Both the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne were initially developed in a joint partnership. As such, they share similar architectures and engine options. Yet, in the past few years, the divide between the two has grown wider. The VW Touareg, for example, is more spacious with added shoulder and rear legroom. It’s equipped with better standard technology, like the Driver Assistance package. But price may be the biggest different. Want to learn more about the 2017 VW Touareg? Visit VW of South Charlotte or schedule a test drive online. Both the Touareg and Cayenne share the same base model engine, although both have different tunes. Beyond engine though, Touareg bests Cayenne in a number of categories. For starters, the Touareg comes standard with a wide array of technologies; many of these same technologies are costly add-ons on the Cayenne. Plus, in terms of design and aesthetics, the Touareg is the clear winner.
Spaciousness: The Touareg utilizes a more traditional SUV layout, and as a result, it offers more cargo and passenger space. The Cayenne, on the other hand, has sacrificed spaciousness for a more rounded roofline and sloping backend. Comparing cargo volume, the Touareg offers 32 cubic square feet with the rear seats up vs. 24 cubic feet in the Cayenne. Plus, the Touareg roofline doesn’t taper like the Cayenne’s, resulting in added head and shoulder room. Exterior Profile: Both vehicles share similar architecture, including close height and wheelbase specifications. Yet, they differ widely in design. The Touareg features classic sculpted SUV lines, while the Cayenne features a bubbled roofline. In effect, the Touareg has the look and feel of an SUV, while the Cayenne resembles a tall hatchback. Plus, the Touareg receives a number of standard exterior features that are upgrades on the Cayenne, including stainless steel roof rails and side sills. Standard Technology: Regarding standard technology, the Volkswagen Touareg is the absolute winner - it’s not even close.
The base model Touareg Sport with Technology includes an infotainment/navigation system with an 8-inch screen, 3D turn-by-turn directions, and 60GB harddrive. Additional features like ParkPilot, an autonomous parking assistant, HomeLink universal garage door opener, and SiriusXM radio, traffic and weather are all standard. The majority of these features are optional in the Cayenne. Comfort Technology: The VW Touareg has been designed to maximize passenger comfort. And VW has made a variety of convenience technologies standard including heated front seats, rear privacy glass, a heated steering wheel and a hands-free liftgate. The Cayenne does feature a power liftgate, but all other comfort specs are optional. Safety Technology: Again, VW is the clear winner in terms of standard technology. The base model is equipped with a Driver Assistance Package, which adds features like Adaptive Cruise Control, blind spot monitoring, semi-autonomous lane-change, forward collision warning with automatic braking. Comparable systems are optional features on the Cayenne. Performance: Both vehicles are closely matched in terms of performance. The base models all feature a 3.6L V6, all-wheel-drive and an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Plus, both have a max towing capacity of 7,716 pounds (although the Touareg receives a standard trailer hitch). The big difference here is in how they’re tuned. The Cayenne receives a slight boost in horsepower, while the Touareg has been optimized for quietness and stability. Volkswagen introduced the Touareg to compete with additional mid-sized luxury SUVs. And the Touareg offers clear benefits over the competition, including much better standard technology and equipment.
But then there are those occasional moments when, frankly, I don’t understand at all. This is one of them. I’m writing this with the sound of the Lamborghini’s V10 still ringing in my ears. Now I know this is the kind of thing that writer types say without great thought, but I’m not one of them. Right now, I have a residual tinnitus that was not there before I drove the car. And I don’t mind it at all, because it’s keeping the experience of that motor alive just a little longer before it starts to convert to mere memory. And, yes, I’ve heard plenty of loud engines before, plenty that sound beautiful and far more melodic than this. But I’ve not heard many more interesting. There is something about the V10 that is different. I won’t bore you with the science but any engine with a cylinder count that’s a multiple of five is inherently unbalanced. In tech terms, it’s subject to first and second-order vibrations so shouldn’t really work, and indeed wouldn’t really work without careful application of counter-balance measures.
