Volkswagen Touareg test drive since 2010 SUV
Second generation Volkswagen Touareg
Meet Volkswagen a new crossover. Called Touareg. Yes, yes, the one that used to be SUV. However, at the world dynamic presentation in Italy, we met with four modifications of Touareg performed by Lights, and with its off -road hypostasis ... Virtue is boring, the vice is attractive this statement of old, as a original sin. However, ancient aphorism is cunning. A sin is capable of beckoning, but not a sparkling romance with a coquetle for long can be a funny adventure, but marry a frivolous beauty? God forbid. So with cars the same story. For example, the new VW Touareg, about which damn it is difficult to write a bright, full of drama article. He does not inspire, but I, of course, would like for myself such for personal use. Strictly speaking, today we have the second generation of the model. What was before, with coquettishly summed up eyes, deep restyling.
The most significant point in the change of concept. Now the decreasing transmission of the option, so in the standard performance of the Touareg crossover with a constant all -wheel drive implemented by means of the Torsen differential. The solution is not new: the first to realize to propose a reduced program as an option in Mercedes-Benz in relation to ML, and, as far as I know, most buyers without a paid demultiplier can easily do.
Touareg also completely updated the line of engines. There is no more simple R5 turbodiesel or Pigzon V10. The new body has become tougher. Wast qualities are an order of magnitude better, and the salon is so kind that it can be considered a reference one.
The salon can be brown or dark gray, and decorative pads with chrome, aluminum or natural wood
The secret of weight loss
A joke about the fact that the VW Touareg was created by inflating VW Golf through the exhaust pipe, it always seemed stupid and rude to me. But now, a healthy grain is found in it on the asphalt, the novelty behaves completely lightly. Not like a compact hatchback, of course, but as a class E.
Having lost a reduced gear, Touareg in the basic configuration has become easier than kilograms of two hundred. Partly due to the transmission, partly due to the suspension, and so on. Apparently, this also played a positive role, improving its sled qualities. The smooth move, the lack of rolls, clinks and buildups: rolling on such a crossover on picturesque Italian hills is a pleasure, the more cool turns the better. The steering wheel is empty with a slight angle of rotation, but it works only in favor of comfort. There is only one universal SUV that could compare with Touareg on a winding highway, Range Rover Sport. And among the crossovers, few can compete with him: the BMW X5 is not so comfortable due to the too sharp steering mechanism, the Mercedes-Benz ml is not so a couple. Perhaps the Lexus RX350? Wait, it turns out, the new Touareg competitors are completely from the premium? It seems so. I must say, this is reinforced by the interior decoration: the texture of the plastics is pleasant both in the look, and to the touch, the panels of the panels are impeccable, the skin is high -quality, the decorative inserts are really wooden. Or, for lovers of progress, aluminum. But the main thing is that one of the color options for solving the salon is brown. It looks surprisingly noble. And a little unusual, adding to the interior what he lacks, a small highlight.
An extremely useful option for luggage lock. But without another option of automated closing the fifth door, you can easily do
Ergonomics at a height, you can’t do it. Of the objective disadvantages, only the integral marking of the speedometer: the gaps between the marks are located at a different distance. From the habit, it interferes a little.
Off rode for surcharge
But what about off -road, you ask? Especially for lovers to renew the dirt by car for more than two million, it is possible to bring 1900 euros more to the cash desk and get an off-road Terrain-Tech-Paket as an option. It includes a handout with a demultipliter (degree of decrease 2.7), blocked through an electronically controlled multi-disable coupling of the inter-axial differential, a rigid blocking of the rear differential, an increased road lumen and a fuel tank with a volume of 100 liters instead of 85.
But, alas, this kit is put only on the version with the V6 TDI. But the air suspension for all versions. But only together with an off -road package does it increase the road clearance to 300 mm, the depth of the ford from 500 to 580 mm, and the angles of entry/exit to 33 degrees. It was on such an extreme, according to the Germans, the versions, we traveled along the kind of non-road training ground, arranged next to the golf club near Florence. You probably already understand what it was for off-road. The hardest test of ballet pas on ivory traces. Nothing new. The fact that the air suspension in the inflated state has no articulation to the limit, we knew before. However, this does not prevent the car from fighting with hanging mechanical locks plus electronics do their job. Even VW representatives agreed that Touareg could have passed on this highway without a reduced transmission. In standard configuration, it is equipped with the same arsenal for driving outside the roads as Tiguan: it has a function of helping and lifting, off-road operating modes of anti-circulation and anti-lock systems. And all this turns on with one turn of the handle. It will appear in Russia will check how all this works on a large crossover.
