With a premium price backed by a comparable level of style, the Touareg has served as Volkswagen’s attempt to become a major player in the luxury SUV market. The first thing you’re likely to notice when behind the wheel of this SUV is power. The standard 280-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine, developing 280 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, gives this relatively lightweight SUV excellent (7,716-pound) towing capacity. An eight-speed automatic transmission and smooth-acting 4Motion all-wheel drive maintain easy drivability, even after the pavement ends and rough surfaces lie ahead. Fuel economy is hardly frugal, estimated at 17 mpg in city driving and 23 mpg on the highway (19 mpg combined). We've been fans of the performance and economy supplied by the Touareg’s optional diesel engine, but no longer. Volkswagen’s emissions-testing scandal, which erupted during 2015 and remains unsettled as the 2017 season begins, means diesel power is no longer available in the U.S. Cargo space is comparatively modest at 32.1 cubic feet, but a Touareg provides 64 cubic feet with rear seats folded. That should be sizable enough to handle the hauling needs of most buyers.
49,495, the basic Touareg starts with standard 4Motion all-wheel drive, bi-xenon automatic headlights, LED taillights and daytime running lights, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment/navigation system. Also standard are a rearview camera, a hands-free liftgate, foglamps, parking sensors, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless access, leatherette seating surfaces, power front seats, eight-speaker audio with satellite radio, and the new group of active-safety features. 3,300, the new Wolfsburg Edition gets a number of distinctive design features. They include stainless steel door sills and pedals, brushed aluminum trim, a black headliner, two-tone leather seating surfaces, 14-way power heated/ventilated front seats with power lumbar support, and contrast stitching. An all-black interior is available. Diamond-turned finish 20-inch wheels are standard, but blacked-out wheels are an option. Standard equipment includes a panoramic sunroof. 60,195, the Executive model adds power-folding, heated mirrors with memory (including for the driver’s seat); an overhead-view camera system; rear sunshades; heated rear seats; and a Dynaudio 10-speaker premium sound system. In the past, we would have recommended the TDI engine for its greater efficiency and torque output. Not anymore, in view of the scandal that erupted when Volkswagen was charged with installing a defeat device on diesel engines, causing their emission-control systems to operate properly only when the car was undergoing testing. On the road, VW diesels were spouting vastly greater emissions than claimed. As a result, the future of diesel for the U.S. All Touaregs now have gasoline engines. Best values lie in the lower-end trim levels; the Executive gets pretty pricey.
Faced with these controls and an upright seating position, the helm is much more like a space ship than a minivan, but that isn't the case in this LX. The stage is simpler with a few, large, easy knobs that govern the main controls. Instead of the power-operated sunroof and side doors, there are blank slots, and instead of the DVD player, you get extra storage bins and cubbies. Even without the extras the Odyssey feels like a quality product, with tightly fitted interior panels, and nice, rich velour-trimmed seats. Complaints about the cabin were few and far between, the biggest of which was that second-row passengers found the size of the door handles too small for easy use. Four big round knobs replace the complex layout of the digital climate control system; where all the other gadgets would normally go, there are storage spaces. VTEC is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission on the LX and EX models, but there is another engine choice offered for the EX-L and Touring models, a 241-hp version of the same engine with i-VTEC.
Honda has started adding cylinder deactivation (VCM) to a growing number of their cars, trucks and vans, and although this isn't anything new for the Odyssey, the system has been upgraded for this model year. Much like the new Accord V6 (with the automatic), there are now two stages of cylinder deactivation, allowing the engine to fire on three or four cylinders. The advantage of this arrangement is that the car can run under a greater number of situations on fewer cylinders. The increase between the two systems is slight, but noteworthy especially if you're comparing it against non-cylinder deactivation models like the one I tested. Honda claims 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway for the standard engine, which drops to 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway for the top-line V6. 215. And this makes it a slightly more competitive vehicle when you're cross-shopping dealer MSRPs. But the thing is that the Dodge Caravan, or any of GM's minivans almost never sell at MSRP. Flip through the newspaper in my area and you'll find the brand new redesigned '08 Dodge Grand Caravan flying off dealer lots at unbelievably cheap lease rates and dealer pricing well below sticker. Likewise goes for those GM vans, which were recently boosted in power and engine size. The Odyssey faces a lot of tough competitors, not just from the Koreans or Chrysler Group's new Caravan and Town and Country, but from some unlikely sources, like modern “large” crossovers such as GMC's Acadia and Mazda's CX-9. It also faces the intangible rival, image. Minivans, for all of their comfort and practicality aren't cool.
