Test Drive Volkswagen Touareg 2002 - 2007 SUV

At the peak of glory

Above only stars
The universal half-flight word jeep (not jeep!) It was glued to such a wide layer of out and sazvnikov, that under this definition it falls almost half of the models sold. But the easier it is to find competitors comparable in class and price. And at least the machines presented here and belong to premium brands, the list could be continued. But someone will be obsolete, someone is not sufficiently popular. So let's stay on these three cars.
 
Volkswagen Touareg.


Under the hood
Engine: Working volume 4172 cm3,
compression ratio 11: 1,
max. Power 310 liters. with. at 6200 rpm,
max. Moment 410 nm at 3000 rpm / min
Fuel consumption (EPA): 11.6 / 20.3
Volume of fuel tank: 100 l
   
Number of seats 5.
The drive is permanent full
Suspension
Front multi-type
Rear multi-profile
Auto gearbox. 6-stupas.
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km / h 218
Acceleration up to 100 km / h, from 8.1
Total information
Mass cutting. / Full, kg 2250/2945
 
Maximum volume: 555/1570 l. The streamlined form of the rear of the body did not allow to pay special attention to the volume of transported cargo. But the height of the floor is small, protruding arches or the clamping too
 
Range Rover Sport


Under the hood
Engine: Working volume 4197 cm3,
compression ratio 9.1: 1,
max. Power 390 liters. with. at 5750 rpm,
max. Moment 550 nm at 3500 rpm
Fuel consumption (EPA): 11.7 / 22.4 liters per 100 km
Volume of fuel tank: 86 l
Number of seats 5.
The drive is permanent full
Suspension
Front multi-type
Rear multi-profile
Auto gearbox. 6-stupas.
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km / h 225
Acceleration up to 100 km / h, from 7.6
Total information
Mass Snapper. / Full, kg 2570/3125
 
Maximum volume: 958 liters. The most comfortable and capance trunk. Rectangular forms easily allow you to arrange large angular boxes here.
 
Mercedes-Benz ML350


Under the hood
Engine: Working volume 3498 cm3,
compression ratio of 10.7: 1,
max. Power 272 liters. with. at 6000 rpm,
max. Moment 350 Nm at 24005000 rpm
Fuel consumption (EPA): 9.4 / 15.2 liters per 100 km
Volume of fuel tank: n. d.
Number of seats 5.
The drive is permanent full
Suspension
Front multi-type
Rear multi-profile
7G-Tronic gearbox
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed, km / h 225
Acceleration up to 100 km / h, from 8.4
Total information
Mass cutting. / Full, kg 2135/2830
 
Maximum volume: 500/2050 l. According to the standards of a large car, the trunk here is frankly enough
 
Who is something
Volkswagen Touareg.
The price of the tested car $ 101 000
Max. 310 l capacity. with. at 6200 vol. / min
Max. speed of 218 km / h
Acceleration 0100 km / h 8,1 s
 
Range Rover Sport
The price of the tested car $ 112 000
Max. 390 l capacity. with. at 5750 vol. / min
Max. speed of 225 km / h
Acceleration 0100 km / h 7,6 s
 
Mercedes-Benz ML350
The price of the tested car $ 90 000
Max. 272 l capacity. with. at 6000 rpm. / min
Max. speed of 225 km / h
Acceleration 0100 km / h 8,4 s
 
HIGH PRICE entire apparatus affects the cost of individual parts and the complexity of design determines the high cost of repairs. The top of the all-wheel drive, and art can not be cheap these are the laws of the genre. By definition, a contradictory fusion of skills to drive fast, comfortably and on any road is worth a lot. Even very expensive!
 
Likes / Dislikes
M-B ML
LIKED
Mercedes standard wheel and the thickness of the rim, and possibly conveniently positioned hand
DID NOT LIKE
ML Do not know why servo control seats not on the door panel, and in the end seats
 
Range Rover Sport
LIKED
Placard with the position of the road wheel relative to the drive circuit and the top of the visibility and pragmatic
DID NOT LIKE
Usually turn to the right up to the stop position of the light switch on, rather than auto. constantly slips
VW Touareg
LIKED
Convenient and simple to passengers of the second row of separate consoles climate control trifle helpful
DID NOT LIKE
It seems that here you can shove his hand. But crawls only three fingers of four! Regretted place?
 
