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MPV
If you’ve driven a Ford Galaxy or Seat Alhambra, you’ve driven a Sharan. They’re identical apart from differing levels of equipment and gentle corporate identity kits.
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They’re also pretty good to drive. Like its brothers, the Sharan is tidy around corners. And, while the ride is firm, it's never uncomfortably so, and becomes smoother at higher speeds. Cruising suits the Sharan well. All the engines are muted and the cabin is free from other intrusive noise. The seats are comfortable on long hauls, while the good driving position and fine all-round vision help shrink the miles, too. Last, but very definitely not least, the Sharan's practicality is very good. All seven seats can be folded and slid, while the five rearmost ones can be removed, given enough muscle and patience. Cargo space is huge when you do, but (in common with many other MPVs) very limited with all seven seats in place.
Running Costs
The Sharan is dearer to buy than its siblings, the Ford Galaxy and Seat Alhambra, but it will hold its value pretty well – the snob value of its badge helps – and you shouldn’t have to give your plastic a beating to keep it on the road. It’s pretty reliable, too, so unscheduled maintenance is likely to be kept to a minimum, and routine service costs are in line with those of most of its rivals, including the Galaxy and Alhambra. Insurance is also reasonable. Reckon on paying for group 11 or 12 whichever you buy, unless you’ve gone for the group 15 V6 petrol. If you have, you’ll be getting low to mid-20s to the gallon. However, the diesels hover around the 40mpg mark – very good given the Sharan’s size and weight. The 2.0 and 1.8 T petrols drop that to about 30mpg, but that's still far from bad.