VW has taken the hard work out of parking. The new Touran will park itself. Three years later and with 640,000 sales notched up, out goes the dowdy first-generation Touran to make way for a high-spec new model which thankfully is much better looking . . . and now contains the fancy new technology.

Yes, hands-free parking has come to the family car in a worldfirst for the Geneva company.

Called 'Park Assist', the technology will certainly take the pain out of shopping trips in congested urban streets.

How does it work? Find a parallel parking space but, before you drive up to it, engage the Park Assist by pressing a button that is located just in front of the gearstick. Two sensors on the front bumper scan the gap as you slowly pass it. Up comes a diagram on the dashboard-mounted screen which instantly tells you if the space is big enough for the Touran to fit in. If the answer is yes, just press the brakes to stop the vehicle and be amazed as technology takes over. Select reverse gear and just let go of the steering wheel.

It takes a great act of faith to go hands-free when the natural inclination is to grab the wheel, but it will turn just to the right angle and, before you know it, you will be neatly parked with the minimum of effort.

It is an unreal feeling at first to watch the steering wheel spin on its own but you get used to it. All you have to do is press the brake to stop when the rear parking sensors bleep.

The Park Assist system needs only the length of the vehicle plus 1.4 metres to fit comfortably into space. It will be a huge benefit for those who find parking a long vehicle . . . like the Touran . . . in a tight space a nightmare.

Gone are the days of nudging bumpers, torn paint and expensive dents.

But the system may need some refinement as it does leave a wider than necessary space between the footpath and wheels which somewhat exposes the traffic side of the Touran to passing vehicles.

Wing mirrors definitely need to be flipped back.

And what are the other drawbacks? The cost of the Park Assist option is over 1,000 and parking along curved footpaths is not as tight as one would like.

And while this type of development is to be welcomed, one wonders who should get the blame when there is a shunt . . . the driver or the Park Assist.

So what else is new with the Touran? The exterior looks a lot smarter with new rear and front bumpers as well as front Bi-Xenan lights and a new grille arrangement that gives a Passat look.

Inside, the improvements continue with upgrading of plastics on the facia and central console as well as superior seating.

There are eight ways to arrange the seven seats, depending on passenger and load requirements.

If a two-seat-only configuration is required, almost 2,000 litres of carrying space is created with the rear seats removed.

Standard features on all models will include alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, six airbags, an ESP stability programme, anti-lock brakes and brake-assist. There are three spec levels to choose from . . .

Conceptline, Trendline and Highline . . . so specification can be very high indeed.

The engine line-up includes a very impressive 1.4-litre TSI 140bhp petrol engine that gives tremendous performance with lots of torque and will sell at 29,390.

Prices begin at 27,625 for the 1.6-litre petrol 102 bhp in the Conceptline trim.

In all, there are 20 models on offer, with the top-of-the-range two-litre 170 bhp TDi with DSG transmission in the top trim level selling at 45,715.

The Touran is now a very comfortable and practical vehicle which has good looks. It has tough competition from Ford S-Max and Mazda 5.

But in Germany there have been 12,000 orders received in a fourweek period.

The Touran will be available here in January and is also to be offered with a power plant that uses natural gases.