Volkswagen TOUAREG V6 TDI
Slotting In Between the 2.5-Litre And 5.0-Litre Turbodiesel Engines Comes A Touareg With A 3.0-Litre V6 Powerplant.
Andy Enright Prepares To Be Heavily Compromised
Volkswagen definitely took their eye off the ball when they launched the Touareg. Fitting the 5.0-litre TDI diesel engine was a canny move, garnering plenty of column inches and giving the Touareg something that none of its rivals could match. The 2.
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5-litre TDI diesel was also a worthwhile addition for those who were looking to take a less ambitious bite at Touareg ownership. Unfortunately that left a huge, yawning gulf in between. A gulf that
BMW,
Volvo,
Land Rover and Mercedes werent exactly shy about capitalising upon. Two distinct niches in the luxury 4x4 sector have emerged in recent years.
The big V8 petrol engine and the 3.0-litre turbo diesel market. With only a 2.5-litre oil burner to campaign with, the Touareg was, if such a thing is possible, looking a little lightweight.
Volkswagen have thankfully rectified this issue with the launch of the Touareg V6 TDI.
Its got more than enough engine for the task. With 223bhp under the bonnet, this Touareg squares up nicely against Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover and Volvo rivals. Suddenly the £34,840 asking price for the entry level model doesnt seem quite such an obstacle. The Sport variant is pitched at £35,910.
Its also an agreeably muscular engine, generating some 369lb/ft of torque. Its broadly similar to the unit found beneath the bonnet of the Phaeton V6 TDI limousine, except for the fact that the Touaregs installation has been tuned to offer more in the way of low down grunt. This means that the Volkswagen is adept at towing or hauling up steep inclines. The overall fuel consumption figure of 25.
9mpg is a reasonable showing given the Touaregs enormous all-up weight, and the acceleration to 60mph of 9.7 seconds is also firmly on the right side of acceptable. Top speed is quoted as 125mph, so motorway cruising shouldnt see the engine being flogged too hard. The emissions of 294g/km are hardly stellar but if youre buying this sort of vehicle, thats hardly likely to be a prime criterion.
The engine is a good deal more advanced than either of its other diesel siblings, using an advanced piezo electric injector capable of making up to four fuel injections per cycle.
"The Touareg V6 TDI has more than enough engine"
A six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox allows the driver to marshal things when in the mood and leave it to its own devices when wafting about. Fortunately, wafting is something the Touareg V6 TDI is rather good at. Youll only really hear a slight clatter from the engine at start up and this soon settles into a refined background thrum. Anybody who knows their cars will always be able to tell that this vehicle drinks from the black rather than green pump, but its a car that revels in its fuel type rather than attempt to mimic the characteristics of something petrol powered.
Youll rarely feel the need to push the engine much above 3,000rpm and the gearbox plugs nicely from one fat slug of torque straight into the next. It makes piloting the Touareg extremely effortless. The only time youll feel a little anxious is when trying to thread it through narrow city streets. The Touareg isnt what youd call svelte.
At 170cm high, its not lacking in road presence and youll have to edge carefully through urban width restrictors. Opt for air suspension and youll be able to jack the ride height up still further. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. Standard equipment includes electronic climate control, a multifunction computer, a ten-speaker CD system, walnut trim, heated and folding door mirrors and a huge airbag count.
The philosophy behind the Touareg was to offer three vehicles in one with an eye on the lucrative US market. In a category dominated by the Mercedes M-class, the BMW X5 and the Range
Rover, the Touareg needed to be something special. Volkswagen boss Bernd Pischetsrieder reckons it is. "Unlike these rivals, its a proper off-roader, it eclipses the X5 on road and on top of it all it is a spacious luxury car" he purrs, obviously rather happy with his brawny creation. Longer term plans for the Touareg include a pair of mind-boggling power units. First will be a W12 similar to the one nestling under the bonnet of the
Bentley Continental GT. Then well see a six-litre V10 diesel.
At about the same time, the third car based on this platform, Audis Magellan, will also appear. On the road, the Touareg cant quite back up Pischetsrieders claim as better than an X5. It comes close and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a whole lot keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and theres that bit more side to side wobbly head syndrome that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise.
Still, the engine has enough pull to keep things composed when pushing on through corners. Its off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean.
The diesel engines torque is always a bonus, and the relatively light weight of the six-cylinder TDI engine makes it particularly nimble on downhill stretches. The Touareg V6 TDI is probably the most satisfying model in the range. While the 5.0-litre V10 undoubtedly gives the biggest adrenaline rush, the V6 offers a decent blend of pace, refinement, economy and relative affordability.
Stacked up against the best in class, it makes a strong case for itself, offering more power and in many cases a more technologically advanced basic platform. Luxury 4x4s are never going to be sensible, but this is one of the more justifiable. We like it and think you will too.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI range
PRICES: £34,840-£35,910 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 294g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.7s / Max Speed 125mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 25.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726
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