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01/10/2011, 01:57
Car Review By MURRAY HUBBARD
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I vividly recall the first Volkswagen Touareg I drove: a V10 twin-turbo diesel monster with enough torque - all 750 Nm of it - to tow Tasmania back to the mainland. It ate many sports cars for breakfast. One suspects that VW introduced that engine at the beginning of Touareg’s life back in 2003 to create a talking point: to set the SUV apart from all the others in this competitive luxury segment. And it did set tongues wagging.
These days the Touareg is a more sober beast boasting two engines, a 3.6 litres petrol and two 3.0 litre turbo diesel variants. A few months ago VW introduced the 2012 Touareg, the second-generation of the nameplate. The most conservative and least expensive of these is the 3.0 litre 150 TDi which also happened to be our weekly road test review vehicle.
Volkswagen added some extras onto the entry-level test car: the advanced driver assistance package which includes lane assist, side assist and proactive occupant protection system plus sat/nav. This took the bottom line from $62,990 to $72,290.
BODY STYLE
Much the same as the first generation Touareg, but the 2012 model is longer, wider and lower with a 2904 mm wheelbase up from 2855mm. This means extra leg room for those who use the rear pew. The changes are there, but no one will mistake this for anything but a Touareg. The biggest changes in style are to the front where the Touareg now has the corporate VW DNA look.
POWERTRAIN/PERFORMANCE
There are now two variants of the 3.0 litre V6 TDI diesel engine. The entry level vehicle as tested comes with the least powerful of the two with 150 kW of power and 400 Nm of torque at a usable 2000 rpm. This engine is now linked to an eight-speed auto shifter - standard across all three engines, two diesel and the 3.6 litre petrol. The more advanced development of the 3.0 litres V6 TDI produces 176 kW of power and 550 Nm of torque, also from 2000 rpm. The 4Motion variant with a low range transfer box also uses this engine. The combination of refinements to the engine and the eight-speed gearbox has VW claiming a combined fuel consumption of 7.2 litres/100 km from the 150 kW diesel engine.
With the Touareg tipping the scales at a hefty 2154 kg the 150 kW engine has it’s work cut out, but this is mainly during acceleration. Once cruising the engine/gearbox combination deals easily with the bulk.
SAFETY
Our test Touareg came with the $5400 driver assist package that includes active cruise control, lane assist, front assist and occupant protection system. Active cruise is where the cruise control is set and the vehicle stays a set distance behind the car in front, even to the extent of braking to a halt should the car in front suddenly stop, all without driver input. The Toureg has sensors fitted to the underneath of the external rear view mirrors and these monitor road markings. If the vehicle starts to drift to one side or the other the steering wheels shudders alerting the driver. Given a major cause of road deaths is drivers falling asleep at the wheel this is life-saving technology. Front assist lets the driver know there is insufficient braking space between the Touareg and the car in front. This happens in two stages firstly visually in the instrument panel and audibly and then causing brake pulse to increase the distance, at the same time preparing the vehicle for emergency braking. In addition Touareg has blind-spot indicators in each external rear view mirror plus is fitted with no less than nine airbags. With stability control, traction control and a host of other safety technologies the SUV is Volvo-esque when it comes to safety.
INTERIOR DESIGN
No surprises here with the new Touareg building on the already practical and classy interior of the ‘old’ Touareg. If we had a gripe it would be with the key system which uses a lump of plastic and metal which you insert into a hole in the dash. It is unwieldy and on three occasions we turned the engine off, but were unable to extract the key. So we had to go through the procedure of re-starting, turning off and pulling the key out. Given this is a new model you would have thought VW would have gone to the trendy remote key system with a push-button start/stop. Wait a minute, isn’t that the system they had in the ‘old’ model!
VW have given the interior a facelift, the console has been re-designed, there’s an integrated LCD multifunction display, the door storages are lightly carpeted, and the quality `soft’ plastics add to the already premium feel of the cabin. We found the front seats comfortable but for those who like pressing buttons to find the optimum comfort, sorry there’s only manual controls. Leg and head room is not an issue in front or back and the middle seat in the rear pew is definitely a short-trip only option due to firmness.
The rear seat has a 60/40 split and the back of the centre seat folds down to create an armrest with cup holders, or folds down completely to create a ski hatch. The cargo area is large at 580 litres and with the rear seat folded there’s a cavernous 1642 litres. The rear seat passengers also enjoy dual air conditioning vents at head height. The interior is dotted with usable storage bins, which makes this an ideal family vehicle.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
On the face of it 400 Nm is a lot of grunt, but the kerb weight of the vehicle takes the edge of performance in straight-line speed to highway cruising at 110 km. Frankly this did not worry us one bit given the vehicle’s use as a family car ... and the acceleration is not too shabby in any case. Once at cruising speed grunt is not an issue for overtaking or tackling steep hills. The eight speed transmission is simply sublime and makes the most of the V6 diesel. The 0-100 km/h sprint takes 9.0 seconds flat. Those requiring more speed off the lights can opt for the higher output diesel which get you there 2.0 seconds quicker.
Touareg points nicely and is predictable when cornering with minimal body roll for a largish SUV. We did not take the 150TDI off-road. It has the basic 4Motion AWD system which does not include low range transfer case or differential locks. It is ideally suited to gravel roads as opposed to 4WD tracks or fire trails and rock hopping. The transition from ‘on-road’ to ‘off-road’ is achieved by turning a knob in the console that changes the traction control for better grip on loose surfaces. Inside the cabin at any speed is a quite, peaceful haven which even diesel doubters would have trouble picking as an oil-burner. NVH is simply not an issue.
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING*
Touareg 150TDI diesel $62,990
Touareg 3.6 litre V6 FSI petrol $77,990
Touareg V6 TDI diesel $77,990
Touareg V6 TDI 4Motion (4WD) $82,990
(*Pricing does not include government or dealer charges)
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: standard
Air Conditioning: standard
Automatic Transmission: standard
CD Player: standard
Central Locking: standard
Cruise Control: standard
Dual Front Airbags: standard
Front Side Airbags: standard
Stability Control: standard
Traction Control: standard
SPECIFICATIONS (150TDI)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.967 litres
Configuration: V6
Compression Ratio: 17.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 83.0 mm x 91.4 mm
Maximum Power: 150 kW @ 4000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 400 Nm @ 2000 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: AWD
Manual Transmission: N/A
Automatic Transmission: 4Motion AWD
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4898 mm
Wheelbase: 2904 mm
Width: 1965 mm
Height: 1732 mm
Turning Circle: 11.9 metres
Kerb Mass: 2154 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 85 litres
Towing Ability: 3500 kg (kg with braked trailer)
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Double wishbone, coils
Rear Suspension: Double wishbone, coils
Front Brakes: Ventilate discs
Rear Brakes: Ventilated discs
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.0 seconds
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: diesel
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/01): 7.2 L/100km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 6.5/10
Air Pollution Rating: 5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
3 years/ unlimited km
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