Road Test - 2004 VW Touareg

At Moab, the Touareg gracefully traversed deep sand bowls and ragged slabs of slickrock that would stymie many modified trail rigs. With a flick of a switch, the VW's air suspension gave us an extra 3.5 inches of ground clearance (to 11.8 total) whenever we needed it--a nice way to keep our undercarriage rock-free. The Touareg's electronic traction system and rear locker provided us with near-constant traction when one wheel or another lost contact with terra firma, and its 50.3:1 crawl ratio--along with Hill Descent and the extra compression braking offered by the V-8--let us ease down Dragon's Tail with nary a hint of sturm und drang; all we had to do was steer. Tricky sidehills were also handled with aplomb--according to VW, the Touareg can handle lateral angles of up to 35 degrees before rolling over.

All told, the Touareg's great gearing and on-demand traction made driving this trail a comparative breeze. Matteus Kroell, the Touareg's Tech Project Leader, told us what product planners in Wolfsburg had in mind when they were designing the Touareg: "A true four-wheeler with a sports car temperament," is how he put it. And judging by the time we spent behind the wheel, VW has largely managed to pull it off.

Inside, the Touareg sports leather buckets, walnut trim, seating for five and a slew of 4x4 and suspension controls on the center console. A 400-watt, 12-speaker stereo is an option, as is an Off-Road Navigation System in addition to the factory GPS.

Which means that it comes at a Porsche-like price, nicht wahr? Actually, with a base price of $34,900 for the V-6 and $40,700 for the V-8, the Touareg is pretty well positioned in the midsize SUV segment while offering a slew of performance and luxury features normally found on more expensive vehicles. A Touareg likely will join our test stable for our 2004 Four Wheeler of the Year comparison. How will it fare against the competition? Stay tuned.

Dirt Master?
VW engineers and marketing people have made aggressive claims for the Touareg. One was that the new four-wheel-drive system--4xMotion, in marketing-speak--"makes it possible for the vehicle to master any off-road situation with ease."True? Of course not. We can think of places no SUV will master, such as the Darien Gap, the lava fields of any new volcano, or even parts of off-road parks around California.However, we have to say the Touareg is uncommonly capable, certainly on a par with the more expensive Land Rover and Land Cruiser SUVs. Here's why:
- There are two lockers--rear and center--and the air suspension delivers up to 11.8 inches of ground clearance, 2.5 inches more than the H2.
- There is very little front or rear overhang, leading to angles of approach and departure of 33 and 33.6 degrees, respectively, with the air suspension.
- The Touareg can sidehill to 35 degrees...the static tip angle is actually 45 degrees.
- The vehicle appears well sealed against water--both doors and components. With the air suspension, fording depth is given at 22.8 inches.
- Two filters are on the air conditioning intakes; a membrane for dust, and charcoal for pollution.
- The electronic hill descent and traction control algorithms control wheelspin better than any we have driven to date. While tires are decidedly biased toward on-road performance, a day of slickrock driving left them unscuffed, because wheelspin is negligible.
- First gear, low range holds back the Touareg extremely well on steep hills. Low gear is 4.15:1, low range is 2.66:1, the axle houses 4.56 gears.
- There is a tire-pressure monitoring system.
- Dash-mounted GPS system includes a compass, altimeter, and route marking.
- A small emergency flashlight sits in the cigarette lighter, always charged.
On the whole, we have to describe the Touareg as an uncommonly capable 4x4, easily able to negotiate Hell's Revenge, a 4-rated trail, without a scratch.