three independent seats with adjustments in length and backrest. I’ll scold you for the tilt of the seat cushions and the overall rigidity at the back (they say 100 kg of ballast in the trunk is treated). All buttons are pressed with a pleasant effort, even the blue instrument lighting turned out to be not so evil (white or green is better for the eyes) - just turn down the brightness. Excellent dynamics - maximum torque is reached from 1750 rpm. After such a pickup and a push in the back, gasoline engines are no longer perceived. The brakes are very effective even at very indecent speeds (the box actively helps them, slowing down the engine). A car with a cubic shape has a huge margin of stability, both in a straight line and in fairly sharp turns (unfortunately, the choice of cars with such handling in its class is very limited, take Ford S max)

Touran — a hard worker

5 April 2017, 04: 42

Bought in Germany already at the age of 5 years with a range of 118 thousand km. Already five years will soon be trouble-free operation of my horse. I can safely say about the car that this car has much more pluses than minuses. Let's start with the cons: 1) this is a weak coating of the paintwork, like all VAGs, perhaps. 2) Short-lived CV joints, although on the MV "Vito" CV joints served even less. My friend has been riding Camri for 130 thousand km. , does not know problems with CV joints. 3) Poor soundproofing. Moreover, at speeds above 100 km / h, the noise becomes noticeably less. But this is purely my opinion. There are many more pros, in my opinion. The car is very easy to manage, responsive, obedient, where necessary swift. Very playful. Spacious. You can write a separate article about additional drawers, niches and shelves. All this is very convenient and practical. Special thanks to the Germans for the combination of a 140 horsepower diesel engine with a DSG box - a six-speed (wet clutch). Riding a Touran is a pleasure or even a delight. And on the bottoms and at high speeds everything works great cars. By occupation, I have to travel to Moscow once a month or more often (550 km). I noticed from the very beginning of operation that having overcome 550 km. I don't get very tired. Because they don’t strain overtaking, the review is cool, the landing is higher than in ordinary cars - you see a little further. Consumption pleases especially. I don't like aggressive driving. Well, not quite a grandfather yet. Track - from 6 to 7 liters per 100 km, depending on the pace of driving, etc. City - from 8 to 9 liters. I fill up at network gas stations, no matter what (TNK, ROSNEFT, GAZPROM and sometimes LUKOIL) I remember from breakdowns1) CV joints (I tried the original, not the original. They live an average of 30 thousand km for me). 2) The pump in the tank broke down, - a symptom - it started for a long time, it took 5-8 seconds to turn, sometimes it stalled at idle. The reason was not immediately known. Put the Chinese and has been working for two years. 3) I lapped the valves in the cylinder head for 180 thousand km. 4) And then I untied the soot one. 5) In the region of 170 thousand km, the electronic gas pedal went haywire. The problem was fixed by the master without replacement. This is my first car with an automatic transmission. For some reason, I decided to switch to neutral at traffic lights, and wherever I had to stand for more than 10-12 seconds. I do not have the habit of keeping the machine in gear and at the same time put pressure on the brakes. It seems to me that this is not good for all parts that rub, press, etc. Perhaps the result of such operation is a live DSG gearbox with two clutches, the condition is very good. There is no sign of wear at all. Mileage 191 thousand km. replacement dual mass flywheel. Recognized by the sound of a metallic knock, especially at idle. Probably all I remember. As you can see, my assistant did not give me much trouble Thank you for your attention. Additions will follow.

The success of "Turan" in Europe would certainly be repeated in Russia, if not for the main drawback of the car - the price. Most owners of this car rightly believe that it has no competitors from other manufacturers in terms of technical parameters. But the price of the new Turan is comparable to the cost of crossovers, which remain the preferred class for Russian consumers. Apparently, for this reason, Volkswagen considered the minivan market unpromising in Russia, and since 2015 Turan has not been supplied to the country. The Russian consumer can only wait for the first wave of "Turans" that ran around Europe, with which their owners decided to part.

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