Remove the tachometer In the meantime, light variants of the VW Touareg model of 2010 were given to us only on the roads. The first was Touareg Hybrid, living his life, a silent monster. Especially for him, they arranged a city route along Florence. What can I say: the quietest gasoline turbo engine V6 TSI either stalls or starts, and you will learn about it only by the tachometer. But it would be better if this device was not at all. When the peripheral vision records a sharp fall in the arrow on the move, a light panic occurs at a subconscious level. Here it should be explained that the hybrid drive works according to the parallel circuit of an electric (46 l.) And gasoline (333 hp) engines can operate both separately and together. At speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour, Touareg Hybrid can only move on an electric protrusion, but at a sharp start, the ICE is still turned on. By the way, the hybrid accelerates with dignity. But it slows down, not without quirks, you lower the foot on the pedal, but it seems to be squeezing itself. It seems to be to blame for the recovery system. Of course, this does not affect anything, but the sensations are strange. However, a hybrid, by definition, a mysterious thing to recoup its high cost due to saving on gasoline, you will have to ride it all your life. And preferably all the time in deaf traffic jams. It is in them that will be significantly reduced by fuel consumption and the volume of harmful emissions.
The magic of the eight
Flagship of the line of engines turbodiesel V8. In the evening, when exchanging impressions, colleagues praised him vying. And what, I ask, did someone not have enough traction or power on the V6 TDI? No, they say, enough. But here is such a sound during acceleration! The eight's voice is really magical. You know, there are such large gentlemen with velvet-rack timbre, whose speech is hypnotizes regardless of its meaning. Here is a similar story. However, this V8 can not do without a shock dose of charm, because the V6 TDI steps on his heels. The diesel six is \u200b\u200bthe most modest power of the motor, but for a dynamic driving she grabs her eyes. Still, 7.8 seconds to 100 km/h is very good. And 550 Nm of torque is completely a lot. Well, V8 from its 5.8 shots up to 100 km/h and 800 nm is already a luxury item. And since I mentioned here about this fantastic traction, I will allow myself to notice: it is a pity that in addition it is impossible to buy off-rock package
Both turbodiesels work smoothly, without vibrations and noise. According to the manufacturer, they are very economical in the city, for example, 8.9 and 11.9 liters per 100 kilometers of mileage for the V6 TDI and V8 TDI, respectively. It is clear that these figures were obtained in ideal conditions and in practice it usually turns out a little more, but they are still impressive. Especially if you compare them with data on dynamics.
The role of the most affordable version will now be a set with gasoline V6 FSI. This engine is completely silent at the time of the cabin or outside it is practically not heard. The dynamics are not bad, but it feels a little worse than the V6 TDI. In part, it is a diesel diesel is more fun, but a threshold of 100 kilometers per hour, a gasoline six steps over the same 7.8 seconds. All engines are aggregated exclusively with an 8-speed automatic transmission, but I did not feel anything during its operation: the box works exactly. Like a variator. I can add only one interesting technical nuance: an electric pump is built into the machine for compulsory maintenance of pressure and oil level. This solution found its place due to the fact that Touareg with V6 is now equipped with Start-Stop in the basic configuration. I pressed the brake, got up the car stalled. He took off his leg from the brake, pressed on the gas. In order for the gearbox to be immediately ready to continue the work, an electric oil pump works in the STOP phase.
How to increase the price As befits a high -class car, Touareg offers the appropriate level of basic equipment. For example, the standard equipment includes a CD magnet with a 6-Raced Chainer and a touch screen. Even with junior V6 engines, 2-zone climate control, rain sensor and cast 17-inch discs are included in the kit. Well, the HYBRID and V8 TDI configuration offer, in particular, a leather interior, a car launch system with a button and a bixenon high light with automatic adjustment. The latter is especially useful on high loading roads. The sensors monitor the appearance of the oncoming car, and the electronics adjusts the bundle so that while maintaining maximum lighting, not to blind the oncoming. Moreover, as it approaches, the luminous flux is smoothly shifted. And the sensors react not only to the headlights of the oncoming, but also to the rear lights of the traveling in front.
The list of options includes some interesting positions. Let's say a circular review system using video cameras. And a navigation system with a hard drive of 60 GB, already able to communicate in Russian. As well as a retractable rkurop, a four-zone climate control, active cruise control complete with systems for tracking banding and much more. I believe that using a minimum set of these pleasant additions, you can easily increase the price of a car by 1015 thousand euros.
The price list for the Russian market has not yet been approved. It is only known that for the new Touareg with V6 TDI they intend to ask for as much as for the previous one, that is, from 2,045,000 rubles.
Author: Savva Safonov, photo of the author and Volkswagen AG
Source: Magazine 4x4 [June /2010]
