There’s no getting away from the fact the Sharan is an expensive car, and costs a good slice more than many of its seven-seat competitors. The extra space the Sharan has over most of them will be worth the cash for some buyers, but for others, one of the VW’s smaller, cheaper rivals will probably do the job. And even if they won’t, the Seat Alhambra – which is essentially the same car as the Sharan – will, and for a bit less cash. On the plus side, resale values will be strong for the class, and the Sharan’s range of efficient engines mean that running costs won’t be too steep. The competitive CO2 emissions will be music to the ears of company car drivers, and that’s important when around 70% of Sharans are sold to fleets.