Volkswagen will introduce an all-new Touareg to Australia in the first half of 2011. We have had a chance to drive the new VW SUV on an extensive road test program from the German company's head office in Wolfsburg to the Paris Motor Show for this review.

Our first visual sighting of the new Touareg showed it in a positive light as the designers have given it a neater, cleaner look that ties in nicely with current thinking on SUV design. Owners, particularly in Europe, no longer want to be seen in big macho 4WDs, but do like the convenience of a voluminous body.

Though the VW designers have given the new 2011 Touareg the looks of a smaller vehicle, they have actually made it larger inside by stretching the body and wheelbase. This results in more room in the back seat so there's legroom for the tallest of adults. Comfort in the rear has been further improved by making the backrest adjustable for rake. The luggage area has also been increased in size.

Despite the increase in size the new VW Touareg is about 200 kilograms lighter than the outgoing model. This weight reduction has been achieved in many different areas throughout the vehicle but has been done with no loss of functionality.

This time around the designers have bowed to the knowledge that very few people ever take their SUVs off-road. Some of the weight loss has been achieved by no longer fitting a two-speed transmission transfer box as standard. Instead it is an extra cost option for those who do want to explore the wilds – or in the case of Australia to go into the bush or take trips to the beach.

Power in European Volkswagen Touaregs is provided by either V6 petrol or turbo-diesel engines, or a V8 diesel. The two former powerplants are definitely slated for Australia but at this stage there are no plans to import the big-power turbo-diesel.

All engines being imported to Australia will be mated to an automatic transmission with eight forward speeds. This is a conventional torque convertor unit, not a double-clutch DSG as fitted to many of the smaller vehicles in the range.

Clever engine and transmission design, as well as the aforementioned trimming of weight, has reduced fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 20 per cent compared with the about to be superseded model.

On the subject of superseded, VW in Australia has almost run out of the last stocks of the outgoing Touareg so if you are thinking of getting one don’t hang around.

Initial driving impressions of the new VW Touareg are of a solid feel (no surprise here) and of excellent refinement in noise, vibration and harshness control. At a cruising speed of 130 to 140 km/h – the norm in Europe – there is almost no wind noise so the big VW offers quiet relaxed travel for hours on end.

Exact timing, pricing and specifications of the new Volkswagen Touareg have yet to be finalised for Australia, but it has been slated to hit downunder sometime in the first half of 2011.