Being last to market is not necessarily bad. It allows one to learn from the competition. Some SUVs emphasize urban luxury, and have the off-road and cargo-carrying abilities of a luxury car. Others are true backwoods workhorses, with the same comfort level as a horse, too. Volkswagen was one of the last manufacturers to field a modern sport-utility vehicle, but when the Touareg finally arrived two years ago, it offered one of the best combinations of luxury car comfort and ambience and off-road ready truck ability. The first Touareg I drove was a V6 model, two years ago. I was in the process of moving at the time, and so availed myself of its large interior and flat load floor. Fold the seats down, and a Touareg can swallow a lot of stuff. The 3.2-liter, 220-horsepower (then) narrow-angle V6, while not overwhelmingly powerful, was up to the task, and has since been increased to 240 hp. Then, around a year ago, I had a chance to drive one of the V10 TDI models. With only 300 or so brought into the country, the turbo-diesel was more of a trial balloon than a regular production vehicle, but oh what power.
As has been said, horsepower is what you brag about, while torque is what you feel. And the 553 lb-ft of torque, enough to break the tires loose under acceleration on dry pavement, was felt. At that time, I was able to drive the TDI on an off-road course through some fine deep, gooey mud, with the odd sharp rock and tree trunk thrown in for comic relief. Put it in low-range - yes, unlike many a luxury SUV, all Touaregs have a real dual-range four-wheel drive system - raise the air suspension up all the way, to nearly 12 inches, and gingerly go for it. The one model I hadn't had the opportunity to drive was the V8, but a recent week with one solved that. It took the basic functional goodness of the V6 model and added some serious power, 310 horses worth. APPEARANCE: There is little doubt as to the Touareg's manufacturer.
Cover the prominent VW logo in the center of the grille, and with its bulging hood, rounded trapezoidal grille, and gently-rounded two-box shape, it still looks more than a little like a tall, slightly chunky Passat wagon. A closer look shows pronounced shoulders, and it is taller in proportion to its length, but the Touareg has all of the current Volkswagen styling cues. It's handsome in an understated, functional way, and has presence without being overbearing. COMFORT: There is little difference in style and appointment between the Touareg and VW's ultra-premium Phaeton sedan. Leather seats and wood and metal trim give the look of luxury, and it's backed up by the quality of the materials, the high comfort level of the seats, and the low interior noise level. Instrument and physical control placement is very good, and all are well-marked and easy to use. A very good air conditioning system extends to the glove box. Try the standard six-level seat heaters, in both front and outboard rear seats. Power points are strategically located in the front cabin and cargo area.
The rear seat folds flat with a 60/40 split, and, despite the potential high ground clearance, the lift to the cargo area is not much higher than in a hatchback. Luxury meets utility in the VW Touareg. RIDE AND HANDLING: Being German, the Touareg was designed to be at home on the Autobahn, where speeds can be in excess of 100 mph. And it was also designed to have serious off-road ability. Those two design parameters can easily be mutually exclusive, as illustrated by any number of SUVs that have poor highway manners, or nonexistent off-road ability. Volkswagen combined the best of car and truck characteristics, starting with a strong, rigid car-like unibody structure that provides a solid mount for the suspension. But, as in a car, that suspension is fully independent, with double wishbones in front and a four-link system in the back. The standard coil springs can be replaced with the air spring system, which allows variable shock damping in addition to ride height, and my test Touareg was so-equipped. Highway and secondary road ride and handling were exemplary, among the best of any SUV and comparable to a good European-style luxury-sports sedan.
