Road Test: Volkswagen Touareg 4.2 V8 TDI

Being an intelligent reader, you know that the Touaregs are an indigenous people that live west of the Nile, somewhat north of here. Historically these interesting people spoke the Berber language. All very well and good, I hear you say. But what’s all this got to do with the mighty V8 diesel Volkswagen Touareg?

Well, Touaregs are mostly nomads and for over two millennia, they operated the trans-Sahara, connecting the great cities on the southern edge of the Sahara via five desert trade routes to the northern Mediterranean coast of Africa. Hence the cleverly named Volkswagen alludes to its same continent crossing, nomadic ability. However, that’s where the connection abruptly ends.

While Volkswagen’s Touareg has only been around since 2002, it has built up a reputation as strong and refined 4×4 that was also genuinely capable in proper off-road situations – something that can’t be said for many new 4x4s on the market these days. This second-generation Touareg doesn’t look much different to the original, but appearances can be deceptive. This is no straightforward facelift or reskin. It’s longer and wider, but less tall than the outgoing model. Perhaps the most significant change is a weight saving of over 200 kg.

The first Touareg was a lardy 2.4 tonnes and was widely commented upon at the time. But this bulk was quickly matched or exceeded by others like the Mercedes Benz GL class and the Land Rover Discovery 3. Most manufacturers have now cottoned on that in the interests of fuel economy and the environment, a new generation off-roaders would have to be lighter. The latest Touareg is a happy outcome of that thinking and is all the better for the ‘diet’.

Weight-saving is a key part of the 4×4’s better economy, but the much improved engines have played a big role as well. The original Touareg served up one of the biggest range of powerplants seen in a Volkswagen. How many other makes can you think of that offered six, eight and twelve cylinder petrol engines and five, six, and ten cylinder diesels? In this latest iteration of the car, the extremes of the Touareg’s engine range have now been pruned somewhat. The VW that was sent to me for review was powered by the tasty 4.2-litre V8 diesel, the replacement for the previous 5.0-litre V10. Like the V6 TDI, it has common rail direct injection.

As is the trend nowadays, less is more and the new motor delivers more power and torque, but also much better economy from its smaller capacity. At 9.1 L/100 km (equivalent to 239 g/km CO2), its combined fuel consumption is extremely good considering its enormous power and incredible maximum torque of 800 Newton-metres (between 1 750 and 2 750 r/min). CO2 emissions have been reduced by about 25 percent compared to the V10.

On the road, the V8 is excellent. It’s smooth, quiet and powerful. In practice, the immediate and potent mid-range response is more rewarding than its sprint ability (which in itself, is still very impressive at 0 – 100 km/h in only 5.8 seconds). The pleasantly resonant V8 is mated to Volkswagen’s excellent eight-speed auto ’box, which enables the powertrain to provide exactly the sort of smooth, over-indulgent experience that this car needs if it’s to justify its R797 100 price tag.

The clean new styling draws inspiration from the design direction established by the Volkswagen Head of Design, Klaus Bischoff. First seen in the Scirocco a while back, the new VW family face is becoming commonplace on the roads now.

As you would expect, a standard feature is the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen limited-slip differential. For the minority of buyers who actually venture off road with their Touareg, you’ll be delighted to know that this system will allow it to climb up 31 degree inclines. This feat will remain an interesting ‘pub fact’ for most owners, though.

The car is roomy, comfortable and understated and the interior is very similar to what went before, which is no bad thing. A large colour multifunction touch screen display reveals the key context menus for navigation, audio, telephone, vehicle, assistants and so on, without the need for an iDrive type selector. You can expect the same intuitive control logic as in a Polo or a Golf, but it’s defiantly a big step up in luxury and ambience.

The load area measures from 580-litres to 1 642-litres, depending on the seating arrangements. This is significantly more than on the previous model (555 and 1 570-litres). Nifty features available standard and/or optionally include a remote tailgate opener, the Side Assist warning system and Adaptive Cruise Control. The optional panoramic sunroof is worth specifying. It practically occupies the entire roof area – 350 percent larger than a normal sunroof – yet the car is way more rigid than its predecessor.

Standard ground clearance is 220 millimetres, but order the ‘Terrain Tech’ package and you are able to have the ride height increased by an additional 10 millimetres in front and 15 in the rear. With the optional air suspension, ground clearance increases to a maximum of 300 millimetres and the Touareg’s wading depth is 580 mm when equipped with air suspension. I found the air suspension acceptable, certainly, but was prone to be a little lumpy over local urban roads. It smooths out on motorways, where it serves as a seriously effective tourer capable of vast nomadic distances in absolute comfort.

As before, the Touareg is a great all-rounder that’s as happy towing a horse box as it is cruising on the motorway. It also handles amazingly well for what is a large vehicle and feels agile on corners without too much body roll.

Volkswagen sold a huge number of these cars, especially for such a big and comparatively expensive car; More than 500 000 of the first-generation Touareg found owners world-wide and it’s unlikely that the new one will be any less successful.

What we like…

• The V8 diesel lump – you won’t find more torque for the price.
• It’s not flashy. Feels like an intelligent choice
• Very well made.

What we would like…

• More character.
• Less intrusive engine stop/start.

Richard Webb is the publisher of Blower, South Africa’s longest running car magazine and contributor to SACarFan.

Comments

comments