In engineering terms the new Volkswagen Touareg is more of a luxury liner than ever before, sharing underpinnings with high profile VW Group stablemates like the Bentley Bentayga, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and even the Lamborghini Urus! Irish pricing starts from €66,245 - but it certainly looks it too. It’s moderately wider and longer than its predecessor with a new stately design that lifts it into a new realm among premium SUVs. The Touareg is big and imposing but wears its bulk well. What’s it like inside the new Volkswagen Touareg? The new Touareg is a technology showcase for the German brand with all the latest assistance systems, some of them appearing for the first time in a Volkswagen. The fit and the finish of the car is pristine with a high level of equipment and technology features on board including all the glamour of LED ambient lighting with 30 colours! There’s also the option of the new Innovision Cockpit, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster that merges with the 15-inch TFT touchscreen of the new Discover Premium infotainment system.
Communication, information, ventilation and entertainment is controlled from the screen, but I bemoan the loss of physical dials and switches for the ventilation controls. Still at least the screen is large enough to make it easier to find and tap what you need. Volkswagen Ireland is selling the new Touareg in an entry trim and R-line Design, like the model tested (from €77,395). The Touareg is a strict five seater and there is no seven seat option. It provides lounge like accommodation for occupants, though the middle seat passenger will have to fight more for legroom. The luggage capacity is now up from 697 to 810 litres with the rear bench seat up. Despite its increased length and width, the new Volkswagen Touareg is actually 106 kg lighter than its predecessor because of mixed material construction of aluminium and high-tech steels. On the road the Touareg certainly feels lithe and agile while the ride quality is superb and the refinement of premium quality. There is predictable body roll in corners but the grip and movement of the car is confidence-inspiring.
This SUV feels every inch the luxury liner from behind the wheel and it’s helped by a range of powerful V6 engines. The Touareg launched with two 3.0 V6 diesels (231 and 286hp) and a V6 petrol will join shortly (340hp) while a plug-in hybrid is in development also. All models come with an eight-speed automatic Tiptronic gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. What’s that engine like? My test car had the 3.0 V6 TDI with 286hp. This is a powerful match for the Touareg with up to 600Nm of torque making 0-100 kmh in just 6.1 seconds! A V6 diesel is also a bit of a treat with its own unique soundtrack. Of course, it does influence running costs for the vehicle. Motor tax for this model is €750 per year and over a week of driving my fuel consumption averaged at 7.7l/100km. Gosh we had fun though! Volkswagen has taken their Touareg into a new era, integrating new technology and modern exterior design with the timeless premium values of comfort, refinement and copious power. SUVs, especially luxury ones, are a big deal these days not just in Europe but other markets also. The Touareg crowns a complete SUV range for Volkswagen of the T-ROC, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace and upcoming T-CROSS. Volkswagen has put their best foot forward in their new generation flagship SUV. The Touareg delivers everything you could wish for from a five seat, luxury SUV.
This recently discontinued vehicle will be reviewed for this week. Mention the word Suzuki and the things that may enter your mind are the following: motorcycles, little hatchbacks, mini SUV models, and that's it. Anything beyond the small size could be considered foreign for the brand but with this vehicle we are reviewing, it was a bold move except the execution failed. The Daewoo Magnus based Suzuki Verona was the brand's first mid-size entrant sold in the ever crowded category for the US market but that venture only lasted from 2004 until 2006, citing poor sales for its short lived attempt. With some concept vehicles floating around 2007, the Suzuki Kizashi was first launched in 2009 in various world markets. Despite being a flagship model (kizashi, in Japanese, means a sign of things to come) and good reviews, consumers warmed to this model with production ended in December 2014 in Japan and no successor was introduced. Our market had to wait for this vehicle to be made available until its April 2012 introduction locally.
Being the most expensive offering during its time (the Grand Vitara's V6 models were dropped), sales were lukewarm and by November 2016, it was removed from its Philippine website. Maintaining one could be difficult especially that not much units were sold plus being a discontinued model and the brand's notoriety for expensive spare parts. If you are willing to take the plunge, then there exist surplus shops for Japanese models if you want plus some engine components are shared with the Grand Vitara if things get difficult. Not much complaints from owners are reported, if you are curious. At 4,650mm, the Kizashi competes in two different categories which makes it struggle in the first place. While compact in size, making it somewhat bloated does things in its favor especially it highlights its imposing front grille, bulky wheel arches, and large lights gives it a commanding presence. Units that are painted black get a beige interior, those in white or silver have their's in black.
