There’s no doubting Volkswagen Touareg safety credentials, although four years after its introduction, it still hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP yet, but it’s likely to receive the maximum five star rating just as its predecessor did.

There’s a high tally Volkswagen Touareg safety equipment including nine airbags, anti-whiplash head restraints, an electronic stability programme (ESP) which includes trailer stabilisation for towing, rear parking sensors, hill descent control and two ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seating positions.

Optional safety systems include adaptive cruise control which keeps a set distance with the car in front but will also automatically stop the car in an emergency, lane assist to prevent you wandering out without indicating, blind spot warning, traffic sign recognition and a post-collision application of the brakes to prevent the car travelling far should you be unfortunately involved in an accident.

By its sheer size alone, Volkswagen Touareg practicality is a given.

It’s a large vehicle, yet driving it in town isn’t daunting, helped by a good turning circle and standard-fit rear parking sensors. There’s also an electric parking brake that frees up space on the centre console and includes a hill start assist system that holds the car on inclines.

In terms of luggage space, there’s a useful 580-litre boot which can be increased to 1,642 litres with the rear seats folded down. There’s no boot lip, so loading heavy objects is simple, plus there’s a clever luggage system, which includes belts and a movable metal bar to keep cases and the like secure.

An electrically opening and closing tailgate is available as an option, but unlike alternatives such as the Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90, the Touareg isn’t available with seven seats.