Test drive Volkswagen Touareg 2007 - 2010 SUV

You can’t imagine better

There are no serious technical changes in the new modification of VW Touareg 7. They have not yet been required, the filling has been made with a back for the future. In particular, in this regard, more than four years after the start of sales, the model has very strong market positions around the world.

 
Only the update of the line of power plants and appearance occurred. Other front and rear headlights, a radiator grille, rear -view mirrors and an optimized rear spoiler appeared. A random person will be able to distinguish a new Touareg from his predecessor only if they stand side by side. But VW marketers consider this appearance correct. And by the way, this is the highest design class to ensure recognition with general restraint and solidity. In addition to the well -deserved and not too powerful turbodiesel R5 (174 hp), now for Touareg new gasoline engines of the FSI V6 with a volume of 3.6 liters (280 hp), and V8 4.2 l (350 hp) are offered, and Also a new 3-liter turbodiesel V6 (225 hp). We decided to take the car for the test with the V6 TDI, suggesting that this is a golden mean. An additional bonus was a pneumatic suspension installed on the car.
 
Despite the serious road clearance of 215 mm, it is only a little more uncomfortable to get into the car than in an ordinary sedan. Thanks to the low floor level. And the landing can be recognized as quite a passenger. Nevertheless, even by lowering the chair as much as possible (the ranges of all adjustments are huge), you perfectly feel the dimensions. Parctronics with a garland of multi-colored lights at the top of the central console is not very necessary and good is good. The four-spoke steering wheel with the control buttons of the cruise control and the audio system cleverly lays in the hands. What can not be said about the automatic transmission lever impressive in appearance, at the same time he is some kind of flimsy, constantly creaks during switching. The plastic climate installation handles are equally unpleasant to the touch and when rotating, although Climatronic is in good faith, traditionally for VW. On the All -Folkswagen Panel of Devices, two more voltmeter and oil temperature were added to four standard dials.
 
At the central tunnel, the control of an off -road arsenal is located. Two rotating cylindrical handles are advanced when pressed. One is involved in the reduction row in the checkpoint and the location of the center differential, the other controls the height of the pneumatic suspension of only six positions. Manually allowed to choose four of them. At a speed of up to 60 km/h, the road clearance can be increased to 240 mm, and if you are driving slower than 25 km/h to maximum 300 mm. Upon reaching 125 km/h, the clearance is automatically reduced from standard 215 mm to 190 mm, and after 180 km/h to 180 mm.
  
At the same time, the pneumatic suspension and the Skyhook system, equipped with a dynamic adjustment of shock absorber damping, operate in one of the three modes at the choice of the driver (the switch wheel is right there, in the central tunnel) Comfort, Auto or Sport. In Comfort mode, the car becomes softer in reactions, the suspension is more willing to swallow irregularities. A useful thing when the road is broken and the speed is high. In Sport, on the contrary, the car is more assembled, steer more acutely, and reacts much harder to road defects. I would say even too hard, shaking significantly. Therefore, the Auto option, when the suspension itself adapts to the road surface, in my opinion, is preferable.
 
In general, pneumatics are very good. She does not save at high speeds. A machine with minimal for the body of such a height (1726 mm) with rolls and delays will follow the turn of the steering wheel, not heavy, but quite informative. 200 km/h are gained easily and naturally, while Touareg behavior is adequately not only on a straight line. Perhaps here he can’t find equals in the corresponding price range, of course (Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5 and Audi Q7 is tangibly more expensive). Tandem V6 turbodiesel and a 6-speed machine with a dynamic switch program (DSP) is magnificent. The motor is amazing. Outside, of course, a quiet specific hiding can be heard, but inside I would never have thought that I was going on a diesel engine if I did not know which motor the car had, and if the tachometer was slaughtered with a patch. Most likely, I would have suggested that this gasoline V8 is so great traction. A huge torque of 500 nm is already reached at 1750 rpm, hence the outstanding dynamics of a 2.5-ton car of 9.2 seconds to hundreds per automatic transmission.
 
Even with very active driving, it is difficult to spend more than 15 liters of fuel per 100 km of path. Average consumption 11-12 l. A miracle, not a motor! Due to the fact that there is always a lot of moment, the machine changes the transmission less often. Switching in D mode is almost invisible, but not very fast, in position S fast, but more noticeable. Tiptronic brings the desired gears in time, and the machine perfectly slows down the engine. It would seem that Touareg was built with an aim on the highway, but it will be good on off -road. A lower row with a 4xMotion all -wheel drive system, an interdrawal differential lock (EDL), air suspension and the ESP, TCS systems (anti -circus), EUS (engine control system) can pull out a car from very difficult situations. The geometric cross -country ability is excellent: the angle of the congress/exit 33, overcome the rise of 45, the angle of the ramp 27, the side angle 45, the depth of the ford 580 mm. In conditions of diagonal hanging, VW continues to crawl forward stubbornly. If you are really going to conquer the off -road on the Tuareg, buy an option with a turbodiesel and a pen, train it in toothy tires, and you will not have enough equal ones. And on the freeway too.
 

Prices and configuration

In Russia, the updated VW Touareg is offered with the R5 turbodiesels (2.5 l, 174 hp) and V6 (3.0 liters, 225 hp), as well as with gasoline engines FSI V6 (3.6 liters, 280 liters. C) and V8 (4.2 l, 350 hp). All of them are aggregated only with a 6-speed TipTronic automatic machine with a 4xMotion all-wheel drive system, with a reducing and blocking of the center differential. The cheapest VW Touareg R5 TDI in the basic configuration costs $ 54039. Prices for a model with a V8 engine start at $ 85500.
 
Dmitry Krotov
 
 
 

 
 

Source: Motor magazine [July 2007]