Having returned our previous Touareg V6 TDi test car with a wrinkly nose, this fresher specimen put many of the wrongs right again…
You should know: Blunder numero uno for the blue 2018 ‘reg was its dim-witted DSG (dual-clutch shift gearbox) which, despite being joined to a rather powerful engine, was somehow always in the wrong gear at just above idle rpm’s. This one, oh boy, this one worked properly! Right gear/s, good revs, and butter-smooth shifts.
Part of the reason for that may be this engine’s bump in power (190kW) and an alarming escalation of the torque band’s starting point. Where most TDi’s stem full twisting power onto the crank from around 1,500rpm, this one only gets there 750rpm later… however, we hardly noticed any torque gaps or power deficits. Quite the opposite, actually, when compared to its predecessor.
More info: The second complaint I had about our previous Touareg V6 TDi test was the unwise placement of its central air vents. Sadly this has not been remedied but at least the cause of this problem – a gigantic touch-screen – has been given a thorough once-over. Where before we found laggy response and often hopeless navigation, this time all testers were delighted with the updated media system.
Why you should: As one of Volkswagen’s flagship products, and one that forms the basis for such illustrious beast as the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga, it’s only natural that the Touareg is a highly refined and beautifully thought-out automobile to experience.
It’s also very spacious, extremely quiet and jolly comfortable.
Why you shouldn’t: We only get this one engine – the turbodiesel V6 – but I hasten to add that it’s probably the pick of the bunch in terms of power, economy and reliability. Although we didn’t hit this maker’s claim of 7.8L/100km, we shot a perfect bull’s eye during performance testing, matching the claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.5 seconds.
What else? One of our testers remarked that the revised styling made its nose look too dainty, another whinged at the size in tight parking bays, while all of us drooped our shoulders in unison at the filthy black alloys. Beyond that, we had only praise for its headlights, door seals, cabin materials, sound system, et cetera.
Each new Volkswagen Touareg is sold with a 3-year/120,000km warranty and 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan. These may not be competitive in today’s Chinese-invaded market, but the car itself is a wonderfully sophisticated and luxuriously large SUV as we’ve come to expect from Europe’s finest.
FULL SPEC LIST
| Engine: | 2,967cc V6 turbo-diesel |
| Transmission: | 8-speed Auto, AWD |
| Max. Power: | 190kW @ 3,250rpm |
| Max. Torque: | 600Nm @ 2,250rpm |
| Avg. cons.: | Claimed 7.8L/100km |
| 0-100km/h: | 6.50 seconds (claimed 6.5) |
| Top Speed: | Claimed 228km/h |
| List Price: | R 1,800,000 |
