VW Sharan - family holiday

It will be a little festive, because the tests of the car during this period have their own specifics. Inevitably, the size of the luggage compartment is checked for Christmas shopping and the spaciousness of the cabin, when the whole family certainly wants to drive a new car to midnight mass. In short, ideal conditions for enjoying the benefits of a family van.

In one version of the carol "In the Silence of the Night" there are the words: "looking for four thousand years." Volkswagen fans, for whom the Touran is too small and the Multivan too big, had to wait a bit. The first generation Sharan saw the light in 1995, and its last upgrade took place 7 years ago. So Volkswagen made us wait 15 years for the new generation - was it worth it? This week we are testing it for the whole family using Sharan with Europe's most popular 2.0 TDI engine with 140 hp, BlueMotion technology and Start/Stop, equipped with a 6-speed DSG automatic transmission and 7 seats.

Volkswagen claims that the previous generation has only two things in common with the current generation: sun visors. In my opinion, after 2 years of the life of one generation, there is nothing to brag about. If the manufacturer had waited a bit with the introduction of a new model, a serial atomic drive or autopilot would have been added to the list of differences. But let's take a closer look at the news. It's easy to get familiar with the work of Walter de Silva (Head of Design at VAG) and Klaus Bischoff (Head of Design at VW), who strictly adhere to the principles of Volkswagen's new DNA. Sharan's face is similar to the rest of the models in the family. Here you can see the bold trim of the Polo bumper, and the elegant shape of the headlights is reminiscent of those of the Touareg. This is where the subtleties end, because at the back there is a large spoiler with a third brake light, large LED-patterned lights and a large tailgate that goes deep into the bumper from below - stylistically, the entire rear of the car is huge, revealing a lot. spaces inside. Just look at the technical data, because Sharan has grown significantly: at a length of 15 m, he added 4,85 cm in length, and 22 extra cm gave him a width of 9 m.

Access to the passenger compartment is facilitated by power sliding doors fitted as standard, which can be operated in a variety of ways: external handles, buttons in front of passengers, buttons for the driver in the cab, and finally buttons on the remote control. The first impression is very positive - the door leaves a huge opening, which makes it easier to take a seat inside, both on the second and third row of seats. However, over time, it becomes obvious that the need to wait for the electrician and mechanic to finish their work, and they do it slowly, which is understandable for the safety of users. If you accidentally pull the door handle twice, a cute nativity scene will start (I promised at the beginning that it would be festive). The mechanism stops the door halfway, but with the next jerk, the door starts to close (of course, very slowly and carefully) - then it's better to get your foot and head out of its way and don't go into your electronic brains anymore, just close the door and start the fun from the very beginning. Unlike me, the smallest users were delighted with this game and forbade themselves to help, delighted with using "their" buttons to control the door. It was fun until my neighbor called me and asked why I left the car with the door wide open...? The investigation did not find the culprit and I found a “flaw” in the form of the absence of automatic closing of the door when the central lock is closed from the key fob.

But back to the place inside. The test car can accommodate 7 people, access to the third row seats is very good, and unnecessary seats are easily hidden under the trunk floor. There will be plenty of legroom in the second row (in the 6-seat version without a middle seat, there will also be plenty of space in the second row in width). Even adults will not complain about the lack of space "in the trunk" - neither on their feet, nor above their heads. Even in the 7-seater version, the trunk volume is 300 liters, with the third row seats folded down, the capacity increases to 809 liters under the curtain. Do you need more? Without second-row seats under the ceiling, up to 2,3 m3 of luggage can be loaded. The organization of the luggage space is provided by a system of guides in the trunk. The driver will also easily get used to the new Sharan. The seats and steering wheel are sufficiently adjustable and ergonomics can only say that we are already familiar with this Golf or Passat interior - that is, everything is in its place, although in other models you can find plastics that are more pleasant to the touch in some elements finishes.

Already in the basic version, Sharan offers the standard ESP system, 7 airbags, an 8-speaker CD player and 3-zone air conditioning, much needed in large vans. Ventilation openings located in the ceiling and in the floor ensure that the entire car warms up quickly in winter. The functionality of the car is typical for family cars, it is enough to mention the number of 33 compartments declared by the manufacturer. I tried to find them all, but some are too well hidden. We love the additions such as the ability to select two levels of automatic airflow intensity, a multifunctional steering wheel, a radio touch screen or a panoramic glass roof worth almost PLN 5000, which perfectly illuminates the interior of the car on cloudy days. What disappoints is the token spaciousness of the glove compartment in front of the passenger in the first row, too small mirrors or average engine noise isolation. After unfolding the seats, a loud creak appeared in the trunk, which disappeared only after the passengers were seated on them.

The BlueMotion engine will surprise you with its efficiency. After refueling and driving more than 300 kilometers, the computer continued to show the tank's mileage of 850 km. With fuel consumption of about 6 liters on the road (5,5 l/100 km according to the catalogue), this van is one of the most economical in its class. At the same time, the two-liter diesel engine is not without temperament - it offers the driver 140 hp. and 320 Nm, which accelerate the bus to 10,9 km/h in 100 seconds and allow it to travel at a maximum speed of 191 km/h. For a salty, in my opinion, additional 8400 1,8 zlotys, Volkswagen offers the Sharan an automatic DSG transmission with gear shift paddles under the steering wheel, perfectly in harmony with this engine, which will provide a little entertainment for dad after the children leave for school. However, during the game he must be mindful of the weight and dimensions of the car - in corners, despite the precise steering and fairly springy suspension, the tons of weight and high body constantly activate the electronic controls on slippery roads. winter surface.

Despite the large glass surface, visibility from the car has one drawback - in front it is limited by the left front pillar, which has a small triangular glass at the base, but only the passenger knows about its existence, because. almost invisible from the driver's seat. In winter, the thickness of the column is increased by several centimeters of snow left over from the rug. Larger mirrors would also be helpful when maneuvering into a parking lot, although parking is ultimately easier thanks to rear and front sensors, a parking assistant and a color camera to assist when reversing.

The manufacturer has rated the basic version of the Sharan Trendline with a 150 TSI engine with 1,4 hp. with BlueMotion technology at 99.990 PLN 2, 140-liter diesel engine with 110.890 hp. costs PLN 170, and its 132.190 hp version. 200 2011. The previously announced petrol version of the -strong TSI is not included in the price list for the year, and it is expected that the all-wheel drive version of the Motion will also appear on offer for some time.

Volkswagen has had plenty of time to rethink the recipe for its new family meal. When he finally got down to cooking, he also had a well-equipped and stocked kitchen, as well as good chefs - the ingredients he used, like TDI, TSI, BlueMotion, DSG and 4Motion, have long been salt in his eyes. competition. Is it possible to cook something tasteless with such good and proven ingredients? Probably not, but if you are expecting something spicy, you will be disappointed - sharan is a balanced dish that will not surprise you, but will taste good and serve you, your young children and the elderly well - just the right holiday for the family .

Pros:

+ spacious and functional interior

+ economical and powerful engine

+ low loss of value

+ standard equipment level

+ comfortable suspension

Cons:

– hard plastic in the cabin

– slow electric sliding door

- poor rear view

- not the best sound insulation of a diesel engine