Should cornering enthusiasm give rise to overzealous foolishness, Volkswagen's inclusion of ESP (Electronic Stabilization
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| The strong 4-wheel antilock disc-brakes brought the hefty SUV to such quick and secure halts that it belied the vehicle's behemoth mass. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Program) steps up to the plate and applies wheel specific braking and engine management to do what isn't humanly possible in returning the Slovakian manufactured buggy back to a state of wellness. But as in life there are no guarantees, common sense and caution should be relied upon to ensure everyone's safety, not electronic gizmos of which the Touareg has many. One such is ASR, or Anti-Slip Regulation, which prevents the wheels from spinning during acceleration by diverting the delivery of power from the spinners to the wheels with traction. The engine's management system is also incorporated into this technology, reducing power output when a loss of traction is encountered. The remaining electronic marvels bolstering the Touareg's off-road controllability are Hill Decent Assistance (HDA) and Hill Climb Assist (HCA). HDA uses computer controlled brake applications to restrict the vehicle's downhill speed to a maximum of 20 km/h (12 mph), allowing the driver to concentrate on steering the rig through or around assorted perils. HCA prevents the Touareg from rolling backwards on steep grades if neither the throttle nor brakes are engaged.
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| The Touareg is already an amazing vehicle, and gets even better when the V10 TDI is tucked beneath its hood. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
This technology also aids the driver in starting the vehicle on a steep slope by eliminating the need to get onto the throttle quickly.
On or off the road, the performance of the Touareg's strong 4-wheel antilock disc-brake package is enhanced by Electronic Brake force Distribution, regulating the flow of brake pressure at each wheel to ensure that maximum braking is achieved in a balanced and secure manner. The binders on my test unit functioned flawlessly. They brought the hefty Touareg to such quick and secure halts that it belied the vehicle's behemoth mass. In fact, it requires no more effort to stop the stocky Touareg than it does grinding Volkswagen's agile little Jetta to an immediate standstill. Pedal effort is light and the application of brake force is predictable and linear.
