Although my test unit floated on its adjustable pneumatic suspension, in standard form the Touareg body is kept aloft by an
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| The VW SUV is equipped with an independent, double-wishbone front setup, trailed by a four-link independent steel spring design at the rear. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
independent, double-wishbone front setup, trailed by a four-link independent steel spring design at the rear. Included with the pneumatic setup is adjustable shock damping. A three position barrel switch, set into the center console, allows the driver to select the perfect of three ride-damping settings: comfort, auto and sport. A subtle difference can be detected between comfort and sport modes, with the auto mode engaging VW's Continuous Damping Control (CDC), which, as the name implies, continuously adjusts the damping rate based on road surface and vehicle speed. In each of the three settings, the Touareg TDI delivered a ride that can best be described as benevolent and altruistic for an SUV. I was quite
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| The tank-heavy Touareg is not a particularly agile or quick responding SUV. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
pleasantly surprised by the gentleness of this highly capable off-roader, especially with the damping set to "comfort." Equipped with air-ride it treats its occupants to a first class, big car ride, while treating its driver to car-like handling characteristics. That said, the tank-heavy Touareg is not a particularly agile or quick responding, high performance SUV. It is, however, surefooted in the corners, predictable and well-balanced, thanks in part to shared components with its Porsche Cayenne cousin. The Sport mode suspension setting significantly reduces cornering body-roll, in contrast to the Comfort setting, which permits considerable body-roll when tackling curves with enthusiasm. Steering effort is on the light side and feedback is typical of a luxury vehicle with an athletic soul.
