The new Volkswagen Touareg 3 generation crossover is officially presented on March 23, 2020 as part of a special event in China. The new generation of the German crossover Volkswagen Tuareg 2019-2020, having moved to the MLB Evo platform, dropped more than 100 kg due to the wide use of aluminum. And it is completed now not only with six and eight cylinder engines, but also a gasoline four-cylinder turbo engine, which is part of the hybrid power plant. Featuring stylish body exterior design using the style of the Volkswagen T-Prime GTE Concept prototype, as well as the innovative Innovision Cockpit. The production of the new Tuareg has already started at the Volkswagen AG plant in Slovakia, where, incidentally, two previous generations of the crossover were produced. The start of sales of the 3rd generation Touareg is scheduled for early summer 2020 at a price of 53,000 euros in Europe and from 3.4-3.5 million rubles in Russia.
The main markets for the new Volkswagen Touareg will be China, Russia, Europe and the Middle East, but in America the “third” Tuareg does not appear. American motorists will have to be satisfied with the full-size 7-seat crossover Volkswagen Atlas and its 5-seat version, which is about to be revealed publicly at an auto show in New York. Having replaced the generation of the popular German crossover Volkswagen Tuareg demonstrates the harmonious proportions of the body familiar to owners of the 2nd generation of the model with strict and concise lines. The design of the exterior of the body of the novelty for a good tradition for the Volkswagen brand has only evolved, becoming even more attractive and modern. However, in the image of the “third” Tuareg, it is easy to trace the connection with the concept of the Volkswagen T-Prime GTE, shown in the spring of 2016 in Beijing. The track of the front wheels is 1669 mm, the track of the rear wheels is 1685 mm.
The length of the front overhang is 966 mm, the length of the rear overhang is 1018 mm. The geometric indicators of the cross-over of the body of the new crossover: the angle of entry is 31 degrees, the angle of the ramp being overcome is 25 degrees, the angle of the exit is 31 degrees. The crossover is capable of forcing a water obstacle with a depth of up to 490 mm with a spring suspension and 570 mm if the vehicle is equipped with an air suspension. For the new Tuareg, a wide range of light-alloy wheel rims from the basic 18-inch to the options 19, 20 and 21-inch offered, the latter with low-profile tires 285/40 R21. Fascinated by the technology of German novelties, they completely forgot about the stylish exterior of the crossover. A new Tuareg looks really cool and completely original. As mentioned in our review, the exterior design of the Volkswagen Touareg 3 generation is an evolution of the exterior of its predecessors. But the novelty salon demonstrates a real, high-quality and innovative leap forward.
In our hands, the Picanto was the more economical car, returning 47.1mpg and costing £1,378 a year to fuel. We got 43.3mpg from the VW, which will cost £1,499 a year to run. But the higher list price and lower predicted residual values mean the Kia will lose more after a typical three-year ownership. It only keeps 38.6 per cent of its value in that time, so the Kia will be worth £5,675 and lose £9,045. A 40.9 per cent figure means the up! £7,896, but it will be worth slightly less (£5,464). Testers’ notes: “Many city car buyers will choose PCP, so this has a big bearing on running costs. VW Group’s city car siblings that features a turbocharged petrol engine in its range. Here we’re testing the top-spec High up! Picanto rival, although at £13,360, it’s a bit cheaper than the Kia. Beneath the skin of the up! Skoda Citigo and SEAT Mii cousins at launch in 2012. All three use the VW Group’s NSF (New Small Family) platform, which has MacPherson struts and a torsion-beam rear axle, like the Kia.
