We Check Out The Revised VW Touareg.
Volkswagen's first attempt at an SUV was an interesting vehicle; bristling with technology but plagued with reliability issues, expensive for the segment and not the prettiest face.
To overcome the shortcomings, VW has embarked on a program that's seen it compete on the Dakar, Baja and Pikes Peak. They've also facelifted it, creating Touareg 2 (although don't expect to see this badged).
T2 has 22 exterior changes, most noticeably the appealing GTI-style grille. It also gets new bumpers, a rear spoiler, more chrome and four new colors. The aerodynamics are said to give a 1% fuel saving.
Inside, there are new 12-way adjustable seats (standard V8/10), revised instrument panel, trim and optional keyless access.
You also get a new 280hp 3.6 VR6 FSI, which should account for 70% of sales. There's a new 350hp 4.2 V8 FSI as well, and both are vastly improved over the outgoing units.
For toys, T2 gets a powered tailgate and parking assistance standard. The tire pressure monitoring works better and there's an optional ten-speaker Dynaudio sound system with a 620W ten-channel amp.
From a safety angle, you get ABS Plus, said to be more effective on loose surfaces. There's also Understeer Logic that compares steering input to the direction of the car and applies the brakes to compensate.
This may look easy, but apparently we broke the height record with this lateral climb.
VW has made T2 easier to buy. Where there were formerly 1236 permutations of vehicle and equipment, there are now 208. The VR6 starts at $54120, with the V8 at $59020. Diesel fans can still get the V10 TDI in certain states, and a 230hp 3.0 V6 TDI is coming in '09.
In addition to the motorsport campaigns, the Toerag appeared recently in The Bourne Ultimatum, where it made a big impact. However, it's the SUV's off-road ability VW wants to promote. And while we thought it was a soft-roader, our recent experiences have shown it has outstanding ability over any terrain. It can certainly leave most of its competition floundering, and we drove on street tires. Who knows what a Touareg could do with off-road or snow tires?