Battle of the MPV's
You may have passed the days when a sports car could be justified as a practical purchase, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying driving in favour for something more suited to the family
Flying Start test drove four of the latest MPVs out on the forecourt at the moment
Make: Volkswagen
Model: Touran
Engine Size: 1.4-litre - 2.0-litre
Special Features: ParkAssist system
Price: £14,750 - £22,260
Flying Start Rating: ***
Powerful and sturdy, handles corners well. Not particularly pleasing to the eye, very boxy and feels like you’re driving a small bus. Not convinced the ParkAssist System is worth forking out for – By the time you’ve lined the car up so the ParkAssist is ready to go, you may as well have parked it yourself. Good interior though, there’s a drink holder for every member of the family.
Make: Vauxhall
Model: Zafira
Engine Size: 1.6 litre - 2.2 litre
Special Features: Panorama roof, aircraft-style parking handbrake
Price: £13,495 - £22,145
Flying Start Rating: *****
A firm favourite here at Flying Start. Although it’s an MPV it has a sporty feel thanks to the shape of the vehicle. We test drove the 2.2 litre turbo petrol sports model, which took to the motorway like a duck to water. Once you’ve test drove this model it’s hard to imagine being able to go back to anything-else. Overall, it was very pleasing to the eye inside and out, and a brilliant drive; the daddy of all MPVs.
Make: Ford
Model: S-MAX
Engine Size: 1.8 litre – 2.5 litre
Special Features: Underfloor stowage
Price: £16,995 - £21,995
Flying Start Rating: ****
For those who need the practicality of an MPV but don’t want to lose the prestige of driving around in a sporty number, the SMAX is ideal for you. There is an immense amount of storage inside, perfect for the sporty families among you who regularly have to cart around a pair of skis or a few surfboards. It combines high quality interior and exterior values with aggressive pricing, which is how it managed to earn Car of the Year 2007.
Make: Renault
Model: Scénic
Engine Size: 1.4 litre - 2.0 litre
Special Features: DVD player
Price: £13,915 - £20,415
Flying Start Rating: ***
We test drove the five-seat Grand Scénic, which has a wealthy luggage capacity of 1,960 litres. The absence of a key and a handbrake took some getting used to, but once you have got over the initial shock you can begin to enjoy the typically smooth running of a Renault vehicle. It is not, however, the most aesthetically pleasing MPV that we test drove, and nothing really stood out enough to give it a wow factor.
