Time flies when you’re testing cars, or in this case, SUVs.
It seems like yesterday when I drove the all-new 2003 Touareg, Volkswagen’s bold all-new entry into the SUV battlefield. Since then the vehicle has been bestowed with dozens of prestigious international awards and recorded more than 300,000 sales worldwide.
Now I’m behind the wheel of the 2008 Touareg 2, which attempts to build on the German manufacturer’s original masterwork with an updated design, more than 2,200 new parts and a wealth of improvements and features now included as standard equipment.
The next-generation Touareg 2 provides the premium SUV buyer with more power, safety, comfort and versatile on- or off-road ability. The Touareg has performed well in races from the highest volcanic peaks in Chile to the dunes of the legendary Dakar Rally.
Personally, I can only think of the Touareg 2 in terms of an on-road pleasure palace, transporting the family to places like Stevens Pass, Whistler-Blackcomb B.C., and Bandon Dunes in decadent delight.
Call me a staid, frugal Norwegian, but how could one mistreat a $60,000 German precision instrument such as the Touareg 2 by taking it off-road and running it over stumps, boulders, mud and debris?
The Touareg 2 comes in three flavors: the V6 FSI for $39,320; my tester, the V8 FSI for $48,320; and the V10 TDI for $68,320.
Three option packages add to Touareg’s on-road prowess. The Lux Package with leather, walnut wood trim, 12-way power passenger seats and bi-Xenon headlamps. The Lux Plus Package includes keyless entry with start/stop push button control, Dynaudi sound system, four-zone climate control, and heated rear seats. The Technologie Package brings DVD navigation, upgraded sound package, six-disc trunk-mounted CD changer and auxiliary audio input.
Stand-alone options include a trailer hitch, rear differential lock, 19-inch alloy wheels and four-corner air suspension.
Powered by a 4.2-liter FSI V8 engine that generates 350 horsepower, coupled to a standard six-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission, the Touareg glides down the road. Other amenities include VW’s 4-Motion permanent four-wheel drive, electronic stabilization program, anti-lock brakes, electronic differential lock and anti-slip regulation.
Attaining only 12 mpg in the city and 17 mpg down the highway, my tester Touareg’s fill-up was in the neighborhood of $73. Not exactly chump change or environmental friendliness.
My tester was painted a dazzling Alaska Gray to create a stealth that blends nicely with dark and dank Northwest winter days. The new Touareg 2 sports edgy exterior lines that include a re-designed front bumper, new side mirrors, sleek organic-shaped headlamp housings, a roof-edge spoiler and freshened exhaust system tailpipes.
The interior is posh, comfortable, intuitive and tooled to exacting tolerances for superb fit and finish. Comfortable seating for five is provided, with a standard power liftgate opening to reveal a cavernous cargo hold that adds to the vehicle’s functionality and versatility.
I’ll spare readers my usual prattle about Larry-pleasing amenities. Rest assured that I was more than satisfied with the Touareg’s lengthy list of comfort and convenience features.
Worthy of note, however, are two benefits added to the new model: ESP Dry Braking is a system in which the brake linings are repeatedly engaged lightly by the brake pads at specific intervals. This serves to wipe away the slight water film that forms when the road surface is wet, reducing braking distance. ABS Plus provides the same benefit on loose surfaces such as sand or gravel, reducing braking distance by as much as 20 percent.
Mission accomplished. The Touareg 2 is even better than the original.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
