Volkswagen Reveals Updated Sharan Minivan for Europe

9 years, 8 months ago - 23 February 2015, Autoblog

Even aside from the fullsize Crafter and Transporter vans sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, the passenger car division offers its own minivans like the Touran and the Sharan. Now it's revealed an updated version of the latter.

The VW Sharan was first introduced back in 1995 and entered its second generation in 2009, built in Portugal alongside the Seat Alhambra and offering seating for seven in its five-door form.

The new model looks largely the same as the existing one, but benefits from new taillights and a revised interior. But most of the upgrades are found under the skin. There's an array of turbocharged and direct-injected engines that are now up to 15 percent more efficient than those found in the existing model, with two gasoline engines ranging in output from 148 horsepower to 217, and three diesels producing 113, 148 and 181 hp.

Along with the updated powertrain options, the revised Sharan also gets a host of new safety and convenience systems, including automatic post-collision braking, Front Assist with City Emergency Braking, Lane Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Park Assist and Blind Spot Monitor. Inside, the infotainment system has been upgraded as well.

The updated Sharan arrives hot on the heels of the new Caddy released earlier this month and just in time for the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.