Affordable German Luxury
The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg is a highly competent German luxury SUV starting at a fairly affordable $44K. It aspires to compete with more expensive German luxury SUVs – BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M Class and (platform cousin) Audi Q5 – as well as those from Acura, Infiniti, Toyota, Cadillac and Lincoln. It comes in entry-level Sport, mid-range Lux and top-level Executive versions, plus a new sporty R-line trim, with V-6 gasoline or turbodiesel power. There's also a world's-first supercharged hybrid version.
And it generally does compete, quite well. The long list of standard goodies on even the base Sport includes 18-inch alloy wheels; power windows mirrors and locks; Bi -Xenon headlights with LED Daytime Running Lights; front fog and cornering lights; dual -zone air conditioning; eight -speaker audio with a six-disc CD changer and touchscreen control; eight -way power heated front seats; leather-wrapped shift knob and multifunction steering wheel; one 115-volt and four 12-volt outlets; remote opening and closing power tailgate with closing assist; and a rearview camera.
The performance-oriented R - Line – about $54K with the 3.6-liter gas V6 or $58K with the TDI Clean Diesel V-6 – starts with the Lux trim, then adds stiffer sport suspension and other dynamic and appearance features. The Executive and Hybrid models offer two very useful new features: a hands-free liftgate that opens with a swipe of your foot under the rear bumper (and the key in your pocket), and a 360° four-camera system that shows what's all around your vehicle, plus a top birds -eye view and cross-traffic alert warnings.
Powertrains
The 3.6-liter direct-injected gas V-6 pumps out 280 horsepower and 265 lb -ft of torque for strong launch acceleration and good mid -range passing. Driving through the standard eight -speed automatic transmission and 4MOTION all-wheel drive, its EPA fuel economy ratings are 17 mpg city and 23 highway.
The 3.0-liter TDI turbodiesel V-6 is good for 240 horses, a muscular 406 lb-ft of torque and 29-mpg highway/20-mpg city EPA ratings. As with the gas engine, its eight-speed automatic offers manual gear control (but not steering wheel paddles), a Sport mode and a Dynamic Shift Program (DSP) that adapts to your driving style.
The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid teams a 333-hp 3.0 -liter supercharged, direct -injected gas V-6 with a 47-hp electric motor powered by a 1.7kWh nickel metal hydride battery pack. Together, they deliver a V-8-like 380 hp and 428 lb -ft of torque with V-6-like 24-mpg EPA highway fuel economy, and each system can power the Touareg independently. Among its efficiency-enhancing features are standard Stop /Start, which shuts down the engine at rest, regenerative braking that recovers kinetic energy during coasting and braking, and a system that kills the engine and disengages the transmission while coasting.
Interior
The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg's quiet, comfortable cabin is lined with elegant Walnut wood, optional “Vienna” leather upholstery (Black, Beige or Saddle Brown) and an available 620-watt, 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system. The R -Line interior features gloss-black and brushed aluminum trim, plus a special R -Line steering wheel, door sill scuffplates and aluminum sport pedals.
The 40/ 20/40 split rear seat reclines and adjusts 6.3 inches fore/aft. Cargo room behind them is a generous 32 cu. ft., twice that with all three folded down. A huge panoramic glass sunroof is standard in Lux, Executive and Hybrid models. The available premium navigation system comes with an eight-inch touchscreen that can display maps and directions in high -definition 3D, a DVD/CD player with MP3 playback capabilities and FM/AM/satellite radio.
Suspension
This is the second-generation Touareg, and Volkswagen engineers worked hard to make it ride and handle better than the already-agile first-generation models. It uses control arms front and rear, with lightweight aluminum upper links, robust steel lower links and long -travel springs all around. Not surprisingly, the R-Line’s sport suspension is stiffer for sportier handling.
The standard 4MOTION permanent all -wheel drive uses a limited-slip Torsen rear differential that splits available torque 40 per cent front and 60 percent rear for balanced on- and off-road driving. The variable-ratio power steering gives responsive feel with just 2.6 turns of the steering wheel, lock to lock.
Safety
Among the 2014 Touareg's standard safety features are six airbags, including front and rear Side Curtain Protection head bags and thorax units for the driver and front passenger. Active systems include a Rollover Sensor System that monitors the vehicle’s speed and turning angle and, if it detects a potential rollover, deploys the side curtain airbags to reduce the risk of injury.
There’s also Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Brake Disc Wiping to keep the pads dry when it’s raining, plus Volkswagen’s Intelligent Crash Response System, which automatically unlocks the doors, disables the fuel pump and turns on the hazard lights in the event of certain types of collision.
Driving ImpressionsWe sampled a 2014 gas-V-6-powered R-Line Volkswagen Touareg and an Executive-trim TDI turbodiesel model on straight and twisty two-lane roads near Napa, CA. Both handled surprisingly well – the R-Line's suspension somewhat crisper and more agile than the diesel – yet both rode comfortably when the pavement turned brittle. Both offered precise, responsive steering and strong, linear braking, and both felt smaller than they were and lighter than their 2-1/2-ton curb weights. The gas V-6's 280 horses were more than adequate, even on long uphill grades, and the diesel – though rated 40 hp lower – gave deliciously-strong mid-range torque.
We were impressed by the Touareg's premium interior, from its precise instruments to its just-right leather-wrapped steering wheel with easy-to-use controls, to the audio and climate systems' much-appreciated conventional knobs for volume, tuning and dual-zone temperatures. Also, that its rear leg- and knee room easily accommodates longish legs.
All things considered, the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg earns a place on the shopping list of anyone considering a mid-size luxury SUV. It even comes with Volkswagen’s Carefree Maintenance Program, which covers scheduled maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles.
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