2007 Volkswagen Touareg Launch – First Steer
July 14, 2007 by Paul Maric
Braving cold conditions, I jetted up to the NSW Southern Highlands to sample Volkswagen’s newest model addition – the new Volkswagen Touareg.
According to Volkswagen, 2,300 new components have been developed for the new Touareg – ranging from front and rear end design, right through to electronic systems such as ABS Plus and active rollover protection. The new components also welcome a downward adjustment of pricing for the Australian market, which is good news for consumers.
The interior remains fairly familiar territory. Minor details, such as the seat design, instrument cluster and control knobs have changed to further improve user comfort. The Touareg still remains an incredibly roomy vehicle with enough space to easily accommodate five adults in comfort.
Outside, the Touareg has undergone some cosmetic changes. A totally new front and rear end design further enhances the Touareg’s stance on the road. Although the previous Touareg was by no means ugly, the new design brings it up to date and streamlines the vehicle.
As always, the Touareg remains a competent off-road vehicle – unlike some of its competitors. A low range gearbox, along with height adjustable suspension (standard on V10, optional on V6) allows the Touareg to venture into territory that most owners wouldn’t even dream of attempting. The 4WD track at Tugalong Station featured hair raising ascents and descents set to test all aspects of the Touareg’s 4WD systems.
One feature in particular that caught my attention was the ABSplus system. The philosophy of traditional ABS is to limit the locking of brakes; the system locks and unlocks the brakes up to 15 times per second in a bid to allow maximum control of the vehicle’s direction.
This normally doesn’t work well on loose surfaces as the ABS works overtime and stopping distance is therefore increased. ABSplus allows the brakes to lock for longer, giving the tyres a chance to dig into the surface to reduce braking distances by up to 20%. This is an invaluable feature for those who often drive off-road or on roads with loose surfaces – such as gravel, sand and mud.
Active rollover protection – yet another of the ground breaking safety features – can individually lock wheels in an attempt to rapidly swing the vehicle back onto all four wheels in the event of a rollover. If a rollover is imminent and it cannot be saved, the side and curtain airbags are deployed fractions of a second prior to the vehicle making rollover contact.
One of the other impressive – yet invisible – safety features is the brake primer. In wet conditions, the vehicle permits the brake pads to make slight contact with the rotor, in a bid to remove any liquid that can build up on the rotor whilst driving in the wet. This feature reduces braking distances by proving a liquid free rotor when emergency braking is required.
Potential Touareg customers have never been so spoilt for choice. Four models are available in the Touareg range – the R5 TDI, V6 Petrol, V6 TDI and V10 TDI (where TDI is techno-babble for turbo-Diesel). Pricing is $64,990, $74,990, $74,990 and $121,990 respectively for each model.
Under the bonnet, all engines perform exceptionally well. The R5 Diesel produces 128kW and 400Nm of torque. The V6 Petrol exhibits 206kW and 360Nm, whilst the V6 Diesel makes 165kW and an impressive 500Nm. The leader of the pack – the V10 Diesel – pumps out 230kW and an absolutely colossal 750Nm of torque! Fuel consumption is rated at 10.6l/100km, 13.8l/100km, 10.9l/100km and 12.8l/100km respectively.
Standard features across the range include: Rear fog lights; central locking; cruise control; power windows; power mirrors; auto dimming rear vision mirror; dual zone climate control; dust and pollen filter with air quality sensor; automatic headlights; 6-disc in dash CD player with 10-speakers; alloy wheels; front and rear parking sensors; electric seats; heated seats and leather seats (except R5 TDI). A 5-star EuroNCAP rating and 4-star child protection rating make this one of the safest 4WDs on the market.
Safety features included as standard equipment are: Driver and passenger front airbags; driver and passenger side airbags; front and rear curtain airbags; ABS brakes (with ABSplus); Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Brake Assist (BA); hill descent and hill holding functions; rollover sensors; engine brake control; Electronic Stability Program (ESP); permanent four wheel drive and engine immobiliser.
