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We drive the Volkswagen Touareg
02 July 2007 Price as tested: £35,707 Range price: £29,562 - £56,802 Insurance group as tested: 16 Insurance group range: 15-19 Date tested: June 2007 Road tester: Adrian Higgins Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 82% VW’s upmarket off-roader is one of the best-looking 4x4s around. But is beauty only skin deep or is the Touareg more than just a pretty face? Web Editor Adrian Higgins drove one for a week to find out. Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance The Touareg is one of the best-looking vehicles we’ve tested. Many manufacturers claim their models boast presence coupled with a sense of dynamism – the Touareg actually delivers. The latest model was unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show and features the new VW face, first seen on the Eos. Behind that is a car which looks like its itching to be driven with wheels ranging from 17 to 20 inches and 237mm ground clearance, rising to 300mm with air suspension. 10/10 Recognisably from the VW family but very much the top-end, the Touareg boasts a clean, stylish, roomy interior. The reach and height adjustable steering wheel sits in front of a dash which gives most prominence to the revs and speedo with a display between used for sat-nav turnings and vehicle info. The main sat-nav sits in the central console along with air conditioning, in front of the automatic gearbox controls and a huge storage box which can also be used to supplement the two cup-holders just in front. The materials are of a high quality. 9/10 The boot can swallow 550 litres of luggage with all seats in place, rising to 1,570 litres with the rear seats folded. There are plenty of places for cups, CDs and more in a roomy, air conditioned glove compartment, dash storage and drinks holders. It has genuine 4x4 capability if you fancy getting your wheels muddy. Drivers going off-road can simply turn a switch to activate a low range transmission. The model can tackle a 45 degree climbing angle and manual models come with hill assist. 8/10 Make no mistake this is a big, luxury SUV. It won’t give much change out of a parking space and reversing into one requires concentration. But it handles well, feeling very stable through corners while living up to its luxury tag by leaving the driver feeling fresh after a long journey. Of course many of the driver aids supplied among the off-road features also benefit the on-road performance. 8/10 A wide range of performance is available for Touareg drivers. We drove the 3-litre V6 TDI Tiptronic model which takes 9.9 seconds to travel from 0-62mph and has a top speed of 125mph. However, go for the 5-litre V10 petrol variant and it’ll take just 7.4 seconds to hit 62mph with a top speed of 143mph available. We found the model we drove sprightly enough for most. The 369 Ibs ft of pulling power takes a moment to kick in, but you certainly know about it when it does. In addition to the models mentioned there is also a 2.5-litre diesel and a 3.6-litre petrol model to choose from. 8/10 The 3-litre diesel model we drove returns an average 26.9mpg. This drops to 20.8 for the 3.6-litre diesel. The insurance is at the costly end with the 5-litre petrol model falling into Group 19 and as for tax, you guessed it, band G means the highest £300 tax bill. Each model comes with a three year or 60,000 mile mechanical warranty. Servicing comes under VW’s LongLife service plan which has varying intervals between services according to use. 5/10 VW has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and the Touareg we drove seemed of a very high quality – both in terms of build and material - throughout.
Each model features six airbags and an array of driver aids designed to keep you out of bother both on and off-road. The anti-lock braking system, electronic stabilisation programme, electronic brake-pressure distribution and hydraulic brake assist should all make sure you get the most possible out of your brakes when you need them. The outgoing version received the full five stars following the EUROncap safety tests and four stars for child passenger protection. The model we drove was well-equipped with DVD sat-nav and six CD changer, 18-inch alloy wheels, split climate control, cruise control, leather heated seats and wood trim. However, you can soon find yourself spending plenty more. The model we drove featured £4,650 worth of extras including bi-Xenon headlights at £1095, front and rear parking sensors for £445 and metallic paint for £575. 8/10 It’s practical, fun to drive and shifts along at a fair rate. But we reckon the real reason for buying this car is it is drop-dead gorgeous, and looks even better driven than stationary. 9/10
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