They Peer

MERCEDES-BENZ ML
The new ML part dzhipovskogo appearance sacrificed passenger qualities of speed, stability. It seems that in this case, it is the right decision
The most convenient location behind the wheel does not get tired and not very relaxing. backrest profile is universal for people of different sizes
Spacious location for second-row passengers, and allows the use of a Mercedes for a ride with a personal driver
Concise instrument panel has a disadvantage too reflects the family tradition
With this interior design living black insert with uniform buttons seem alien
LAND ROVER SPORT

All ingenious simply. In these brave forms no tricks. But they can enjoy for a long time
Maritime or air interior VIP-class somehow migrated to the passenger car
From the width of the rear bed recordsmen discharge. Here three passengers will not jostle shoulders
The flaps on the entire gamut lendroverovskoy someone unfortunate miscalculation. Small faded digitization does not fit with high-speed capabilities
Yes, and the fragmentation of study in the control zone is unlikely to pay for high quality materials

Volkswagen Touareg.

This is the average height over the road. And if you turn up to the maximum level, an unprecedented geometric permeability becomes clearly visible.
The quality of the leather finish is not weaker than the rich color scheme. Instrument panel, by the way, also finished leather
Behind the width of narrowly, but otherwise nothing. But the skin slippages sliding
Of all the instrument shield, the most informative and finishing, and on digitization
Here is the kingdom of German symmetry and goodness. And over time you can even learn where which button
 
Volkswagen Touareg.
First show autumn 2002
Design Director Hartmut Vaccan
(Hartmut Warkus).
Range Rover Sport
First show 2005
Design Director Jeff is
(GEOFF UPEX).
MERCEDES-BENZ ML
First showing 1997
Updated design 2005
Design Director Peter Pfeifer
(Peter Pfeifer).
Nikita Rozanov:
I would call the whole three relatives of the second stage, whose appearance is poured, but strongly diluted with the blood of another kind
OUTSIDE
I would say that all three relatives of the second stage. Indeed, the appearance of Touareg and ML is clearly akin to design that is practiced main passenger compartment, respectively, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz. When all the formalities related difference in appearance is still high because it is off-road, and style strongly adjusted harsh environments. Another thing Range Rover Sport, whose style, though it is identical to the brand Land Rover, adjusted on the contrary the road characteristics and speed, which significantly distancing it from dirt and bumps. vehicle recognition from the face is worthy of five stars. Indeed, they have inherited the characteristics of the brand, and, regardless of the visibility conditions and the presence or absence of emblems, rock emerges in relief and relief. Silhouettes confirm class SUV, and the first letter of the abbreviations fashion shows through and emerges everywhere: at the falling of the roof line, and does not utilitarian angle of inclination of the rear wall. Many boxes did not immerse, but stylish, and that the main thing here. Even in the architecture of each side of the facade will be found zest. ML is characterized by beautifully painted rack with, the Range shaded all racks in a circle in a black mask, and Touareg pedantic their recalculation. Behind the trio fulfills kinship with the same care as with the other two sides, leaving in memory overtakes spectacular parts: chrome sled the ML, silver planochki a Range Rover and a brazen plastic inscription of all that is located under the Touareg rear bumper and handy reminds his distant relationship with the Porsche Cayenne.
INSIDE
Singing behind the wheel or passenger from behind, you feel that the sensations of the integrity of the brand style do not disappear, but on the contrary, increase. And the point is not at all use of formal details. The point is again in remote relationship. At first glance, this design feature is not striking only at ML. Kruglyowki defrosters, stylish brace between the central console and the pad on the floor tunnel, the steering wheel, finally, was not so observed in the family. But the Style Range is continuity, and is quite traditional from the all-breeding dominant of the central console before the composition of the instrument panel in general, when the replacement of the right steering wheel on the left is easily and without loss. The image of the interior of Touareg is violently, all forces and every detail fights with the past and the real image of the VW family. It is possible. The tree in the neighborhood with aluminum works for luxury and goodness, and, having looked at the selector's lever, you realize that both the car, and the level of his comfort, not folk.
SUMMARY
Look at your garage. Here is the fifth Golf wife Touareg will definitely make it a company. Here is your favorite silver SL toy, it will beautifully nurse on the weekends on the same color of ML. Well, and Range Rover Sport, I would leave myself so as not to forget who is the owner in the house. It follows only Chinese designers: they do not sleep.

Distribution of the moment
Evgeny Hapov: a triplers permanent full
 
VW Touareg.
The All-wheel drive transmission VW Touareg includes a transfer box in which the torque is divided into half between the front and rear axles using a symmetric differential. There is a reduced transmission with a gear ratio of 1: 2.66. The inter-axis differential is blocked by an electronic-controlled multid-wide coupling. Lock turns on automatically when slipped or forcibly. For an additional fee, a blocking of the rear axle differential is established.
In addition, the EDL electronic system limits the slip of any wheel using brake mechanisms, without allowing the tire to slip more than two centimeters.
 
