Volkswagen Touareg TDI Test Drive Review
Internationally, the Volkswagen Group boasts a big portfolio of highly-acclaimed diesel engines powering models from the Polo to the Passat and Phaeton. The economy and emission benefits of diesel engines are well-documented, but like many companies, VW has refused to bring its line-up of oil burners into Malaysia for a simple and often-repeated reason – our fuel is crap.
To achieve increasingly ambitious efficiency targets, car makers have developed a multitude of innovations in powertrain engineering. Margins become ever finer in the drive to extract more power whilst consuming less fuel, and the result is that most modern engines are very delicately calibrated precision instruments. Running Euro II fuel in an engine designed for Euro V is possible, but only with re-calibrated engine settings.
Volkswagen has yet to make the effort to detune the diesel engines of its passenger cars for us to enjoy the pleasures of a Golf TDI or Passat TDI, but through the big Touareg SUV, Malaysians now have access to their first diesel-powered Volkswagen.
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| The Touareg commands immense road presence. |
Prices and Variants
Unfortunately, Malaysia’s first diesel Volkswagen is not what you would call cheap with the final price likely to breach half a million ringgit once you factor in insurance. Of course, if you were to compare it to the mechanically identical Porsche Cayenne Diesel which starts at RM560,000 before on-road costs, the Touareg TDI suddenly becomes a vehicle of impressive value.
It is the middle-child of the Touareg’s three variant line-up that is book-ended by the 3.6 V6 petrol FSI model at the entry level and the flagship Hybrid version at the other end. But with the latter prohibitively expensive at nearly RM620k before factoring insurance, the TDI and its cheaper petrol sibling are obviously the more realistic options for most buyers.
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Specifications
For the Touareg TDI to operate smoothly with our fuel, Volkswagen has adjusted its 3.0-litre V6 engine to operate on less stringent Euro III parameters. Precise nature of alterations are not made clear, but Volkswagen quotes unchanged outputs for the Malaysian model relative to its European counterparts with 242hp and 550Nm being the numbers registered at the crank. Prescribed maintenance intervals are recommended at 15,000km by the factory, but Volkswagen Group Malaysia is offering additional checks at 7,500km intervals for added customer peace of mind.
Befitting its price, the Touareg TDI is offered with an appropriately lengthy kit count. There is a panoramic sunroof, satellite navigation, and Bluetooth integration to start with, but perhaps the most useful item is its ‘aerial view’ function on the central screen, which stitches the images from four wide-angle cameras placed around the vehicle’s body to generate a ‘bird’s eye’ illustration of the vehicle’s surroundings. Whilst we still recommend that you look up and watch the mirrors, this ‘aerial view’ feature is a very useful tool to help navigate the imposing Touareg through tight spaces.
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| The 360 degree camera proved extremely useful when maneuvering through tight spaces. |
Design
Compared to the more flamboyant Porsche Cayenne, the Touareg is more conservatively styled, its lines maintaining familial resemblance with other members of the Volkswagen stable. Volkswagen kept the Touareg’s sheet metal simple and we reckon that this lack of clutter will enable the Touareg’s design to age very well relative to its contemporaries.
The Touareg wears a pleasingly understated design, yet it exudes commanding road presence. The overall simplicity of its details, gaping air intakes up front and vast sheet uninterrupted sheet metal, serve to visually amplify its already considerable size. The BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 for example, are both longer and taller than the Touareg, although VW’s big SUV counters with greater width than both vehicles. Visually, the Touareg appears more substantial than both.
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| The Touareg is an SUV of imposing proportions. |
Interior
There’s little to say about the Touareg’s interior that we haven’t covered in reviews of other VW cars, excellent build quality and good ergonomics being two notable highlights. Switchgear exudes the typically premium quality that we’ve grown accustomed with the brand, and they are all logically placed, with operation simple and straight forward.
The difference between the Touareg’s interior compared to say, a Golf or a Passat, is equipment. Disregarding their typically comprehensive safety equipment, Volkswagen’s mass market models have a chronic lack of creature comforts, though that’s not a problem here in the Touareg – it had better not be, since you’re being asked to fork out almost half a million ringgit for one. As stated earlier, the Touareg justifies its luxury price tag with an appropriately comprehensive equipment manifest.
Where the Touareg may lose some customers against rivals of comparable price and size is the absence of third row seats – making the Touareg a strict five seater, and all but eliminating it as an option for buyers needing to fit seven on board. The flip side of this is that you will always have at least 580 litres of space for your golf bags, which you can further extend to 1,642 litres by putting the thoughtfully-implemented remote-operated split-folding rear seats to good use.
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| 580 litres of luggage space with seats up, 1,642 litres with seats down. |
Driving Experience
Not unexpectedly, considering its size and power, the Touareg’s best virtues show themselves most prominently on the highways. It is a very refined and dignified cruiser, capable of dispatching the miles at high speeds with minimum fuss and pleasing consumption. Don’t underestimate its cornering abilities either – it suppresses body roll amazingly well over long-sweeping high-speed bends; remember that it’s a Porsche Cayenne underneath. In fact, the Touareg is amazingly agile for a vehicle its weight.
Its steering is also worthy of praise – light enough to feel pleasingly effortless in town, yet substantial enough not to feel over-assisted. Feedback too is surprisingly decent, and providing the road is wide enough, the Touareg will handle most corners with great confidence. Ride comfort is mostly well-resolved in ironing out undulations, but sharper disturbances do send jiggles back into the cabin.
As the space around you shrinks, the Touareg starts to struggle. First, the vehicle’s sheer size makes maneuvering around tight corners a rather tricky exercise, so do prepare to fork out a bit more money to tip the valet on a more regular basis. The other thing is an almost CVT-like rubber-band sensation of the 8-speed automatic transmission during take off. Gentle prodding of the throttle unleashes a high number of revs but produces only minute motion. Owners may get used to this over time, but for a motoring journo testing the car for only three days, it can be a little disconcerting.
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| 8-speed automatic has an elastic feel during take off. |
Verdict
Whether you are chauffeur driven or regularly behind the wheel yourself, the Touareg TDI is a fine companion to have for those long KL-Penang or KL-JB business trips, thanks to the overall refinement and fuel economy of its diesel engine. Strong mid-range torque and long cruising ratios also go a long way to bless the Touareg with an effortless cruising experience ensuring that you emerge at your destination fresh and ready to go about your business.
The Touareg is a capable and accomplished product, meeting its brief as a big premium SUV with a minimum of fuss. Its understated nature makes it a less glamourous choice compared to say a BMW X5 or a Porsche Cayenne. Badge snobs will likely overlook it, but for those who prioritize substance over vanity there in lies the Touareg’s appeal.
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