Test drive Volkswagen Touareg 2002 - 2007 SUV

Appearances are deceptive

Honestly? Not impressive. With the first visual contact, Touareg is in no way caping a casting for the role of an SUV. Where are the extensors of the arches, where are the taranovic bumers, where are the relings, finally? Having flaunted his defenseless roundness, pressing to the ground Touareg, as if deliberately mowing under low -commissions, desperately recalling Polo. What kind of unhealthy pacifism? It is good that this copy is decorated with a chrompack with shiny overlays along the window line and thresholds. And bixenon light is very out of place. Of the missing options, it is worth mentioning the sliding bars on the roof, a glass hatch and a bracket for fastening a spare wheel on the back door. In general, the scope for external tuning is wide. And Touareg who has passed it takes a completely different appearance.
 
The least in the car for fifty thousand euros I would like to stumble upon a salon in the style of golf or passat. Incidentally, the fears are justified: the whole Volkswagen is capable of total unification of everything. To the inexpressible joy, Touareg is dissolved from its relatives, and it is dissolved with rare arrogance. Open the driver's door and you will be paralyzed by a panorama spread out in front of you. Greatness worthy of the Roman Empire in its best years! Strictly, exquisite, colossally. And very high quality. Not chairs, but thrones, not a steering wheel, but the stitches of a rich yacht, not a console, but a control panel. It seems that the monumental lever of the checkpoint does not control the gearbox, but lifts, lets the bridge of the medieval castle. The collection of finishing materials is full, not enough marble. Metal, wood, leather, plastic of all types for example, anti -reference mineral glass was used for the dashboard. How is it not to gasp!
 
Even the sophisticated in the case of the luxury of Roman patricians would be something to envy in their days no one heard about electric drives. And here they are everywhere. Glass, mirrors, seats, steering column everything is controlled by buttons. Therefore, to choose the only convenient pose for yourself is easier to steamed turnip.

  

Yes, from all these countless keys, pens, dials and displays eyes scatter. In the study of the settings of the menu of the on -board computer, you can freeze for a long time. However, I repeat that our Touareg is far from fully equipped. There is no Keyless Entry system with the start of the engine with a button, there is no control system for steering wheel switches. The four-zone climate control is lacking (we only have a two-zone) and audio systems with 12 (!)-a channel amplifier and 11 speakers. There is no autonomous pre -heater, but the listing of what is, would take a whole page.
 
The trunk is good. A huge opening, separately opening glass of the door. Inside there are several 12-volt outlets, a thoughtful system of eyebrows for securing cargo. It itself is a need to transport something somewhere, it doesn’t matter what and where. The rear passengers are the most boring: there are many places, and entertainment is zero, except that heating the seats.
 
No matter how sophisticated Touareg is, to cope with him on anyone. Aisin Japanese machine is controlled by a DSP program with an adaptive algorithm. The checkpoint has three operating modes: standard, sports and sectral (manual). In the standard Touareg, frankly languid, but eats gasoline in the framework of decency. In a sports machine, it is cut and in vain, it helps the brakes with the transition to low gears. In manual mode, the situation is even better, but not much, but the arrow of the fuel level indicator literally before our eyes falls to zero.

  

The car is very thorough, smooth and quiet and beckons on a long journey. On the highway, the car isolates you from road irregularities, all kinds of noise and, as a result, does not require a sense of speed, turns without rolls. The beauty! The most powerful brake mechanisms with a bunch of smart electronic systems allow you to interrupt any maneuver in a matter of moments, which creates special psychological comfort based on complete control over the situation. But it is better not to get involved in street races: the controllability of the SUV is reliable, it is by no means sporty hot house, quickly reveals the side departments of the tires, spreading and leisurely reactions. Here the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 remain in the leaders.
 
But outside the asphalt, these cars are resting. Tuareg has a symmetric full -wheel drive 4xMotion with a reducing and intericons differential, automatic or forced. Blocking is carried out by a multi -disable clutch of Haldex; The list of options includes another coupling, but already to block the rear interventor differential. Electronics settings (EDL systems) are such that in the limit all torque is able to be transmitted to one wheel. The CDC air suspension, depending on speed and road conditions, automatically regulates the road clearance and stiffness of shock absorbers (Skyhook system). These adjustments are also carried out manually, for which two stiffness modes and four fixed body positions are provided. Several eloquent numbers: the road clearance changes in the range of 160-300 mm, the depth of the overcoming ford is 58 cm, the steepness of the rise of 45 degrees. Management of the entire transmission-suspension farm is entrusted to two round handles on the central tunnel, and it is organized extremely successfully.
 
You can narrate for a long time and picturesquely, as we rushed through dusty primers, climbed over the Ottoklid Motorsu, hung up the wheels and forced shallow water. And you can immediately state that TouReg got out to freedom from everywhere, where we had the spirit to stick. It was not at all the tactical and technical capabilities of the machine (although highway tires are not the best help) limited our adventurism, but the fear of swing the body. I think he will be familiar to all owners of this car. Darling, because the contraption!
 
But one thing is undoubted: TouReg is worth the money that is asked for him. Because it is not just an SUV, but an Hi-End SUV. In addition, a rare case when when buying equipment of this class you will not have to overpay for the prestige of the brand.
 
The car is provided by Rus-Llan.
During the test, the car is insured by LLC Nation Center.
 

Photo: Dmitry Mikhailov
Text: Leonid Klyuyev
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 71/2003]