I wrote about my first test of the Volkswagen Touareg, the company’s then-all-new sport utility vehicle, in July of 2003, and I found it to be one of the nicest surprises of the year — pound for pound, it may be my favorite SUV, a deftly executed mix of comfort and ruggedness that just happens to be an excellent off-roader.
Sales started out strong, but have sagged. In the first six months of 2007, Volkswagen sold 4,030 Touaregs, down almost 1,600 from the same period in 2006.
What’s a company to do? Well, what Volkswagen is doing is freshening up the Touareg for 2008, and giving it a slightly new name: The Touareg 2. That’s appropriate, because this is only a slightly new Touareg.
I’ve driven both the V-6 and V-8 versions of the Touareg 2, but this test is primarily of the V-6 because price-wise, it’s the better buy. Base price is $39,320; for the V-8, which has a superb 4.2-liter, 350-horsepower engine, starting price is $48,320. And then there’s the V-10 turbocharged diesel model, which starts at $68,320. Haven’t driven that one.
This 3.6-liter V-6 has 280 horsepower, and mated to the excellent six-speed automatic transmission, there’s power aplenty. Still, this is a very heavy vehicle, so don’t expect to win many drag races.
Arguably one of the factors working against the Touareg is its beefiness, at a time when a lot of consumers seem to prefer light-duty, car-based crossovers. Even the V-6 Touareg 2 will tow more than 7,700 pounds, which is comparable to the Chevrolet Tahoe, another of my favorite SUVs.
Also, any Volkswagen with a base price of a flat $40,000 — that’s this Touareg 2 with shipping — is a bit of a stretch for a brand that has never been thought of as a premium manufacturer. VW learned that the hard way with the disastrous performance of the now-dead Phaeton, which topped out at a staggering $102,000.
So what’s new with the 2? There’s a new nose, side mirrors, taillights and exhaust pipes, and a few slight changes in the cockpit. A power tailgate is now standard. There are some new technical features, including a “dry-braking function”: In wet weather, the brakes engage very slightly at intervals to “wipe away the slight water film that potentially can form on discs when the road surface is wet,” VW says.
The test Touareg 2 had two option packages that included an upgraded stereo, heated rear seats, leather upholstery and xenon headlights that turn slightly with the steering wheel. Total price: $46,300.
Which isn’t cheap. But if you want a do-it-all SUV that is actually lives up to the “sport utility vehicle” name, you could do much worse than the Touareg 2.
Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smithcan be reached at scsmith@orlandosentinel.com.
