- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0DT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
180kW, 550Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 7.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2016 Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg Edition review
What is it?
A limited edition of Volkswagen's large SUV designed to spark a little more interest in the ageing soft roader against fresher rivals and before an all-new version is revealed within the next year or so.
Like the Scirocco R Wolfsburg (both get the name from Volkswagen's home town in Germany), the Touareg is limited to 150 units in Australia and gets some extra bling like black 20-inch alloy wheels and exterior highlights as well as quilted leather seats and a numbered plaque on the inside.
How much does it cost and what do you get?
The Wolfsburg Edition is based on the second-to-top V6 TDI, so it already comes with a fair bit of kit including dual-zone air conditioning, electrically-adjustable front seats with heating and cooling and an 8.0-inch multi media screen with Bluetooth, sat nav and a 60GB hard drive.
The additional gear in the Wolfsburg Edition lifts its price by $3500 to $88,990 (plus on-road costs), which places it against the lower-end options from the proper premium brands such as the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Range Rover Sport.
The Touareg is covered by Volkswagen's three-year capped price servicing plan. With annual or 15,000km servicing intervals it will cost $1919 to maintain the car over that initial period.
What's under the bonnet?
As mentioned previously, the Touareg Wolfsburg is based on the top-of-the-line V6 model which sits one run below the flagship model with its monstrous 4.2-litre turbo diesel V8. That means it packs the high-output version of the 3.-litre turbo diesel V6 that produces 180kW and 550Nm with a claimed average fuel consumption of 7.4L/100km.
It's a great engine that never feels sluggish in moving the Touareg's sizeable mass away from a standstill, it builds up steam pretty quickly once the turbo is spinning to reveal a strong mid-range surge and, at the opposite end of the driving spectrum, is relatively quiet and refined while cruising.
It also works well with the eight-speed automatic gearbox – the best transmission in any VW at the moment – to keep it in the sweet spot.
What's it like to drive?
The bigger wheels on the Wolfsburg Edition don't change the character of the Touareg drastically, which is a good thing as it still holds up pretty well in the way it drives.
The air suspension irons out most bumps in the road, and also gives it the ability to head a little further off the beaten track than most will ever attempt, while the steering is well weighted for good stability on the highways and yet light enough to manoeuvre the big bus around the suburbs.
All in all, considering this second-generation model was introduced more than five years ago, it is still holding up well as a modern, comfortable and capable SUV.
It is a big car and can be intimidating to pedal through narrow inner-city streets, but in every other environment it shrinks around the driver to feel more car-like than it should.
What's it like inside?
There's a bit of wow factor as soon as you open the doors of the Wolfsburg Edition, thanks to the diamond quilted pattern and contrast stitching in the leather seat trim. It genuinely makes the cabin look like a million bucks.
But, look past them, and the rest of the package is starting to show its age, highlighted by the multi media system which is a generation behind most other Volkswagen models.
Otherwise, the Touareg is a spacious family SUV with plenty of room in the back seat, which reclines and slides to trade-off between occupant space and cargo-carrying capacity, and features plenty of storage options, including a chilled centre glovebox.
Is it safe?
The Touareg isn't as many up-to-date with modern safety systems as some of its rivals but it does have adaptive cruise control with automated emergency braking (up to 30km/h) and blind spot warning as well as seven airbags and a 360-degree camera.
Would you buy it?
The Touareg offers a lot of car for the money with above average performance against rivals that sit around it, but it doesn't have the same badge cache. It's also starting to show its age and not even the glitz of the Wolfsburg Edition bits and pieces can hide its wrinkles.
Having said that, it is still a spacious, comfortable car that doesn't do anything wrong.
What else should I consider?
For around the same money, you could get into a BMW X5 25d, Mercedes-Benz GLE 250d or Jaguar F-Pace 20d or spend a little more on the latest Audi Q7, which is our Best Luxury SUV champion in the Drive Car of the Year awards.
Then there other quasi-premium alternatives such as the Volvo XC90, Lexus RX or something like a range-topping Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit.
2016 Volkswagen Touareg Wolfsburg pricing and specifications
Price: From $88,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel
Power: 18kW at 4000-4400rpm
Torque: 550Nm at 1750-2250rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Fuel use: 7.4 L/100km