The original Touareg was VW’s first modern SUV when it arrived late to the SUV party for the 2003 model year.
However, it was not VW’s first off-road experience. VW got their tires wet in the early ’70s with the utilitarian “Thing” that permitted some mild trail driving, and don’t forget the thousands of Beetle-based dune buggies. OK, the buggies may be stretching things a bit, but by being late to the party, VW was able to study early successes like Ford’s Explorer and later failures like Isuzu.
For 2008 VW has refreshed the Touareg and added a “2” to signify the difference. Not a big player in the SUV power rankings, VW refreshed the Touareg by adding more power, safety, comfort and off-road ability.
I tested a V-6 powered VR6 FSI model, and while I liked most of the improvements, the gas mileage on the V-6 tester was not great. The V-8 model goes down from there. A V-10 diesel model with better numbers is also available, but unfortunately diesel fuel has zoomed way over the $4 mark.
VW has added more than 2,000 changes, but most you’ll never see or notice. The revisions that you will notice immediately include a completely redesigned front end with a new stylized chrome grille on V-6 models with chrome eyebrows. A new front bumper, new side mirrors and sleek, new headlamp housings round out the big changes up front.
Along the sides the visual appeal is spiked with fresh 17-inch alloy wheels standard on the V-6 and V-8 models. The changes continue at the rear with a new roof edge spoiler, LED-style brake lights and new chrome tailpipes.
For almost a decade, VW has been churning out some premium interiors, but you do have to pay the piper to slip into one. No skimping on high-quality materials here as I was treated to beautiful textures and rich luxurious creamy colors punctuated by excellent fit and finish.
The seats improve with better lateral support and flank a console that still looks good if not much different from the previous generation.
The new instrument cluster with an optional color enhanced display screen provides punched-up info, and you can set it up to your taste. There are a lot of buttons, so it may take you a few long drives to get all the functions down.
The optional keyless access with start/stop button makes it easier than ever to get in and drive, while the standard power liftgate makes loading or unloading cargo into the 31 cubic-foot rear area a quick task.
The Touareg tester rocked with the optional Dynaudio sound system. The system featured 10 speakers (six three-way speakers in each door, four two-way speakers in the rear), a 10-channel amplifier and 620 watts of total power output. This stereo system has been customized for the acoustic layout of the Touareg 2 interior, and it’s evident by the crisp clear sound delivery.
The interior is set up for five, and you can get away with that many passengers even for longer trips. Headroom is a little tight for those taller than 6 feet, however, and the rear doors are a bit narrow for optimal entry/exit
For 2008, VW upped the horses, so the 3.6-liter VR6 FSI is now rated at 280 horsepower. A major improvement for the new Touareg 2 comes from the use of the FSI fuel management system to improve the ponies and boost torque. The downside: The fuel requirement is premium per VW specification.
The test vehicle came with the standard six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, and the EPA indicates 14 city and 19 highway mileage figures. The best I could muster was just under 16 mpg – not great.
Towing capacity is decent at 7,700 pounds, but your mileage will go out the window completely.
On the road the Touareg is a bit sluggish off the line as this is a heavy vehicle at 5,100 pounds. Passing power is also not as strong as I would prefer as the engine worked hard to pass a pesky New Beetle that was loafing in the left lane. This is with the 40 horse increase, so imagine what the old version was like.
The test vehicle had a nice stable ride over bumps; however, the weight factor comes into play when making quick maneuvers as the Touareg felt slow to react. Also there is some body lean when cornering.
The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) has been augmented to include a Hydraulic Braking Assistant. VW indicates that this new addition prevents the creation of brake pressure buildup in response to a sudden release of the gas pedal. I didn’t really notice any improvement in braking or behavior changes.
Other notable driving aids include Active Rollover Protection (ARP), which improves rollover stability; ESP dry-braking function; and Understeer Control Logic, which improves vehicle behavior when under-steering into corners.
Thanks to the anti-slip control of ABSPlus, VW claims braking distances on loose surfaces such as gravel or sand can be reduced by up to 20 percent. If you’ve ever slid into the back of another vehicle, barely tapping it, this system could provide just enough of a margin to avoid a collision on loose surfaces.
Should you wish to venture off-road, the Touareg can handle it. It comes equipped with permanent four-wheel drive with the all-important low-range gearing. With approach, departure and breakover angles of 28, 28 and 22 respectively, Touareg is not some part-time all-wheel-drive off-road wannabe.
The Touareg swims in the premium SUV segment, and it’s a crowed place to be. With an as-tested price of $46,300 including more than $6,000 in luxury package options and a high-powered stereo, the Touareg rubs elbows with the Acura MDX, Buick Enclave and Lexus RX.
Those vehicles are firmly in the luxury category -- a place that VW would like to be. The new Touareg clearly looks the part inside and out.
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