Mercedes ML.
ML can be equipped with two transmission options. In a simple execution with a spring suspension, Mercedes has a permanent four-wheel drive with free differentials. Sliding the leading wheels blocks 4-ets electronic system through the brake mechanisms. The mountain key with the image makes a smoother gas pressing and causes the transmission less frequently. It is such a car participating in the test.
A more off-road version is equipped with a pneumatic suspension, a two-step distribution (reduced -1: 2.93) and inter-axes and rear differentials. A multi-disc clutch built into the inter-sieve differential is able to smoothly change the degree of its blocking up to full.
 
Range Rover Sport
All-wheel drive Sport, as it believes this jeep, has a reduced transmission switch (1: 2.93) and an electron-blocked inter-axis differential. Rear inter-wheeled differential is also blocked by electronics. The transmission and locking modes are headed by the Terrain Response electronic system, five of whose working algorithms take into account all possible modes.
Superpopular on our Touareg market is different, even large circuses than democratic golfs and family trade covers. (And only the utilitarian Pointer competes with him on an intrabrend number of sales. Here is a typical example of polarization of Russian society.) Those who want to be like everyone else will not come up with, fashionable. And wishing to stand out from the gray mass of millionaires, on the contrary, it will not be possible to show their individuality.
One of the weighty Volkswagen arguments is a wide range of motors (from 2.5 V5 to 6.0 W12) and complete sets. And, accordingly, a very large price range. We chose a modification of 4.2 individual. Tuareg is one of the most passable cars in the classroom. But in two and a half years, sales became clear that the caring owners rarely send it to the real Off-Road and the margin of strength allows it to almost do not break during asphalt exploitation. The lack of one model will no longer call fresh.
Range Rover Sport, on the contrary, absolutely fresh solution, unusual for the company, which has already in production there were four SUVs of absolutely different classes. With such a fractional gradation there is a risk that the newcomer will break off part of the common cake. On the other hand, the permanent clients of the British company producing luxury SUVs do not feel deprived of novelties.
Here, only two gasoline engines are offered to choose from, as well as the older brother of the usual Rainj Rover. At first glance, a more adequate competitor to Tuaregovsky motor could be an option 4.4 l / 300 liters. with. Kaba is not a significant difference in weight English car is much harder. And with Supercharge RR compressor engine, does not exceed VW on dynamics.
What, in fact, we need.
An inexperienced look may not even distinguish the Range Rover simply from the new Sport model. But they differ not so much details as structurally. Another, lower silhouette, and, accordingly, a reduced gravity center, integrated into the body of a frame, taken from Discovery III and more crowning, aggressive appearance.
Off-road Mercedes also looks new. Although the previous long-playing ML put an imprint on the appearance of the second generation model, its traits became much more dynamic and passenger. He is still produced in the USA. We are on the choice of three power options: V6 3.5 l / 272 liters. p., V8 5 l / 306 liters. with. and V8 6.3 l / 510 liters. with. Of all those proposed closest to competitors, taking into account the price and dynamics, it was the first, six-cylinder motor.
All three machines have a permanent four-wheel drive, lowering a row in KP, pneumatic suspension and changeable stiffness of shock absorbers. But the Briton and VW can also change clearance.
DYNAMICS
ML goes as follows Mercedes. And passenger. If you put pressure on the floor, the 7G-Tronic box is without inflatable, but with light shocks, it moves its programs. The motor does not shout even at maximum turnover and only to change the thrust you feel that the speed is brought to the maximum and the tachometer arrow flies up. But, if we stall asleepy, the switching occurs also in the zone of high revolutions, but the jerks are disappeared. No less pleasant and slow down. After all, this design assumes and braking the engine. Just throw the gas pedal. Instead of cutting for a long time on the same gear, and only then, reluctantly, go down, as it should be the traditional machine, the Mercedes box works out everything as if the driver leads the IPP lever. Turns to medium, 7g-tronic fell up to middle, say, say, the 3rd instead of the 4th and not to force you to resort to the brake pedal, and therefore save the car in a greater connection with the road. Yes, and the brakes themselves are very effective and accurate how much effort will attach to the pedal, it will receive a slowdown.
Now we do not have a starting point in the form of a five-liter version of Em Ekol, but past races showed the difference in their acceleration dynamics much less expected. In this regard, the ML350 find, because the car eats enough modestly, much overtaking competitors for efficiency. Someone will objected that when you buy a car for $ 100,000, it doesn't matter how much a month spend on refueling $ 200 or $ 300. To whom, how now, the rich learned to consider their blood.
Range Rover Sport for both sports, which is very cut. But the sharpness of him, how to say, not twiggy, and almost smooth. The gas additive at any speed causes smooth, but tangible clinches in the seat. And not just in the seat, and in a luxurious durable semi-eyed chair, clearly intended not only for a rapid civil car, but also for the attraction in the Moon Park, and even for the installation to some amateur car, which is planned to withdraw on a hundred-kilometer orbit. No, rather, furniture from the region of ultra-speed yachts and snow-white skin confirms. Yes, and in addition to the start, Rainj leaves, slightly taking the nose.
The British car is most deceptive at high speeds. Excellent insulation, a large mass of the car, a low center of gravity with a broad track and the ability to further tangible accelerations do not give the driver the opportunity to estimate the real speed. On the one hand, it is pleasant for two hundred people to feel as confident as a hundred thirty. But this is fraught with periodic unscheduled contacts from the traffic police, and no one has canceled physics laws simply not enough to refuse. No complaints arose to the efficiency of slowing down, but the braking pedal itself could be righteous. In the rustling of feelings, when feeding the feed in front of you, it seems that the air has got into the system. But no, fit ... Again the speed underestimated!
Despite the most peaceful label on the hood, Volkswagen growls not childishly, shuddering all the body in response to the promotion of the motor. Behind his steering wheel, the most carnivorous moods can catch up and confuse. No, no wonder its maximum power does not reach the liter return of competitors. It seems that just the power and moment curves are smoother, and already on the middle turnover of crazy. And to the top it slightly stuffing. I have such a characteristic of the soul, it is more diesel, which does not require extrusion from the motor 100% of what it is capable of.
But what did not like it, so it is slow downs when switching is not very long, but quite pronounced, and sufficient to play more nagging competitors to play the polcarus. Brake dynamics also did not impress. Subjectively, the car should slow down more active, but it is reluctant, with a translate on the front wheels, sticks out into the asphalt, forcing the rides to rely on the source of danger.
 
