Volkswagen’s biggest sport utility vehicle offers space, comfort, and a silver-plate pedigree. It shares its platform, powertrain with the Porsche Cayenne, and rolls off the same assembly line in Slovakia. Handsome exterior and interior styling, plus premium cabin finishes make it feel like a genuine luxury vehicle.
Little has changed for 2016 given the Touareg received a mild facelift last year.
The base Sportline model now receives a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen display with navigation, climate control, an SD card, plus a standard reverse camera which replaces parking sensors. The Comfortline trim now receives a standard heated steering wheel. Lastly, Reef Blue, a new shade of dark blue is offered on Sportline, Comfortline, and Highline trims.
All Touaregs come powered by a 3.6-litre narrow-angle direct-injected V6 engine that develops 280 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. It comes paired to an eight-speed automatic and standard 4Motion all-wheel drive, and is rated to tow up to 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs). The popular TDI turbodiesel is presently on hiatus until Volkswagen figures out how to make it comply with emissions.
Equipment levels vary depending on trim; base level cars are light on luxury equipment but come featuring power heated front seats upholstered in leatherette, bi-xenon headlamps, and a power-operated tailgate. Goodies such as proximity key with push-button start, a hands-free tailgate, and blind-spot monitoring are only available on the Comfortline trim and above. Radar cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and lane departure warning are optional extras on the Comfortline and Highline, but come standard on the Execline trim.
Pricing for the 2016 Touareg starts at $50,975, with the fully-equipped Execline selling for $64,275.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
