2015 Volkswagen Sharan 2.0L Diesel · P18 EAW

RAC's Sharan used guides record that some owners complained specifically about electrics, with the satellite navigation running slowly or the Bluetooth pairing system refusing to work, and that the electrically sliding doors can be particularly glitchy, telling buyers to check all that functionality before purchase. Auto Express's used review independently notes an odd electrical fault on this MPV: the automatic headlights can come on when it is not especially dark, needing dealer recalibration with the right diagnostic equipment. None of these items strand the car, but they are expensive labour-first jobs on a family MPV.

Auto Express's Sharan used guide states that Sharans with the 2.0 TDI have an AdBlue tank that must be topped up and can consume a litre every 500 miles, which soon adds up, and that diesel versions made from 2011 to 2015 with AdBlue systems were involved in the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Wikipedia's Sharan article confirms the model's poor UK reliability showing, recording a score of 200 points on the United Kingdom Reliability Index against an average of 100, based on a tested fleet averaging 5.3 years and 63,546 miles. Read together, the message for a used buyer is that diesel Sharans are cheap to buy but need verified emissions work and a dosing history.

Auto Express's used guide is unusually specific: the Sharan was recalled only once in seven years, covering just 38 cars (plus some Touaregs) built between 23 and 28 January 2015, because the gas generator canisters for the side airbags could be damaged in an impact, causing the canister to burst and injure occupants. RAC's (2015-2021) used guide balances that with the reminder that What Car? gave this MPV a surprisingly low 78 per cent reliability score, and tells buyers to purchase carefully despite the strong engines. In practice: confirm the narrow recall window does not apply to your car, and buy condition over price.