I’VE been struggling for inspiration.

Normally, during a test of a car, something will happen that will give rise to a theme for the week.

It is rare that seven days pass by without an occurrence of sorts. And even if that is the case, then there is usually some quirk or other that the vehicle possesses that will give me a way in to my review.

A bad car is easy to write about, equally, a great one.

One that sits squarely on the fence is just downright frustrating.

And with that we come to the Volkswagen Tiguan.

The only slightly entertaining moment came when my mother-in-law almost fell out while trying to extricate herself from the rear.

Now I am all for mother-in-law jokes, out of her presence obviously, but to be honest I’d be scraping the barrel were I to use this as the basis for this article.

So no, I was firmly at square one, with no sign of advancement.

This, however, is no reflection of the Tiguan, more on my ability to critique it. It’s just one of those cars that is difficult to either like or hate. It is the anti-Marmite car.

One is loathe to resort to racial stereotypes, but it is just as you might expect it to be. Efficient, well-built and well, lacking of any real sense of humour. OK, I have taken a liberty with the last one, but you get my drift.

As far as looks are concerned, the Tiguan, is unremarkable. It is neither a looker or a minger. It does not attract envious glances, nor does it attract derision. It ploughs, as they say, a very straight furrow.

Compared with the likes of the Kia Sportage, Peugeot 3008 or the Hyundai ix35, it is, despite recent tweaks that bring it into line with other VW models, rather conservative. What that should mean is that it isn’t prone to the vagueries of fashion, always a plus when it comes to trading it in for the new kid on the block.

Inside, it is exactly what you expect of a Volkswagen, which is something I find myself saying every time I review one. I honestly believe that you could blindfold me and by touch and smell alone I could tell you that I was in one of Wolfsburg’s finest.

But familiarity can breed contempt and maybe I have just become a little too au fait with what they have to offer that there cars no longer possess the power to surprise me. In summary, everything is where it should be, is built to withstand abuse and is pleasant on the eye.

There’s plenty of room fore and aft and the driving position is almost perfect. Vision all round is good, although the rear screen is a little on the small side.

Oh come on, there must be something that gets my back up....

OK, yes, the rear seats slide back to create more leg room, but this cuts into the amount of boot space on offer....which is still more than adequate. Oh, I give up.

I imagine most buyers will plump for the 2.0 litre diesel engine, and why not, it does the job perfectly, possessing, as it does, more than enough power to cope with everyday situations. It is also well refined, if a little rough on start up.

We didn’t wander off the beaten track, so didn’t get to really put the 4Motion system to the test, but it didn’t flinch when it encountered the recent snow and ice. Under normal circumstances the Tiguan fares as well as many of its rivals and better than some, with little in the way of body roll. Some may find the ride a little firm for their tastes, but try as I might it didn’t cause me any problems.

I guarantee that you will not have any real complaints with the Tiguan, but nor will you find anything that puts it in a league of its own and that’s the frustrating part as far as I am concerned.

If only VW made crap cars my job would be a whole lot easier.