Touareg takes it up a notch
[caption id="attachment_64886" align="alignright" width="300"] ALL-ROADER: The new Volkswagen Touareg combines the comfort and convenience of a superior SUV with the all-terrain attributes of a sophisticated off-road vehicle. Features include a redesigned front and rear, pictured below, and new driver assistance systems -[/caption]
Comfort, safety combine with excellent all-terrain ability.
There's- nothing quite like a V6 diesel motor under the hood of a luxury SUV to instill confidence (and a feeling of safety) on long trips.
You know the feeling of frustration you get when stuck behind heavy transport trucks or long lines of holiday traffic and overtaking becomes difficult and sometimes unsafe.
With Volkswagen’s new 3.0 V6 TDI Touareg a lot of those frustrations disappear. With 180kW on tap at 4 000 rpm, the SUV surges ahead to overtake with minimum fuss and maximum safety.
The 3.0 V6 TDI is offered with BlueMotion technology with a stop-start system (which I don’t like and can be switched off if desired) and brake energy recovery function. Power is transmitted to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox and 4Motion permanent four-wheel drive, making for an almost perfect drive system for all weather conditions.
The common rail turbo diesel engine develops a strong 550 Newtonmetres torque from2 000rpm and consumes a low 7.2 l/100km (equivalent to 189g/km CO2). It has a top speed of 218km/h and accelerates to 100km/h in a sporty 7.8 seconds.
Safety is always a major feature when considering buying a new vehicle. We liked the automatic post-collision braking system now standard in the Touareg. It automatically slows the vehicle down if it is involved in an accident in order to significantly reduce its residual kinetic energy.
Triggering of the post-collision braking system is based on detection of a primary collision by the airbag sensors. The system’s deceleration is limited by the ESC controller, ensuring the driver can maintain control of the car even in the event of automatic braking.