There has never been a better time to own what is potentially one of the best, versatile 4WDs on the market. With impressive looks, a raft of standard features and off-roading ability to put most of the competition to shame; the new Volkswagen Touareg is the perfect compromise between power, fuel efficiency and ability.
Oh, and keep an eye out for Volkswagen’s new Touareg advertising campaign. It includes real footage of a bet involving two Volkswagen employees. One bet the other that the V10 Touareg could pull a full-sized 747 airplane…and it did!
- by Paul Maric
Print it: 
Santa Claus, please bring me the V6 diesel with the air suspension, please, please…..
R u serious?
Santa Claus, i want it too,Reckless1 and i would be good friends if u meet our wish
Stuff the V6, i want the V10!! Maybe this model will tow a Airbus A380. This is probably the best alternative to a Range Rover, in fact could be better than a Range Rover.
Sorry but as much as I like VW’s (we have a new Jetta), for the market here, the Touareg is overpriced. The V6 diesel is $75k, only $10k less than a X5 Diesel that has more features, higher resale and drives better (although I admit the Touareg would be better off road).
I am considering a few cars similar but although the Jetta was $20k less than the equivalent 3 series (with more features) and hence very good value, I can’t see the Touareg on my own shopping list !
in reply to the last poster:
Which features does the Diesel X5 have, that the V6 Diesel Touareg doesn’t have?
I agree Benjie, if you think the BMW comes with more standard features than the Touareg – you’re dreaming. BMW and Merc are the kings of charging a squillion for options that many other cars come standard with.
The Touareg at high speed, is every bit as stable as an X5 maybe more so! The VW also has a much nicer interior fit out. Too much grey in the BMW and lots of wood or aluminim accents in the VW.
And yes, the X5 if put through some hard core off road treatment would probably return without some bits whereas the Touareg would be fine.
Also $10K is still a lot of dough!
Ok… BMW are usually stripped but there is…
Bluetooth phone integration
18″ wheels
Fog lights
Might not be much more but the phone is way important for me !
“Too much grey” in the BMW interior ? There are different colours you know and it is a NCO for wood if you want it ! Read the X5 spec sheet…
BTW: To kill off that nasty wood (very ’90’s now !), costs a extra $500 on the VW ! Free on the BMW !
Lost out there,
you can get a far better than stock Bluetooth phone system installed aftermarket for about $500!
Aftermarket – someone pulling apart your new car…
You can’t compare the built in setup of a BMW compared to a aftermarket hack into a VW can you ?
Caller ID on iDrive screen, preset buttons for dialing and so on ?
To lost out there just concentrate on who’s in front of you rather than who’s calling you!
Well – that is the point isn’t it ? – only answer important calls and ignore the rest – can’t be done if you don’t see who it is ?
I wish the comments here were on track…
At least I am a potential buyer of one of these and have studied the spec sheets and looked at/driven the rival cars instead of making uneducated comments.
The Tourareg is impressive, just overpriced and has a reputation of being unreliable/not well built. Resale a unknown (but not likely to be great). This has held back its sales and has stopped me buying one up to now…
Lost out there:
You may want to study the spec sheet a little better.
Bluetooth is available on the Treg as a $595 option, 18″ and 20″ wheels are also available, along with fog lights – which are useless in Australia anyway.
Option the Treg up with 20″ wheels, foggies and bluetooth and it still comes in way cheaper than the X5 poser.
People with more money than sense buy an X5, it sounds like you fall into that category.
Benjie,
I was first just answering the “if you think the BMW comes with more standard features than the Touareg – you’re dreaming” comment which is obviously WRONG !
I know of the VW options you mention – that wasn’t the question !
Have you driven both ? – I have… I drove a X5 for 90,000kms and have driven two Touaregs (one for 400kms) so I have some knowledge of what I am talking about.
More money than sense eh ? – I like to not waste my money and that is exactly why I haven’t bought a Touareg ! – Resale Value…
Also – if a V6 was $65k not $75k, then I would probably buy one…
Whats the build quality like ? I have read a few reports on the VWs having squeaks and rattles even when new. Do we put this down to it being made in Slovakia?
