You could almost say that Volkswagen must be an innovator and an influencer, considering the German carmaker gave us cars like the Golf and the Up! and have, since its launch in 1974, sold over 29 million units of the former car.

While in our minds this has always been true, what's changed, however, is the way its cars are perceived. Gone are the days when VW cars are mere machines with simple technology that can transport you from one place to another. Thanks to the revolutionary transformations in the automotive world, the traditional relationships between a man and machine as well as the perceptions of cars have altered.

And as you can imagine, the Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) is one such vehicle type that is going through this alteration.

MPVs used to be perceived as boring vehicles for 'drifting' dads and soccer mums who needed space for their children and in-laws. But as I have experienced recently with my partner as we made our way around Amsterdam in a Volkswagen Touran, these family vehicles aren't all that bad.

We're young at heart, new at marriage (yes, D, for right or wrong reasons) and have yet to hit mid-life crisis, and we sure as hell look cool driving the Touran. As a matter of fact, the MPV does not even look out of place parked outside our rented apartment, with its sleek and modern frontal design, bold shoulder lines and an overall coherent silhouette.Of course, I could be exaggerating the fact that the Touran falls under the all-rounder of a car category, which is to say it has good looks, ample space and absolute comfort but when it comes to facts, we make no bones about them.

For starters, 743 litres of boot space is ample for both of us to haul our luggage and other barang barang. Secondly, and more relevantly, legroom has increased for rear passengers, thanks to the increment of 63mm and 113mm in interior length and wheelbase respectively. It simply means the in-laws and 'out-laws' will have more than sufficient space in the second row bench.

I reckon Volkswagen lets us believe what we need to believe. In the case of the Touran, it's the possibility of combining practicality and good looks. While there have been criticisms surrounding the reliability of the German marque's gearbox, people are still missing the point of its cars. Perhaps the question is how can they limit a brand's capabilities when Volkswagen's appeal lies in the very fact that it makes very down to earth yet desirable cars?

The perception of MPVs has indeed changed, at least for my partner and I. We're still not too sure if the experience would have been so positive if it was an MPV from another carmaker. But we're pretty darn glad we chose the Touran.