Volkswagen Touareg Altitude 4.2 V8 TDI 5dr Car Review - February 2012

Despite being a large 4x4 the Touareg has an economic engine. The V8 TDI returns a respectable 31.0mpg, which is not the most efficient of engines but when compared to other large four wheel drives it is rather impressive. In comparison the Porsche Cayenne only manages 25.2mpg
Despite the impressive fuel economy the performance figures of the Touareg manage to remain high. The V8 TDI manages to achieve a top speed of 150mph, which puts it above much of its competition. One of its main competitors the Porsche Cayenne only reaches 143mph. The acceleration figures of the Touareg are equally remarkable, getting from 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds.
VW provides great comfort and stability but is nowhere as near as responsive as the Porsche.
The Touareg has the advantage of coming in two suspension types. The Escape models have been adapted to off road driving by having its suspension raised. The Altitude models have lower suspension better suited to urban driving. The noise has also been reduced to the minimum and wind noise at high speed its almost non-existent, adding to the comfort the ride quality on the Altitude models is remarkably smooth.

The styling on the Touareg has only had slight tweaks and is hard to distinguish from the 2002 version. The interior also retains its German feel. The upholstery is well made and fitted and the centre console is sleek and easy to navigate.
The Volkswagen Touareg has an impressive number of features as standard, as you might expect from a car with its price tag. VW provides leather seats, climate control, automatic wipers and lights, cruise control, satnav and parking sensors. The altitude model also come with larger alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights and electronic seat adjustment.

The Touareg has enough space to comfortably seat five adults. The downside is that there is no seven seat option. The rear seats also move to create extra storage space in the boot, however the rear seats do not fold completely flat. The boot is also well shaped so that storage is never a problem.
Volkswagen provides a decent warranty.The three year 60,000 mile warranty is backed up by Volkswagen’s reputation for reliability and build quality which is amongst the best in the industry.
The Touareg has an impressive array of safety features as standard. These include stability control, electronic brake force distribution, seven airbags, front head restraints to reduce whiplash, a trailer stabilisation system, as well as deadlocks.

The relatively affordable running costs of the Touareg make it an attractive option when comparing it to other cars in its market. The emissions are slightly better than the competition although this not enough of a difference to put it into a lower road tax bracket. The Touareg produces 239g/km, whilst the Cayenne emits slightly more at 245g/km
The Volkswagen is priced at £59,580, slightly higher than the Cayenne which starts from £55,058 for the 4.8litre Cayenne S, although the Touareg comes with far more equipment as standard.