CONTROLLABILITY
Mercedes has the most stable body position over the road. Power waves do not knock him out of the way true. The turns and rearrangements it passes surprisingly in a passenger one, and on the steering wheel you feel the real position of the wheels on the road. But he does not like small irregularities. Even in the comfortable position of adjusting the ML shock absorbers, he shudders at the airborne police. And in the Sport SUV mode and absolutes every pebble at all.
Mercedes is managed quite neutral. Not in the sense that in no way, but without pronounced redundancy or insufficiency. You can safely go to the blind turn. If the assessment is negative, it does not stand and try.
Range Rover Sport on a winding path is not so filigious accurate. The highest mass and more pronounced excessive turning is affected, as if an additional leading axis was brought to the originally rear-wheel drive car. But to pass the snake is more fun of the brake and enjoying small, within the allowed stabilization system, drifts. Sport? Sport!
Range Rover Best Swallower Pots. I will not be afraid of exaggerations, but practically any pavement on this weighty and powerful car can pop up without a reduction in speed. Plumber? Cobblestone? Peter bridge? Uryupin director? No problem! The suspension somewhere separately works out all the bumps and pits, and the crew is floating above the road and off-road, separated from all the back of the English technique. Maybe therefore some complain about its quality that the car provokes them to exploits, and the resource does not add such a ride style?
Taarega is a pneumatic suspension! It was this argument that I heard when he discussed with experts why the irregularities of the average caliber is so sensitively transmitted to the car body. But it is a VW that provides a simpler version with springs, and he, as we remember, is perfectly on the road. Or maybe the fact is that this particular Touareg has already rolled up its 20,000 kilometers and comparison with machines from twice as modest mileage incorrectly? But it is difficult to accept for such a small kilometer the main systems of the car do not have to pass.
Yes, and the steering wheel Volkswagenovsky is empty. To maintain coursework on the track, miniature swelling movements are needed. This sin is definitely being found not only for Tuareg, but today's competitors there is no such lack.
But here is where VW succeeded in overcoming off-road. Mercedes with him is meaningless, although he is not a parquetor. Just there is something to cling to the soil. But even Range Rover Sport, which has the Terrain Response system and the ability to change clearance, I would not risk letting through those ditches that are able to storm Touareg. In the past, I was frankly scary, when it had to storm with a taareg of steps, with which, if you start rotating through the side, roll and roll.
But this is a completely different comparison. To find out who is the best inF-Road mode, it would have to pretrately reorder new, beautiful and, importantly, expensive cars. And I assume it does not only enter our plans, but also in the plans of their potential owners.
SUMMARY
It is difficult to choose the best of the best. And on the totality of the qualities and the absence of flaws, I would stop my gaze on Mercedes. But still there is a little raisum. He is too right. In this sense, the charisma of the last model of the British company outweighs those minor questions that Sport left unanswered. He is a leader in character. Tuareg, who repeatedly occupied the first place in our tests, can not be forever ahead of everyone. Or maybe we got not the best instance? But one way or another the third, honorable, place.
Text Vladimir Smirnov
Photo Leonid Dedukh
 

A source: Cars