Test drive Volkswagen Touareg 2002 - 2007 SUV

Yankee-Tank and Ober-Valnaurist

This strange pair is able to work out even the malicious brain of automobile analyst. And it was not for nothing that they launched them into the corral together, although they differ greatly at prices, they are a completely new and unconditionally progressive generation of all -wheel drive cars. A curious fact: their creators are representatives of different auto -building schools, but regardless of this, they created such gizmos, armed with such a set of advantages that the rest of the off -road traffic very soon risk staying in outsiders. Volkswagen Touareg and Cadillac SRX. Earth and sky. The unity of opposites ... and here's another. You just do not be afraid, but there is something mystically brutal in these mechanisms with the prefix of super.
After filming, our test coordinator gave me the keys to the cars and says: you won’t believe it! SRX broke the tuareg like a tuzik a heating pad! At the same time starting from the place. Cadillac broke and left, and Tuareg was poking at the back, he erupted, Tyr-Pyr, Tyr-Pyr. Maybe then he would have caught up, but there wasn’t enough road. And the censer rides better. Yes, just finally, damn it, the photographer confirmed sadly. I squeeze, but he is not a damn! Here it is, a German thing. They praised, demons! Of course, I am not Stanislavsky, but I repeated for the great: I do not believe! The American SUV, by definition, cannot go better than the European! Because he ... because he is an American. And all. Faster yes. But not better. Although, the devil knows him. The SRX chassis was set up in Europe, everything can be on the Nyurgurging Ring Ring. And I have not traveled to any of them yet. Apparently, it is time to go already and to urgently refute something.
With a detailed analysis of the appearance of the tested, we will provide a professional, Professor Rozanov. But from myself, I will honestly outwardly SRX is very attractive. For the modern car is first emotion, and only then everything else. It is original, it is unusual and, undoubtedly, attracts the views of a much larger number of people than Tuareg. A sort of pearly faceted corps of a computer on wheels named after the proprietary architecture of Sigma. However, we must pay tribute to Tuareg, he looks much more courageous than Cadillac, but at the same time more traditionally. These forms, even before his appearance, joyfully replicated all the media, and the consumer involuntarily got used to the new SUV in advance.
Dynamics
SRX-dynamics ... This is not a dynamics, this is some kind of madness. I did not believe the guys, went, chose a more or less even and long straight line and stomped properly along the accelerator. Usually, in such a situation, everything is limited to words demolished the tower, acceleration pressed ... everything does not fit. It does not press here, Bip, here, Bip, squeezes to hell with dog! Acceleration is born somewhere under the floor of the car, like a lava in a volcano, rapidly increases, and then there is a giant volcanic emission of adrenaline into the blood, which passes through the entire soul. It looks like an internal state of the body when the plane falls into an air hole. Breathing breath, and the heart does not freeze. And when everything has already spilled out, it becomes really scary. Is there a joke, two tons with you behind the wheel rush forward along the road that suddenly narrowed to the size of the path. The forehead is sweaty, and it was necessary to slow down yesterday. Real stress, which you do not expect at all, climbing the first time into a solid chick of American technology. Tuareg is more loyal to the driver in terms of dynamics, more predictable, but also very fast. However, it is somehow by chance. In general, according to the external image, some kind of rounded. Not sharp, not faced. He pressed the pedal, looked in the mirror. O-pa! And on the speedometer already 180! .. unobtrusive. And very carefully. And the power behind the shoulders, such an unspent force that you want to turn on the head xenon and pull the cord of the diesel beep so that everything is removed from the path of a kilometer two forward. By the way: Kadillac and do not need to buzz, the people are still crumbling. Who is in fear, and who and for the sake of curiosity, stare at the beast. Here, just in case, it is necessary to warn skeptics against premature conclusions, we are talking about serial cars, but far from ordinary. These are SUVs of the highest echelon. Therefore, you should not relax Tuzik Tuzik, and our Tuareg, all so smooth, round and unobtrusive, accelerates to hundreds in only eight and one tenth seconds! And do not say anything about Porsche Cayenne. It’s troublesome.
 
Controllability
Carry on Tuareg on a good winding road is a pleasure. The 6-speed ZF machine operates surprisingly smoothly, without jerking and clicks, in time exposing the desired gear under the leg. And the four-spoke wooden-walled steering wheel turns to the elastic steering wheel where it is necessary with the right effort. And Tuareg rolls forward, falling a little, falling, gently tracking the wheels of unevenness. In general, in the process of dynamic movement, it seems that the car thinks for a split second faster than the driver, predicts everything and calculates everything. If you look into the grosses of the technical equipment of the Tuareg, then, of course, a smart computer will understand a lot at the right time activates the stabilization system, brakes the wheels, and reduces engine speed. But all the same, the rider is somehow uneasy, as if he was superfluous at this holiday.
SRX in terms of quality control, as well as supporting electronics, is in no way inferior to Tuareg. And for some positions, for example, in clear rudder reactions, it looks better. Inside, his own electronic kasparov is also sewn inside, honing the skills of supervision of thought and action. Lightly and laid-back Drive Tuareg rough in terms of the relationship of the road-collapse-barracks-barber-driver. Somewhere in this chain there is a tiny subconscious burr, which sometimes makes you attention. The SRX in the first seemed a heavy to me somewhere at the shoulder level. Maybe this is purely psychological discomfort associated with a high line of lateral glazing. But then the discomfort suddenly ended, and instead of him the belief came that SRX would steer more precisely and more than Tuareg. Maybe a little sharper, forcing to strain, but more fervent and clearer. An amazing sensation is not every SUV to such an extent a bit and so clearly feel already with the spinal cord. The exercise of the snake or something similar to her cadillac performs virtuoso, easily tolerating a long faceted hood along with the front wheels. The rear, you feel, is hard to keep up with them, but they still keep up with a successful, stopping the obsessive desire of a 5-speed assault rifle switch to the highest stage when leaving the turn. Tuareg in this situation rides easier and easier. It does not tolerate the hood, but instantly rearranges, tearing slightly. One-two, one or two. But what the wheels do at this moment do not know to anyone. Apparently, therefore, after each exit from the turn, it must be carefully set to the trajectory.
 
