Hands up who thought 7 Up was a drink? We did too until it took on a completely new meaning, thanks to a compact VW people carrier and a willing bunch of volunteers…
VW’s latest version of the Touran arrived in the car park with the obligatory press pack detailing the fact this was the 1.4 litre SE TSI model (18,250 on the road). 1.4? Surely not. After all, there are seven seats in there. A run down to Stansted (with six empty seats) for an early morning flight served to show what a relaxing car the Touran can be on a motorway trip. No undue road or engine noise, the little 1.4 TSI slipping along effortlessly, belying its sheer lack of cubic centimetres.
Cross country on the way back it didn’t let itself down either, having enough zip to get past the lorries stuck steadfastly at 40mph while others were forced to follow in line astern, fingers drumming on the steering wheel in frustration. But that was in single user mode. What, we wondered, would it be like with the full complement of seven seats filled? We picked carefully from the office. Two more petite members of staff for the rear two seats, a couple of lads eager to leave the computer...