As the popularity of SUVs continues to grow, it seems that much of the original rugged off-road personality these models were known for has been bred out of the segment in favour of on-pavement comfort and drivability. Among luxury SUVs, that shift seems even more evident. The Volkswagen Touareg was one of the sport-utilities to cling to those off-road roots, but it’s recently made the shift toward the everyday. It’s hard to argue with the results, though.
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| 2015 Volkswagen Touareg |
The first-generation Touareg was a capable model known for its high-class interior, off-road ability, and respectable towing capacity. But it was also heavy and knew little when it came to fuel economy. The current Volkswagen Touareg, which was first launched as the 2011 model, lacks off-road chops but is otherwise a superior SUV that’s more in line with what consumers want from their modern SUV. The second generation model was recently updated to feature a more prominent face, more efficient engines, and a more luxurious interior. The updated Volkswagen Touareg will be sold as a 2015 model.
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| Large, luxurious and lively |
Design
The front-end design of the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg is completely redeveloped. Especially distinctive are the headlights which are now larger; moreover, bi-xenon headlights are now standard on all versions of the Touareg. The trapezoid-shaped lights create a line towards the re-designed radiator grille in the middle of the SUV. In contrast to the previous model, the grille is trimmed with four transverse chrome fins instead of two. From the sides, the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg is distinguished by two new wheel designs. The 18-inch wheel of the new model generation is the “Arica” alloy wheel whose distinctive and sporty look includes ten spokes.
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| Refined interior |
The 20-inch “Masafi” alloy wheels, on the other hand, have five twin spokes. From the rear, the more precise styling of the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg is marked by its new, cleanly designed bumper, which – similar to the same area at the front end – emphasises the width of the SUV. Integrated between the exhaust tailpipes is a diffuser that has also been redesigned. The LED rear fog lights are now located on the bumper, and also integrate the rear reflectors. Visual highlights in the area of the boot lid, viewed from bottom to top, are the re-designed VW badge and a sharpened character line between the rear lights
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| Redesigned front |
Performance
The all-wheel drive 2015 Volkswagen Touareg is available as a model with a turbo diesel (V6 and V8 TDI), petrol (V6 and V8 FSI), and turbocharged petrol (V6 TSI). The petrol engines produce 213 kW / 285 hp, 235 kW / 315 hp for V6 TSI and while the V8 TSI churns out 265 kW / 355 hp. The TDI engines produce 150 kW / 201 hp, 190 kW / 254 hp and 250 kW / 335 hp. All engines are paired with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. All engines have a stop-start system as standard. All 2015 Volkswagen Touareg have the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system and an off-road driving programme that is operated via a two-stage rotary switch. The system configures the ABS, EDS, and ASR systems for off-road use and activates hill climb assist and gearshift points of the automatic gearbox.
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| Profile remains unchanged |
Interior
The interior of the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg reflects an extraordinary alliance of rugged SUV elements and sophisticated premium-class elements. SUV elements in the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg include the aluminium rotary knobs for the air conditioning system, running gear adjustment, air suspension, radio-navigation system, mirror adjustment and the air vent knobs – they have now all been replaced by a new style of rotary knob, which has been perfected both to look and to touch.
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| Cockpit |
Also conspicuous is the white – rather than red – illumination of all controls. There are also chrome accents around the control panel modules and the running gear adjustment controls. A line-up of upholstery materials and wood accents are available for better interior customization. The interior is now more functional, the seats more comfortable and leg room in the rear is larger. The rear bench seat has 160 millimetres in longitudinal adjustment, and the backrest angle can be adjusted. The rear seats fold down in seconds to free up 1,642 litres of cargo space. Already standard equipment in the base version is a radio-CD and info system, which is intuitively controlled over a 6.5-inch touch-screen.
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| Chrome strip added to the rear |
Verdict
The 2015 Volkswagen Touareg is now a more luxurious and striking SUV. Fuel economy has greatly improved and the list of standard features has been increased.