VOLKSWAGEN’S Touareg has never sold as well as it deserves in Australia, and the brand hopes its new model, which has taken a long time to arrive Down Under, will do a lot better.
Better looking, better equipped, more spacious, competitively priced and more economical than before, Volkswagen has applied its considerable expertise to making this vehicle a serious contender – but is it enough to convince the badge snobs to spend serious money on a vehicle whose brand name translates to people’s car?

Touareg
Released: September 2003
Ended: July 2007
Family Tree: TouaregThe first-generation Touareg did not live up to the expectations of Volkswagen Australia after an initial burst in its first year on sale.
The firm tried again with a facelifted version in mid-2007 that sold a little better.
A competent all-rounder, the Touareg deserved more success but the luxury SUV audience apparently preferred to pursue products with higher badge prestige or were attracted by the new and expanding crop of compact and mid-sized premium SUV offerings.
Petrol and diesel V6 drivetrains were the model’s bread and butter, but five-cylinder and a bonkers V10 diesel variants also bookended the range.
Most models rode on standard coil-spring rear double wishbone rear suspension, but the V10 got air suspension enabling the vehicle’s ride height to be raised substantially when taken off-road.
All Touareg models could tow up to 3500kg and sent power through standard six-speed automatic transmissions linked to a constant 4WD system.
Unlike most other premium SUVs, the Touareg’s drive system had a transfer case with low-range for tough low-speed off-road work.
Facebook Twitter Instagram