Volkswagen’s big SUV is 17 years and three generations old now. The current model launched in 2018 and is based on the same MLB platform as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. Volkswagen has thrown everything it has into making this the most luxurious, most tech-laden and sharpest-driving Touareg yet. That tech includes an amazing 15in central touchscreen that merges with the digital instrument panel to give a sweep of TFT across the dashboard several feet long. And the pilot’s POV satnav is stunning to behold (see the picture below). I didn’t have time to play with the infotainment much, but it’s incredibly comprehensive and seems intuitive to use. The screen makes the interior, but it’s a very nice place to while away time, anyway. The materials feel up to the standards of premium-brand rivals, the switchgear feels chunky and solid, everything falls easily to hand and the seats are supremely comfortable. There’s generous space, too.
The Touareg is longer and wider - albeit lower - than its predecessor, giving a vast amount more space for people and things. There’s a lot more leg- and headroom in the back than before, and the boot extends to a van-like 1,800 litres. Only one engine is available at the moment, a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel producing 286hp and 442lb/ft of torque - a hybrid may follow. It’s a creamily smooth unit and barely audible most of the time, backed up an eight-speed automatic gearbox that I couldn’t catch out. The Touareg has a serious turn of speed, too. With a 0-62mph time of 6.2secs, it can out-drag a Ford Fiesta ST, and it’ll romp on to a top speed of 146mph. Accompanied by a baritone growl that egged me on to push the throttle just a bit harder. Pressing on around Millbrook’s hill route, the Touareg felt entirely at home. There’s no disguising the sheer size of the thing, which could become a problem on narrow B-roads. But there are many, many weapons-grade acronyms, (optional) air suspension and 4Motion four-wheel-drive to keep everything stable and secure. The ride quality is superb, too. It answered every question I asked of it and, though there’s little feedback through the steering and chassis, there’s definitely a certain satisfaction to be had from throwing it around. Indeed, ‘satisfaction’ sums up the whole Touareg experience. It does everything you want a big, luxurious SUV to do, with considerable aplomb and even a little panache. You pay for it, though. But hang the price, I say. The Touareg is good enough give the Q7, Cayenne, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Land Rover Discovery something to worry about.
It’s an icon of the pick-up world, with owners in some of the most inhospitable places on earth relying on its durability. The latest HiLux is bigger in every dimension than before, benefiting that all-important load bay, which is a full 130mm wider than the old Hilux’s. It can also tow up to 3,200kg - a strong figure, but behind that of the Nissan Navara. Inside, it’s a huge improvement over the last model. Gone are the flimsy plastics and dated switchgear, replaced by a dashboard which looks and feels like it’s from one of Toyota’s passenger cars. There are plenty of hard plastics to remind you you’re in a pick-up, but it’s now on par with the car-like Nissan Navara for fit and finish. The Invincible-spec model has a decent kit tally, too, with a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB and Bluetooth, cruise control, climate control and keyless start, while the Invincible X gets even more kit and a unique looking front end, too.
Power comes from a 2.4-litre diesel engine with a healthy torque figure of 400Nm. That’s 60Nm more than the 3.0-litre unit in the old Hilux delivered, but it’s down on the top spec engines offered by rivals. Still, despite the rear leaf-spring layout, the Hilux is surprisingly good to drive. There’s lots of tyre squeal but the ride is comfortable, the steering is accurate and body control isn’t too bad considering the elevated stance. As with any pick-up, if the load bay is empty, the ride can be a little bouncy and there's flex detectable in the chassis. Constant evolution means the Isuzu D-Max is still a top pick-up choice on the market, even though there are plenty of newer rivals out there. It’s still a solid choice though, offering low running costs, a five-year warranty and a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, and the broad range of models means there's a truck to suit all sorts of jobs. The load bay in the single cab model measures at 2,305mm by 1,570mm, with a payload capacity of 1,128kg or 1,136 depending on the drivetrain.
