Down to business cockpit
Inside this VW, you’ll find an attractive ambiance, with rich textures and solid switchgear. The driving position is great and outward visibility is pretty good. Its high ground clearance might make climbing in and out a little complicated for shorter people, though.
The Touareg offers a spacious cabin for five passengers, and when you need cargo room, the rear seatback can be folded down, allowing a carrying capacity of 2,000 litres; with the seat up, you still get 900 litres, which is still considerable. In addition, the Highline trim gets a power tailgate.
Competition
The Touareg 2 TDI Clean Diesel has a base price of $48,975, while our $57,975 Highline tester includes the Technology Package ($3,450), Bluetooth connectivity ($375) and a tow hitch ($700), for a total of $62,500. If we include only diesels and hybrids, the VW’s rivals are:
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI, $57,700
BMW X5 xDrive35d, $62,200
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, $55,995
Lexus RX 450h, $58,900
Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC 4MATIC, $61,400
Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited, $54,780
In city driving, the hybrids are more fuel-efficient, but on the highway, the diesels and the hybrids are pretty close. According to Transport Canada’s figures, the diesel X5 consumes a little less than the Touareg and Q7, while the fuel-sipper of the bunch is the RX 450h.
Conclusion
The Touareg is a versatile vehicle; it’s comfortable, luxurious and easy to live with. The addition of the TDI engine fixes one of its two bigger issues, as fuel economy is notably improved.
The other issue is the SUV’s price; in Highline trim, the Touareg is taking on the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW as well as its own cousin, the Audi Q7. People who are shopping for a premium sport-utility vehicle will probably be tempted by a more prestigious badge, even if it costs them a hundred bucks more a month. We’d rather skip some features and go for the TDI Comfortline which is less expensive and just as capable.
photo:Matthieu Lambert
Inside this VW, you’ll find an attractive ambiance, with rich textures and solid switchgear. The driving position is great and outward visibility is pretty good. Its high ground clearance might make climbing in and out a little complicated for shorter people, though.
The Touareg offers a spacious cabin for five passengers, and when you need cargo room, the rear seatback can be folded down, allowing a carrying capacity of 2,000 litres; with the seat up, you still get 900 litres, which is still considerable. In addition, the Highline trim gets a power tailgate.
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| Inside this VW, you’ll find an attractive ambiance, with rich textures and solid switchgear. |
Competition
The Touareg 2 TDI Clean Diesel has a base price of $48,975, while our $57,975 Highline tester includes the Technology Package ($3,450), Bluetooth connectivity ($375) and a tow hitch ($700), for a total of $62,500. If we include only diesels and hybrids, the VW’s rivals are:
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI, $57,700
BMW X5 xDrive35d, $62,200
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, $55,995
Lexus RX 450h, $58,900
Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC 4MATIC, $61,400
Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited, $54,780
In city driving, the hybrids are more fuel-efficient, but on the highway, the diesels and the hybrids are pretty close. According to Transport Canada’s figures, the diesel X5 consumes a little less than the Touareg and Q7, while the fuel-sipper of the bunch is the RX 450h.
Conclusion
The Touareg is a versatile vehicle; it’s comfortable, luxurious and easy to live with. The addition of the TDI engine fixes one of its two bigger issues, as fuel economy is notably improved.
The other issue is the SUV’s price; in Highline trim, the Touareg is taking on the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW as well as its own cousin, the Audi Q7. People who are shopping for a premium sport-utility vehicle will probably be tempted by a more prestigious badge, even if it costs them a hundred bucks more a month. We’d rather skip some features and go for the TDI Comfortline which is less expensive and just as capable.
photo:Matthieu Lambert
2009 Volkswagen Touareg 2 Highline 4MOTION
2009 Volkswagen Touareg 2 Highline 4MOTION
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