I’ve always regarded SUVs – especially those of the grande variety – environmentally-unfriendly symbols of conspicuous consumption. That’s because I’ve never had the financial means to afford the pleasure of enjoying all the gizmos, tank-like tractability and commanding driving position of a premium SUV, some may argue. Well, okay… After spending time behind the wheel of a middle-of-the-range VW Touareg, I still don’t aspire to own one, but if I had to pick a large SUV – the 3,0 TDI would be near the top of my list.
Even though the notion of a luxury People’s Car doesn’t sit well with everybody (poor sales of the ill-fated Phaeton bear testamony to that), the Touareg is a surprisingly handsome brute that looks equally well-suited to urban kerb hopping and off-road shenanigans – not that it would leave the asphalt very often. In short, it’s not as ostentatious as a Cayenne, shapelier than a Range Rover, less of a Yank Tank than a Grand Cherokee, and less pretentious than an X5 or ML. The 3,0 TDI V6 (fitted with a 6-speed tiptronic transmission), plugs the gap between the five-cylinder R5 and the 4,2 V8 in the Touareg range and costs R489 500 in basic spec, which includes a five-year/100 000-km automotion plan. It’s probably the pick of the litter.
Whereas a 128 kW five-cylinder turbodiesel (with maximum torque of 400 N.m) has its work cut out to haul the R5 Touareg from A to B, the 3,0 TDI V6 delivers 165 kW at 4 000 r/min and a thumping 500 N.m at 1 750 r/min to take the large Touareg from standstill to 100 km/h in roughly ten seconds. Top speed is quoted at 210 km/h and fuel consumption, on a combined cycle, is a claimed 10,9 litres per 100 km – although that figure sounds a little bit ambitious.
On the road, the Touareg offers very good levels of grip, excellent all-round visibility and sufficient shove (once the engine revs approach the 2 000 r/min mark, that is). Even though the tiptronic transmission offers a sport mode, I wouldn’t bother using it. The trouble is that in cut and thrust or stop-start peak traffic driving conditions, the Touareg feels a bit lazy until the turbocharger suddenly kicks in with gusto, propelling the heavy SUV like a pebble launched from a bully boy’s kattie. The stopping system is very effective and the Touareg halts briskly without the inclination to nose dive, but its brakes feel snatchy.
In everyday driving, provided that you’re not running late for an appointment, worried that you’ll miss your flight or in a hurry to drop the kids off at school, the 3,0 TDI V6 is a good all rounder. The 3,0-litre turbodiesel engine seems much more refined than the R5’s mill and offers enough power reserves, poised ride quality and road-holding for when you need to push on a bit. There are cars that cost R500 000 that can do the same, but hey, it’s your money…
As is the case with its smaller sibling, the R5, the 3,0 TDI has an independent wishbone suspension (although the test unit was fitted with the optional adjustable CDC air suspension) with centre differential lock and 4Motion all-wheel drive. Safety equipment includes ABS with EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ESP (electronic stability programme), EDL (electronic differential lock), HBA (hydraulic brake assist system), ASR (anti-slip regulation), Hill Assist, brake pad wear indicators and a full complement of airbags.