Ergonomics
 
It is better not to talk about the advantages of interiors. Both cars inside are convenient, pleasant and roads. At the same time, the Tuareg inside is richer and more interesting than the SRX as much as more expensive. Cadillac from a huge trunk and to the front panel looks impressive. White skin of electric seats of a very elegant shape, noble, skillfully selected shades of wooden panels, an original lever of the machine gun. The steering wheel is cool, all wooden-fantastic, smooth, convenient and very pleasant to the touch. The climatic installation is thought out to the smallest detail throughout the cabin, as well as pockets, and other little things; The floor is covered with a soft beige carpet. The sound quality of music with a CD changer is swaying. And about a huge glass stylish hole in the ceiling called UltraView, you can definitely add songs. But the case spoils the front panel from a primitive gray plastic. It is clearly knocked out in style and in quality from everything in the world! So he draws to call somewhere on the Jimov-vagar and be naughty. Here, they say, probably, they were cheating on an under -glance. They would save, brothers, on something else that is not so striking. And Tuareg ... If for an instant, forget that we are talking about an SUV, it is quite acceptable to present this salon with an interior of an expensive limousine. Everything is in moderation and everything is neat and wood, and skin, and chrome, and expensive black plastic. Chromewall edging of devices and lambs, buttons with a sight for sore eyes. And sitting high, and see great around, additional repeaters, again built into the hull of the rear view mirrors. Level! Nicely. The steering wheel was only either not calculated to the end, or they did not pay attention to a sweatshirt, especially at the points of contact of the spoke tides with the inside of the rim. The grip in these places is frankly inconvenient. But to the one who is used to imposing control of such a monster with one finger will definitely be where to attach this middle finger.
Outside of the road behind all these turns, accelerations and controllability, we forgot that we had a conversation about SUVs. Of course, heavy off -road with them could not advent by definition. Prices are not the same, and rubber is not the same. By the way, in his homeland, in a star-striped states, the cadillac in the base is produced by rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is already an option. To us, as the most correct guys, only all -wheel drive options are delivered. The primitive primer, replete with bumps and pits, was to the taste of Cadillac. Its electronic super-but-duper optional shock absorbers of continuously adjustable hardness of the Delphi MR brand coped well with the task, allowing the car to move on potholes quickly and quite comfortable. But by and large, a permanent all -wheel drive in this case was not needed. Such a road is within the power of an ordinary light vehicle with a high clearance or on high rubber. But Tuareg on the same road generally rushed with a swift jack, like on a flat parade ground. I received a decent charge of jaw shaking only when, with the help of a standard switch, I raised it in the highest position (maximum clearance of 30 cm). Another thing is something similar to cool SUV: a slide with which children rode ice cards in winter. Cool, almost bald, without grass. Not 45 degrees, of course, but something like that. Tuareg drove into her without hesitation, and even allowed him to stop in the middle and from there to move without slipping and other problems. On the cadillac, I drove there from the run, the front wheels jumped, looking up, electronic systems, like crazy, wrote something quickly on the screen, metal thoughts clanged in the womb, and SRX Pop up, like a tank. In general, it is quite worthy. It is interesting, by the way, that while I was driving a hill on Tuareg, curious citizens cautiously contemplated this action from a respectful distance. It was worth sending a pearl srx to the mountain, onlookers gathered around an extensive, lively hogly flock. So the tuareg will be higher and it will rise on it will only be ahead in front of the sky and hood. Yes, however, Cadillac also did not go far from him.
 
These resumes of these devices for a powerful, all -consuming drive in conjunction with a huge living space and an incredible, large -scale unspent potential. By dynamics and handling, to say by honor, the battle was won by Cadillac. Outwardly, in my subjective understanding, it also looks more powerful. However, Tuareg prevailed in internal comfort, design, amazing quality of finishing materials and lightness of off -road movement. True, in our case, eight SRX cylinders gave out 15 horses more than eight Volkswagen. But Tuareg also has a top version with a diesel 10-cylinder super-engine with a capacity of 313 liters. p., with a giant torque of 750 Nm. Tuareg with this engine, of course, is today's leading in the entire off -road segment. This is, BIP, Beast, Bip! I generally think that this engine needs to compose an ode. Our active diesel unloved, looking indifferently at my enthusiastic cries and snot, do not actually know what they refuse. Well, okay, free propaganda is ungrateful. What am I talking about? BUT! So: although in this case we dealt with completely different cars created under the influence of design schools located on the opposite shores of the Atlantic Ocean, it is very likely that both SRX and Tuareg are the main conceptual dominants of the world off -road fleet of the nearby future. Oh how!
Text Nikolay Ushanov photo Alexander Nozdrin
 

Source: Cars