For such a large car, Volkswagen Sharan running costs are pleasingly low, especially after the 2015 revisions which saw fuel efficiency increase across the range.

Offering the lowest official fuel consumption are the 113bhp and 148bhp editions of the 2-litre TDI diesel, paired with the standard six-speed manual transmission, offering a claimed 56.5mpg.

Worst offending in the revised range is the 1.4-litre TSI petrol fitted with a six-speed DSG automatic, but that’s still reasonable at 42.2mpg.

Be aware that servicing at a Volkswagen dealer is usually more expensive than at more mainstream rivals such as Ford or Vauxhall, so don’t expect your maintenance bills to be cheap.

All models feature stop/start fuel-saving technology meaning all Volkswagen Sharan emissions are low for a car of this size.

Least CO2-polluting of the range are the 113bhp and 148bhp editions of the revised-from-2015 2-litre TDI diesels when fitted with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, emitting just 130g/km.

Even the most-polluting 1.4-litre TSI petrol DSG automatic is rated at 156g/km.

Like all Volkswagens this is well built and durable, but the previous generation of the Sharan did suffer from problems with aircon and electrics. Every part (with exception to the sun blinds) is brand new and the engines have been proven in other models so we do not expect any major problems with the new Sharan.