Once all aboard, the Touareg's magnificent turbocharged diesel-sipping 3.0L V6 never felt the strain of over 900 lbs (410 kg) worth of added weight, on top of its already considerable heft of 4,963 lbs (2,256 kg). Gloriously munching on mile after mile of pavement, the TDI's 225 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque not only permitted sweat and curse-free passing manoeuvres but required only 9.5 L/100 km of fuel! Not a typo!
In two weeks time, the Touareg and I travelled over 2,300 km together. Nearly 2,000 of those kilometres were spent on the highway (the good old 401), keeping up with traffic (or not) at speeds between 110 km/h and 130 km/h. If you recall, my review of the new Grand Cherokee took place in similar circumstances, the biggest difference being the ambient temperature, which was much colder in January over October.
If you read my story, you'll quickly find out that I really like Jeep's new flagship and that I found only one serious fault with it: fuel consumption. A base Grand Cherokee Limited retails for $46,995, over $6,000 less than the base Touareg TDI and with more kit.
Where am I going with this? Here: The TDI consumes 25% less than the Pentastar V6. At an average of 20,000 km per year and depending on the price of fuel, diesel being nearly 10% cheaper at the moment vs gasoline, your annual fuel bill may be lower by $500 to $700 a year. If you travel 24,000 km a year, your savings continue to grow. Granted, it will take a few years to amortize the TDI's supplemental cost but what I'm saying is two things: diesel is well worth the investment at the pump and performance-wise. Chrysler, bring back the diesel engine in your Grand Cherokee.
The Touareg's other secret not-so-secret weapon is its new 8-speed automatic transmission. With such an abundance of gears, the TDI is next to always in the juicy part of its torque band, somewhere between 1,750 and 2,750 rpm. On the highway, in over overdrive, the V6 hums at approximately 1,600 rpm at 110 km/h.
In two weeks time, the Touareg and I travelled over 2,300 km together. Nearly 2,000 of those kilometres were spent on the highway (the good old 401), keeping up with traffic (or not) at speeds between 110 km/h and 130 km/h. If you recall, my review of the new Grand Cherokee took place in similar circumstances, the biggest difference being the ambient temperature, which was much colder in January over October.
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| The TDI's 225 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque not only permitted sweat and curse-free passing manoeuvres. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
If you read my story, you'll quickly find out that I really like Jeep's new flagship and that I found only one serious fault with it: fuel consumption. A base Grand Cherokee Limited retails for $46,995, over $6,000 less than the base Touareg TDI and with more kit.
Where am I going with this? Here: The TDI consumes 25% less than the Pentastar V6. At an average of 20,000 km per year and depending on the price of fuel, diesel being nearly 10% cheaper at the moment vs gasoline, your annual fuel bill may be lower by $500 to $700 a year. If you travel 24,000 km a year, your savings continue to grow. Granted, it will take a few years to amortize the TDI's supplemental cost but what I'm saying is two things: diesel is well worth the investment at the pump and performance-wise. Chrysler, bring back the diesel engine in your Grand Cherokee.
The Touareg's other secret not-so-secret weapon is its new 8-speed automatic transmission. With such an abundance of gears, the TDI is next to always in the juicy part of its torque band, somewhere between 1,750 and 2,750 rpm. On the highway, in over overdrive, the V6 hums at approximately 1,600 rpm at 110 km/h.
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| During my test drive, the engine required only 9.5 L/100 km of fuel! (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |