Families ask a lot of their vehicles but few kinds of car can answer more of those questions than the large MPV.

The Sharan is Volkswagen’s idea of the ultimate big people carrier with a variety of seating options and punchy yet economical engines.

Sliding side doors enhance access and the seats themselves contort into a wide array of different layouts.

This improved model gets smarter looks, greater efficiency and more connectivity.

It’s a car of its time.

The easiest way to identify this improved MK2 model Sharan is to take a look at its rear where LED light technology now features in the tail lamps.

Otherwise, the practical looks are much as before, housing impressive interior versatiliy.

The entire cabin - which now features smarter accents and materials - is based around the EasyFold seating system.

This allows the three second row seats to slide back and forth individually to alter the legroom available.

It also means that all of the rear seats can fold flat to the floor creating extra luggage space.

As usual, there isn’t a whole lot of luggage capacity with all the seats occupied but with the third-row folded down, a huge 711-litres is available up to the car’s belt-line.

A detachable mesh partition allows cargo to be stacked to the ceiling for a 1,167-litre capacity and with all the rear seats folded, a maximum of 2,297-litres is available.

The engine line-up opens with a 1.4-litre petrol, the idea of which might set alarm bells ringing in light of the Sharan’s size and this unit’s lack thereof.

Fortunately, Volkswagen isn’t offering this vast piece of automotive real estate with any old weak-willed 1.4.

The powerplant in question is the Twincharger 1.4 TSI which generates 150PS with the aid of turbocharger and supercharger.

Most owners though, will want a TDI diesel - and there are three 2.0-litre choices, offering either 115, 150 or 184PS.

There are more ways to carry lots of luggage or passengers than ever before but the Sharan has to be amongst the classiest ways to get the job done.