|
2004 Volkswagen Touareg
Ian McPherson
 Recently, I have come to believe that through some 'invasion of the body snatchers' like scheme the management at Volkswagen has been one by one replaced by personnel from Audi . For decades VW has made its stock and trade cranking out millions of everyman cars like the Beetle, Jetta and a few Camper Vans for good measure. Without fail they have yielded anything even hinting at luxury to its upscale bretheren Audi.
From there to here in 18 months or so and VW now boasts an 8-cylinder version of the Passat, an all new 12-cylinder powered luxury car named Phaeton, and now VW's first ever SUV the Touareg. When I first heard the name I thought it sounded like the newest line of sofas at Ikea but in actuality its unusual name is lifted from a nomadic tribe of the Sahara, which loosely translated means 'free folk'. I think the idea is that the Touareg can free us from our roadly bounds so that we might drive off the beaten path of life just as Volkswagen has done with its latest product offerings. This sounds great but I'm not sure about a marketing campaign that ties itself to emulating a tribe of desert wanders that in North America would likely be tagged hobos!
The Touareg is aimed right at the heart of the upscale SUV market to compete with the likes of the Acura MDX, Mercedes ML430 and the Lexus RX330. The best thing about the Touareg is that it doesn't look like anything out there except the Porsche Cayenne, which is expected considering they share a common platform. Believe me, when I say that of the two the Touareg is clearly the better looking.
I had heard comment that the Touareg looked like a beefed up Passat Wagon on oversized tires but I would disagree pointing to its fluid lines, unique front end, bulging hood and shoulder line to which most agree makes a sufficient difference. The Touareg evokes a great deal of style and elegance with no small thanks to the lack of superficial claddings to break up its svelte lines, yet it still possesses the right amount of macho strength that this won't be the next yummy mummy chick truck.
 The inside really shines with handsome gauges ringed in chrome, genuine walnut rim and high quality materials throughout. The Touareg is at home with the even the most expensive SUV's. Climate and audio controls are managed through a central display screen that looks impressive but often requires scrolling through pages of menus to find what you want. The navigation is also not as intuitive as I would like but in time you start to grasp its idiosyncrasies and can begin to enjoy the detailed graphics and extra info like longitude/ latitude coordinates, front wheel angle, and altitude above sea level.
The front seats are heated and fully adjustable with firm support in the European tradition. Head room is ample as is the amount of seat travel and the tilt/ telescope steering column really helps you dial in a comfortable position. The back window seams small and this is only made worse by headrests that interfere with visibility. The back seats feel a little tight with tall passengers in the front and I also noticed that the rear doorways are smallish hampering exit.
 The cargo bay is spacious and in keeping with other SUV's in its class however expanding capacity requires tipping the lower cushions and removing the headrests. Elsewhere storage nooks abound and even the glove-box is air-conditioned.
The Touareg is powered by a choice of 3.2 litre V-6 (220hp, 225 lb-ft of torque) and 4.2 litre V-8 (310 hp, 302 lb-ft of torque) and a brand new 4.9 litre V-10 turbo diesel that I won't discuss here. You must understand that the Touareg is as SUV's go grossly obese. With over 5,000 lbs to lug around the V-6 is not even an option. The 5-valve V-8 is a beautifully smooth engine with a lovely purr but it still suffers from a poor power to weight ratio so that when you kick down the throttle on the open highway it seems to take a deep breathe before kicking into action. Towing capacity is 7716 lbs with both engines.
The chassis does an excellent job soaking up the bumps and bruises of the road with adjustable shocks and air springs. But when its time to turn that weighty feeling doesn't go away and the Touareg feels like a yacht, slow to turn with lots of roll and no feeling. This is in sharp contrast to the Porsche Cayenne which is one of the most superb sport SUV's that I have ever driven.
The Touareg's talent lies in highway cruising and in one other key area; off-roading. Using VW's patented electronically controlled 4Xmotion system which allows up to 100% of the power to go to one wheel, and an optional locking rear differential the Touareg is simply best in show. A host of ingenious controls like a hill ascent that prevents the vehicle from rolling back when you lift your foot off the gas and a hill descent safeguard, that prevents the vehicle from rolling down out of control. The Touareg is capable of climbing steeper angles than a Range Rover and over rocks larger than a Hummer H2 can manage. With the optional air suspension it comes equipped with a tire pressure monitor that can inflate a flat tire or pump up the pressure after a rousing off-road session.
The Touareg has successfully moved the Volkswagen brand upscale but I have wonder to what end! Nevertheless it represents a verifiable bargain for buyers who seek a German SUV of the Touareg's size and features for around $60 K (for the V-8 model). Good looks inside and out are undeniable at is its hefty weight , but thanks to fine highway manners and class leading off road abilities it is a real alternative in the high end SUV market. Too bad that most Touareg's are destined to be yet another suburban showpiece of status! 
|