The first V8 I drove felt seemed nowhere near as well built as a X5 but they have got better…
The new X5 isn’t as solid as the old one though !
If the V6 diesel was $65000 I would have one in a flash – especially since a far less desirable Pajero Exceed diesel is over $70000
My pennies just don’t stretch to $75000 plus the inevitable add on bits like the air suspension and spare wheel.
I would also be loath to take it to where I like to go (Vic high country, Cape York, etc) for fear of scratching it and getting it full of dust/mud.
That would be a bit much for the old heart to take :)
Lost out there:
Yes, I have driven both. You’ve obviously owned the X5 so have considerable bias. I’ll quit trying as I’ll never convince a BMW fanboi sucked in by the badge…
Reckless1:
The R5 TDI is still extremely impressive and it’s $65k, you should check that out if the V6 is out of reach.
Benjie,
Yes I am a bit biased but not because of the badge. We are not all snobs you know. The X5 was simply the best thing I could buy at the time. Mine did go on rough tracks and quite a bit of gravel.
I haven’t ordered a new X5 because of glitches in the new model, the impending arrival of a update with regenerative braking, the presence of those hugely expensive runflat tyres, and me questioning if I want to spend big $ again… The BMW was also not a very “client friendly’ car (badge snobbery again in a reverse manner) and I don’t know if I want all that again !
If I was such a fanboi, why did I save the $ and buy a VW for my missus ? I reckon her car is put together better than a new 3 series – are you happy now ?
I went to the release for the new X5 (lucky invite) and it is surprisingly good off road (controlled environment tho). Drove the V6 diesel and the V8 petrol, very nice cars.
The V6 Diesel in the sports variant priced up at $118k.
I purchased a new V6 Diesel Touareg (Gallapogas)for $83k.
These are drive away prices but fleet discount applied.
The Touareg did not have bluetooth and VW have just approved an after market kit for $699 installed (which I have ordered); unfortunately 6-10 weeks wait.
The new Touareg is definitely a better car all round than the older X5 however I would concede the new X5 is probably better for town driving than the Touareg but the Treg wins for offroad and highway driving.
You need to buy the sports variant to match the BMW to the VW or else you will get a pretty ordinary X5.
If you get the opportunity, take the Touareg for a drive and try to get it to slide going around a corner… very difficult as they stick to the road very well.
BMW must have thought the Treg was ok because they have copied some items… if you have driven both you will know what they are.
I should also add that the build quality of the VW is at least as good as the X5. You only need to read reviews and this is also quite clear.
Resale is quite good on the VW, check it out.
Old X5’s will devalue quite quickly when a flood of the new ones hit the decks, BMW release too many updates too regularly.
I am about to get into a V6 TDi on-road $72k. (less than quoted for a Pajero Exceed CDi)
VW need to get them out and on the road quick to ensure a successful launch. I can’t wait.
I wonder if the “revised” seats give the driver any more room. My ex and I went looking at the Touareg and with him at 6′3″ he could only see the sun visor while trying to look out the windshield.
I am 6′ 2″ or so.
No problems with visors or seats (twin visors and plenty adjustment in the seats).
dakar,\”a V6 TDi on-road $72k\”? what a bargain? I need to check out if the same deal can be true for me as well. I have been in the market for a while to choose between X5, Discovery 3 and Touareg.
I have looked at both the X5 and Touareg and ended up choosing the Touareg due to VWs corporate program which allowed me to have a V6 TDI for $70k (with metallic paint and fog lights) on the road. The scheme covers a lot of professions so check with your dealer to see if you qualify. Why VW doesn’t advertise it more is beyond me. I only discovered it after a knowledgeable sales rep brought it to my attention.
Gents,
I am shopping around for a family car, to cater for 2 growing boys around town, and regular family holidays up the coast. This plus Volvo D5 on the map. Do people agree that the VW can do car like things like overtake eargerly on the freeway, and get around shopping centres on a daily basis. interested in your thoughts.
thanks
German Snob
How karmic that the Foley scandal unfolds now. It is a concept that resonates genuinely across the heartland in every household
Very cool car, I also want to have.
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