Volkswagen Touareg Review

[Ntgthegamer]

Volkswagen fervently believes its first all-new Touareg in a decade has what it takes to match the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and the related Audi Q7.That’s a lofty aim for a brand unused to playing in such rarefied air, yet on paper at least the new model has what it takes. For proof you need look no further than the ‘MLB’ underpinnings, at their core the same as what’s used on said Q7, as well as Bentley’s Bentayga, Porsche’s Cayenne and even Lamborghini’s Urus — all Volkswagen subsidiaries. At the same time, if we come slightly back to earth, it’s clear also that the new Touareg will make a formidable contender to product such as a top-of-the-range Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland ($82,950), Ford Everest Titanium ($73,990) and Toyota Prado Kakadu ($84,119). The launch rollout will be staggered, with initial deliveries all called Launch Edition, priced at $89,990 before on-road costs — that’s $4500 up on the old model’s MLP. This means you probably won’t be driving away in one for less than six figures once you’ve paid dealer costs and taxes.

MORE: 2019 Volkswagen Touareg Launch Edition pricing and specs However, based on information from brochures and product planning data, a Land Rover Discovery SD4 HSE optioned-up to match the VW would cost you about $113,000, and an Audi Q7 with the same options around $136,000. The issue really comes down to badge prestige. Given the decade-long running cycle of its predecessor, it goes without saying that this new Touareg is mostly a ground-up re-do, with the notable exception of an ‘upgraded’ V6 diesel engine. The new platform has cut around 120kg, getting the mass down to around the two-tonne mark. The suspension is a pretty standard five-link MacPherson strut up front and five-link at the rear, and the disc brakes (six-piston front, single rear) have rotors of 350mm and 330mm respectively. But interestingly, all Launch Editions come with standard adjustable (oxygen-filled) air suspension that can raise the height of the vehicle at low speeds. This system is linked in with the adaptive dampers that become firmer or softer at the twist of a rotary dial, the latter improving ride comfort and the former handling. The Australian launch drive comprised about 400km on some of Tasmania’s more challenging blacktop, corrugated gravel, and unseasonably snowy trails. Despite running on 20-inch wheels (shod with 285/45 tyres) the ride comfort is outstandingly good, isolating cabin occupants from all but the worst ruts and potholes. At the same time, the body control/handling in corners is above average, with the Touareg staying relatively flat compared to any rolly-polly body-on-frame rival. The electro-mechanical steering loads up at higher speeds and is linked into the drive mode systems. The 4Motion full-time all-wheel drive system can shuffle torque between the axles on demand, but is always at least partially running both. While you go without conventional low-range, you get some clever snow and mud/rock modes that fettle the throttle, gearbox and stability control systems to suit lower-traction surfaces. Said snow mode worked effectively on this trip, mashing the throttle and taking off more convincingly by relaxing the throttle mapping and ESC actions. I’ll point you towards a feature from last year, in which we drove Touaregs across parts of the Sahara Desert in Morocco without a whole lot of fuss — conquering sand with the tyres partially deflated, rock hopping along shallow riverbeds, and climbing muddy slopes. It’s pretty commanding beyond the beaten path, much like a LR Discovery is. Clearance is 215mm, wading depth 500mm, and the maximum climbing gradient is 60 degrees. One thing that’s merely an update is the engine, the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel making 190kW of peak power at 4000rpm and 600Nm of max torque from 2250rpm. It’s only Euro 5 certified, and is fitted with a DPF. It’s matched to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission sourced from German company ZF. This is at its core the driveline found in the Amarok V6 workhorse ute, and has Audi origins. It punts the big Touareg to 100km/h from standstill in a Golf GTI-like 6.5 seconds, and manages a claimed combined-cycle fuel figure of 7.4L/100km. On our long stint at the wheel outside of urban surrounds I averaged 7.2L/100km (the extra-urban claim is 6.7L/100km).