Touareg

Impressions

Touareg
Impressions: As a late-comer to the sport-utility party, how does the Volkswagen Touareg make a splash? Certainly a predominant factor is its Porsche roots, since the Touareg (pronounced "Toor-regg") is largely based on the Cayenne, although you'll never visually confuse the two. As well for 2007, the big VW comes in for an exterior freshening, probably not a bad idea since the Touareg and its now squarish-looking front end were introduced for the 2004 model year. While at first blush you might think this is just a pretty-looking jacked-up wagon, that would be selling the Touareg well short as it's actually built for off-road duty. Engine power to the permanent four-wheel-drive platform (with a low range) is split 50/50 to the front/rear wheels under normal driving and is then redirected when slip is detected. The Touareg is also designed not to run away from you on steep inclines, whether you're headed up or down. For 2007, the base 276-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 is back as is the optional 350-horsepower (up 40 over last year) 4.2-liter V8. Returning after a year off is the 310-horsepower 5.0-liter V10 turbo-diesel that's 45-state legal. For much less money than a Cayenne, the Touareg comes with plenty of standard goodies of the air/power/tilt/cruise variety as well as rain-sensing wipers, six airbags and a six-speed automatic transmission (no matter the engine). New features for 2007, all optional, include xenon headlamps, power liftgate and keyless access with start/stop button. Classified as a light truck, Touareg holds five passengers and can tow up to 7,700 pounds.

Base price: $38,000
Type: Four-door sport-utility vehicle
Base engine (hp): 3.6-liter DOHC V6 (276)
Optional engines (hp): 4.2-liter DOHC V8 (350); 5.0-liter DOHC V10, turbocharged (310)
Layout: Front engine, all-wheel drive
Transmissions: Six-speed automatic
Mileage (city/hwy): 15/20 (V6)
Safety: Front airbags; side-impact airbags; side-curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control; tire-pressure monitoring (opt.)
Weight (lb.): 5,090
Basic warranty: 4/50,000
Roadside assistance: Yes