One of the most striking things about traveling in Europe (outside of all of those really old buildings) is how different the automotive landscape in the world’s second biggest market is from the U.S. High gasoline prices, unique government regulations and differing tastes have created whole classes of vehicles there that don’t exist in the States. Or aren’t offered for sale there.

Exhibit A: the small minivan, something that has fallen by the evolutionary wayside in "bigger-is-better" America, but is a thriving segment in Europe. There they are called "MPVs" (Multi-Purpose Vehicles) and they come in various sizes, but all seem to share the one-box design and high roofline that Americans associate with their quotidian people-haulers.

One well-refined example of the segment is the Volkswagen Sharan. Putting the Sharan through its paces on the test track at the Palmela, Portugal plant where it is manufactured (along with the almost identical Ford Galaxy and Seat Alhambra) revealed a vehicle that can seat seven but has road manners more akin to a sedan. The cabin is quiet and vibration is minimal even when speeding over the rough square cobblestones known as "Lisbon blocks" (named in honor of their use in some of the ancient streets of Portugal’s capital.) With the two hundred hp. turbo-charged six-cylinder (the Sharan also is available with either a naturally-aspirated, or turbocharged four-cylinder) the vehicle accelerates without hesitation or any appreciable turbo-lag. Another plus is that the Sharan’s steering is crisper than that found on most American minivans, and the smaller overall package size (it’s about 2 ½ ft. shorter than a Honda Odyssey) make parking and tight maneuvering easier.

Designed mainly for families, the Sharan can be purchased with clever built-in child seats in the second row (it comes with three rows of seating in a two-three-two configuration). In addition to a child harness that is hidden in the seat back a la Chrysler, a pull of a lever folds the back portion of the lower seat cushion in upon itself, resulting in a smaller and higher perch that is perfect for toddlers.

The downside for someone like me, used to piloting a Honda Odyssey, is significantly less space for the equipment and luggage needed for long trips with kids, and the lack of sliding doors. To my mind, the latter is one of the key reasons for having a minivan in the first place.

The Sharan’s exterior styling is a cross between the ovoid Toyota Previa and GM’s old Dustbuster minivans. Yet it manages to avoid the worst excesses of either: the snout is not too long, the overall shape is not too rounded, but Americans might find it a bit too narrow. Then again, the chances that the Sharan will ever be sold in the North American market are nil, especially now that VW’s Microbus has been resurrected. And that’s a bit of a shame because, given its size and performance, it might otherwise occupy a small, potentially profitably and currently vacant niche.