First Drive: The Volkswagen Touareg is a stylish and practical large SUV

What is it?

It only feels like two minutes since the original Volkswagen Touareg first broke onto the scene as the firm’s first proper SUV and yet here we are, over 20 years on, talking about the arrival of the latest model. When Volkswagen’s high-riding flagship originally hit the roads it was one of the first in a new breed of premium SUVs but these days the market is positively flooded with options, making the Touareg’s job tougher than ever.

So to keep up with the pace, Volkswagen has equipped this latest model with some of its very latest technology while aiming to keep that same high level of refinement that was so present in the previous version. We’ve been finding out what it’s like.

What’s new?

The Touareg remains the same shape and size as before, so it’s more about the little revisions here rather than groundbreaking stuff. The front end, for instance, now gets the full-width light bar that we’ve seen applied across a number of Volkswagen models lately, while around the back there’s a first – a light-up Volkswagen badge, with the Touareg being the debut vehicle for this feature.

Volkswagen has also included its latest IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights on the new Touareg, incorporating 38,432 individual LEDs to provide a huge amount of illumination. These are integrated into headlight units which look quite similar to those on the ‘old’ Touareg, however.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Touareg is offered with a strong range of engines. There’s a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine and also a plug-in hybrid which combines an engine of the same capacity with an electric motor and 14.3kWh battery for greener running, alongside a pair of diesel engines – the more powerful of the two we’re driving here.

It’s quite a traditional setup, in truth. There’s a big 3.0-litre turbocharged diesel under the bonnet, which sends 282bhp and 600Nm of torque to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Volkswagen claims up to 34.4mpg – which is about right for this size and weight of vehicle – while a 0-60mph time of 6.2 seconds is quite sprightly, again for a car of this size.

What’s it like to drive?

The Volkswagen Touareg continues to provide assured and confidence-inspiring handling throughout various driving situations. The seating position is high and proud, with a great view of the road ahead over a bonnet which doesn’t feel too tall. The thin pillars at the front help greatly with visibility, too. Sure, the steering isn’t all that communicative – very few electric-powered setups are today – but it’s at least accurate and allows you to put the car just where you want it to be. It’s not too heavy at low speeds, either.

Diesel might not be in favour at the moment but it’s a great fit for the Touareg, too. It’s silky and responsive and when coupled with the eight-speed gearbox makes for swift and easy progress. On air suspension the Touareg’s ride is good, though at lower speeds it can feel a little unsettled. However, at cruising speeds it’s superbly refined and really quiet with both engine and wind noise kept to a minimum.

How does it look?

The exterior look of the Touareg has definitely been evolved rather than completely changed for this new version, but that’s not a bad thing. The new light bars – at front and rear – inject a little bit of futuristic drama into the whole affair, while the Touareg’s upright and boxy proportions continue to look good both static and on the move – to our eyes, at least.

There are new alloy wheel designs available in sizes ranging from 20- to 22-inches, and they all fill the arches nicely – this is a big car, after all, so relatively large wheels are needed to avoid the arches looking a little ‘lost’. The illuminated rear badge – available on top-specification cars – is bound to be a talking point, too.

What’s it like inside?

A flagship car needs an equally range-topping interior and that’s definitely the case with the Touareg. There’s acres of space for those sitting in the back – this Volkswagen is a strict five-seater, and there’s no seven-seater option – with plenty of headroom and legroom. A chunky transmission tunnel in the middle does hamper things slightly, but the wide, flat rear seats mean there’s enough room for the person sat in the centre seat to stretch out.

At 810 litres the Touareg’s boot is massive, too, and it’s not troubled by an overly high load lip either. Fold the seats down and there’s a huge 1,800 litres to play with as well. It’s worth mentioning too, however, that plug-in hybrids suffer quite a penalty as the result of their battery – boot space falls to just 655 litres on these electrified versions.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the Touareg start from £68,950 in Elegance trim, bringing features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, four-zone climate control and a full-size panoramic sunroof, which is often a very costly extra on many cars of this type. This model is only currently available as a plug-in hybrid, explaining why it actually costs more than the mid-spec Black Edition trim, which is available with ‘lesser’ engines. The Black Edition version has a £67,780 entry price – though you don’t need to dabble in the options too much as the 21-inch wheels, variety of black accents and air suspension make this more than enough of a well-specified position to begin with.

You can step up to the range-topping Touareg R – which comes with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and costs from £80,510 – but at this point it nears too many high-end players in the premium SUV segment. In our opinion, Elegance has more than enough features for most people – though the addition of air suspension in Black Edition cars could be a compelling enough reason for comfort-focused buyers to opt for it.

Verdict

This new Touareg definitely feels like more of collection of small tweaks rather than one brand-new model. However, with more standard features, a bolder look than before but the same refined and quiet driving experience, it’s quite nice that things haven’t been completely shaken up.

With cars like the electric ID.3 and ID.4 showcasing a brand-new direction for Volkswagen, the Touareg feels heartwarmingly traditional and, if you want an SUV doesn’t break the mould too much then, it’s set to be a good choice.