As a Volkswagen owner who, over nearly four years, has never had a moment’s problem with his car, it is interesting for me to hear the opinions of others on a brand I have a lot of time for. My Scirocco is undoubtedly the best car I have ever owned since I started driving in 1989 and, for the life of me, I can’t understand why anyone who doesn’t have a large family and pets to haul around would choose anything else from the brand.
So it came as a surprise for me to learn that VW’s Middle East PR lady, when given the choice of any vehicle from the current range, has chosen a new Touareg as her company car. When she explained why, the benefits of this car for her lifestyle became abundantly clear – there’s a lot of load space for bikes, diving equipment and a vast array of handbags. But surely a car such as this couldn’t possibly offer a thrilling drive? A day exploring Oman’s rugged countryside and its highways would, I was assured, convince me otherwise.
Treated to a makeover that’s so subtle you’d need a magnifying glass to spot the differences over the outgoing model, the 2015 model year Touareg has certainly grown old gracefully – like its Porsche Cayenne cousin – and looks both handsome and commanding, with brilliantly executed styling touches that serve to disguise its undeniable physical bulk. And it needs to, because the Touareg is up against some fairly stiff and impressive competition from brands that, on face value, offer more in the frankly ridiculous arena of badge prestige. But put aside any snobbish preconceptions because, in many ways, it’s best viewed as a “thinking person’s Cayenne”, for underneath – where it counts – it’s basically the same car. It’s just a bit less “Porsche”.
An all-new, third-generation model is still a good three years away, so what is new about this one? As mentioned, the physical differences are minute and amount to little more than some new bi-xenon lamps, a newly styled grille with four slats (it used to be two) and new front and rear bumpers. You can upgrade these items with LED running lights if you fancy and the wheel choices, ranging from 17- to 20-inch diameter rims, can make a big difference to the overall look of the car.
Inside, it’s much the same story, with ambient lighting helping to lift the, err, ambience of the cabin, white lighting to the switchgear (it used to be red) and redesigned aluminium control knobs. It’s a classy, upmarket cabin that feels extremely well-crafted with (depending on how it has been specified) tasteful wood accents and lovely leather upholstery. The seats are generously sized and comfortable enough for long journeys on roads or across rough terrain. It feels premium, this thing.
Our region won’t be offered the best diesel for obvious reasons, leaving us to choose between a petrol V6 or V8 – and these are unchanged from the outgoing model – mated to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission that sends torque to all four wheels. Volkswagen claims that, despite the main oily bits remaining mostly unchanged, it has reduced fuel consumption by 6 per cent thanks to aerodynamic improvements, stop-start tech and a new “coasting” function for the V6, which decouples the engine from the gearbox when the driver lifts the throttle.
At the polar opposite of a “coasting” function is the new Touareg’s “Multiple-Collision Avoidance Braking System”, which keeps the brakes applied after a collision has been detected, to prevent further damage. There’s also a retuned suspension for even greater driving comfort.
None of this is exceptionally earth-shattering, is it? But that’s the VW way and, truth be told, there wasn’t much about the second-gen car that needed fixing. So what we’re left with is a vehicle that’s marginally better in all respects, as evidenced when it’s driven on- and off-road in the beautiful Omani terrain.
It admirably copes with the rough stuff, especially when fitted with air suspension, although the V6 can feel a bit lethargic at times, especially when you feel the need for an immediate delivery of grunt. That, according to those in the know, would likely change over the course of a few days as the car’s management systems adapt to your way of driving. The V8, on the other hand, has no such issues and offers huge amounts of power and a soundtrack that’s pleasingly muscular.
On the road, there’s refinement aplenty and power delivery is excellent, no matter which of the two engines is on duty. All-round vision is excellent and the controls are intuitive and simple to use. In fact, after a few hours behind the wheel, you might wonder why anyone would head to a Porsche showroom when the Touareg is this good – it offers a great deal in terms of grace, space and pace.
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