FOR some reason, possibly VW’s Dakar exploits, the Touareg enjoys a good dose of street cred, with people not that interested in SUVs making favourable comments when this vehicle is mentioned in conversation. The Touareg range has just received a facelift that is particularly noticeable from the front, where headlamps now follow the current global design employed by a number of manufacturers. More chrome has been splashed around the grille, and the tail-lamps and both bumpers have been reshaped. Diesel-loving SUV customers are spoilt for choice when it comes to the Touareg. There is the 2,5-litre, five-cylinder offering 128 kW, this test unit’s 3,0-litre V6 with 165 kW and, of course, the mighty 5,0-litre V10 with a whopping 230 kW of oil-burning power.
Our test unit was fitted with optional 18-inch wheels in place of the standard 17-inchers. With a deflated space-saver spare plus air compressor fitted as standard equipment, another option that looks really neat is a rear-mounted, full-size alloy wheel. At a price of R8 280, this macho addition must first be swung sideways before the tailgate can be raised. The rear window can be lifted independently of the hatch for easy loading of parcels, but only after unlatching the spare wheel. Talking of options, the list is extensive, ranging from metallic paint, through removable or swing-out towbars, park distance control, sunroof and roof racks, to satellite navigation and adjustableheight air suspension.
The interior is what you would expect from a VW, meaning top quality with carefully thought out ergonomics for the layout of controls. The instrumentation and centre displays differ in being red and black respectively, but both have the VW blue backlighting, which looks very chic at night. Seating, too, is excellent, and there is no shortage of space. The black leather seats add to a sombrelooking cabin but are wellshaped and comfortable. Seat adjustment is done by hand, meaning less to go wrong, but for the lazy, pay your R12 360 and the eby the trusty battery…
Dual climate control is standard: however, fan speed buttons are small and user-unfriendly – rotary knobs would be much quicker to use. Door pockets are also rather small, but decent storage space is available under the slideable armrest, and in a bin on top of the facia.
Even without the complication of air suspension, the basic mass of 2 422 kg with a full tank of diesel is hefty to put it mildly, yet the engine still manages to accelerate the vehicle from standstill to 100 km/h in a shade over 10 seconds. There is some initial hesitation in acceleration, but thereafter progress is rapid, smooth andffort will be provided quiet for a diesel. With such a substantial body, fuel consumption is an ever-increasing factor to consider, and on this score, the 12,6 litres/100 km is reasonable, providing a range of just under 800 km on the sizeable 100-litre tank.
Steering, handling and ride are all well-engineered. For off-road excursions, low range is selectable by rotating a switch next to the driver’s seat. On further rotation, the centre diff is locked. An optional rear diff-lock can be specified, whereas hill start assist and hill descent control form part of the standard package.
