There are times in life where you need to change your car for lifestyle reasons. Usually, this happens when you start a family. In such cases, it makes sense to buy a people mover. Examples include 4x4s, MPVs and the like.
One car that seems to do well in the practical vehicle market is the Volkswagen Touareg. If cars had parents, this would be the Golf’s dad! Although it may look similar to the Golf, the Touareg is clearly much bigger.
And one major selling point is the many features the Volkswagen Touareg has as standard. One might expect to pay premium prices for those features. But, the “people’s car” has surprisingly affordable prices. Here’s an insight into what one can expect by buying the Volkswagen Touareg.
Comfortable ride quality
In some respects, the Volkswagen Touareg is like its cousin the Porsche Cayenne. It offers excellent road handling and is sure to keep you safe on the twisties. Of course, this is a car meant for everyday practical motoring. It’s not a vehicle that you would use on the race track!
If you’ve driven a Cayenne in the past, you’ll notice one thing about the Touareg. It’s more adept at dealing with rough road conditions than the Porsche. The Volkswagen Touareg comes with a 4×4 drivetrain as standard. That makes it easier to deal with rough terrain than an FWD or RWD car.
Still, I wouldn’t go around driving through swamps and muddy fields in the Touareg. A Land Rover Defender this is not! The focus on this car is practicality and cutting-edge features. It’s not billed as an off-roader.
3.0-litre V6 TDI
Volkswagen has thought long and hard about the engines that should go on offer for the Touareg. It seemed clear that there was just one perfect power plant for the job. I am, of course, talking about the 3.0-litre V6 TDI.
Coupled with an 8-speed automatic gearbox, the engine is good for 241 brake horsepower. It’s also got a respectable 0-60 mph time of 7.4 seconds. That’s good, considering the Touareg weighs 2.1 tonnes!
The fuel economy is a reasonable 39 MPG combined. Of course, real-world figures may differ – especially in light of VW’s “dieselgate” saga! Still, if you want more frugal motoring, there is the “BlueMotion” option. That promises a higher 42 MPG combined although you’ve got less power at 201 bhp.
Premium features without the premium price
Perhaps the main selling point of the Volkswagen Touareg is the features that it comes with. The entry-level SE comes with bi-Xenon headlights, 19-inch alloys and heated front seats. It also comes with adjustable rear seats and leather upholstery.
Extra standard features on the SE include DAB digital radio and dual-zone climate control.
To be honest, the SE is probably going to be the trim level of choice for most buyers. The others, such as the R-Line, include LED daytime running lights and privacy glass.
I recommend considering the Volkswagen Touareg for your next people mover.
Photo credits: Wikimedia
