  2011 Volkswagen Touareg. Click image to enlarge |
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2011 Volkswagen Touareg
Banff, Alberta – Last Monday night, the temperature in Banff dipped to minus 34 Celsius. Early Tuesday morning, with a hint of surprise in his voice, VW Canada PR Manager, Thomas Tetzlaff, announced to the assembled auto writers that all the 2011 Touaregs that were parked outside overnight, both gas and TDI diesel models, started with no problems, even without block heaters (which apparently are optional).
Though some of us were grumbling that is was just too damn cold, we quickly realized that the bone-chilling temperatures, and slippery ice-covered roads and trails surrounding the Banff area were the perfect opportunity to test just how well VW’s redesigned mid-sized SUV stood up to the rigours of a Canadian winter. We had previously tested the new Touareg last spring in the comparatively idyllic environs of Tuscany, but here in the Great White North, we began to appreciate some of the features we hadn’t used in Tuscany.
Starting with its revised lightweight 4Motion all-wheel drive system with a Torsen limited slip centre differential which normally splits torque 40/60 front/rear but can vary this as conditions demand; driver-selectable “On Road” and low range “Off Road” AWD settings; standard traction and stability control; four disc brakes with ABS and Brake Assist; Hill Descent Assist, Hill Climb Assist (in low range); a generous 22 cm of ground clearance; and a 26 degree front-end off-road angle.
  2011 Volkswagen Touareg. Click image to enlarge |
Touareg Comfortline models come with standard 18-inch all-season tires, while Highline and Execline models have 19-inch all-season tires, or optional 20-inch depending on the model. However, our test vehicles were shod with snow-biting 20-inch Pirelli Scorpion winter tires provided by Pirelli Canada just for this test.
To keep the driver and passengers warm and comfortable, the 2011 Touareg Comfortline comes with standard leatherette upholstery (leather in Highline and Execline) with three-step seat heaters (optional rear seat heaters), dual-zone automatic climate control with defogger button, heated windshield washer jets, heated outside mirrors, rear defroster, rear wiper with intermittent wipe setting, and rear washer. A heated steering wheel is available on Execline models.
We also appreciated the 2011 Touareg’s roomier cabin. With its longer wheelbase and a wider body, the new Touareg seats four or five adults in comfort – front and rear legroom and headroom is generous – and the split rear reclining seats slide forwards and backwards independently to increase legroom or cargo room. Shorter adults will find the step-in height is a bit high, but once inside, the standard eight-way power driver and passenger seats (with manual lumbar adjusters) are very comfortable, and the surroundings are luxurious. The quality and appearance of the interior materials is excellent but I would not recommend the light beige seats and carpets as they will be hard to keep clean.
   2011 Volkswagen Touareg. Click image to enlarge |
Just so you don’t get lost and/or bored in the wilderness, all Canadian Touaregs come with a standard navigation system and an eight-inch colour touch-screen with a 3D screen view, a 60-GB hard drive, SD card input, a single CD/MP3/DVD player, and eight speakers. The system includes Bluetooth phone connectivity, Sirius satellite radio (free three-month subscription), and iPod interface. Accessory cables for USB and auxiliary inputs are also available. There are also four 12-volt outlets, and a single 115V outlet. The centre screen can also display climate control functions, and vehicle information such as a compass and altimeter. A separate, smaller screen between the tachometer and speedometer displays vehicle info such as average fuel consumption, distance to empty, radio station, outside temperature, compass and tire pressure.
The carpeted cargo area, accessible by a lift up hatch with a power opening and closing feature, is very roomy – cargo space behind the rear seats has increased by 25 litres to 660 litres, and with both seatbacks folded down, cargo space reaches 1,642 litres. The liftover height is high, though.
Motivation comes from a revised 280-hp 3.6-litre 24-valve V6 gas engine with direct injection, or a 225-hp 24-valve 3.0-litre TDI (turbocharged direct injection) diesel engine both mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission that replaces the previous six-speed. The new eight-speed tranny features Sport mode for more aggressive shifts and Tiptronic mode for manual shifting. According to VW, fuel economy has improved by more than 16 per cent in gas models, now 12.3/8.8 L/100 km city/hwy – and by almost nine per cent in diesel models, now 11.1/7.0 city/hwy, due to improved engine technology, a reduction in vehicle weight, and the new transmission. The TDI can travel up to 1,200 km on a single tank.
   2011 Volkswagen Touareg. Click image to enlarge |
However, the engine idle stop feature that we previewed in Europe apparently didn’t make it to Canada. The Touareg Hybrid model, which we also previewed, will arrive in Canada in 2012, at the same time as the new Jetta Hybrid.
We drove on a variety of road surfaces, from the dry, smooth paved surfaces of the Trans Canada Highway, to the steep, ice-covered trails around Kananaskis and Banff. On gravel roads covered in hard packed snow that had been ploughed, the Touareg felt very stable and secure with excellent tire and cornering grip – I was impressed with the Pirelli Scorpion’s performance in the snow. Ice covered roads with a thin layer of snow required a reduction in speed and more care when cornering, but traction was still good and the Touareg’s independent suspension soaked up the bumps while keeping the car level and controlled. The Touareg’s standard “On Road” diff setting with variable front to rear torque distribution is all that’s needed on slippery roads. The “Off Road” setting which locks up the centre differential, is only needed for steep hills or deep snow at slower speeds. We didn’t see a hill steep enough to test the Hill Descent Assist and Hill Climb Assist, but the former automatically maintains a constant speed when descending a steep hill, while the latter adjusts engine management software to prevent damage to the transmission on steep ascents.
On the freeway, both gas and diesel engines rev at under 2,000 rpm at 100 km/h, and the Touareg’s cabin is well insulated from engine and road noise. I was surprised at how quiet the Scorpion winter tires are on dry pavement. I was also surprised at how quiet the 3.0-litre TDI diesel engine is, even while it’s idling. With 406 lb.-ft. of torque, the diesel is very responsive when a burst of speed is needed, and its performance is quite satisfying. Its zero to 100 km/h acceleration time of 8.2 seconds is not far off the 3.6-litre Touareg’s time of 7.7 seconds. In the past, Touareg TDI diesel models represented more than 50 per cent of all Touareg sales in Canada, and VW expects the new Touareg TDI to be just as popular.
    2011 Volkswagen Touareg. Click image to enlarge |
The 2011 Touareg’s manufacturer’s suggested retail prices have increased by six or seven per cent over the previous model year, but adjusting for new standard equipment (not to mention a complete redesign), the price works out about the same, according to VW Canada’s Tetzlaff. The 2011 VW Touareg 3.6L Comfortline is $48,440, Highline $53,190, and Execline $58,185. 2011 Touareg 3.0 TDI models, which have a higher level of standard equipment than gas models, are $53,190, $58,645 and $63,135 respectively.
All Comfortline and Highline models come with standard 10-spoke 18-inch “Tacora” alloys, Execline 3.6L with five-spoke 19-inch “Everest” alloys, and Execline TDI and all Sport Package models with five double-spoke “Pikes Peak” alloys.
Over and above the base Comfortline’s standard features mentioned above, the Highline gas model adds leather seats, 12-way power front seats with power lumbar, a split centre slideable armrest, real burr-walnut trim, power tailgate, panoramic sunroof with sunshade, and power rear backrest release. TDI Highline models add a standard heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and keyless entry and start/stop.
Touareg Execline models, new for 2011, add 19-inch tires and alloys, bi-Xenon headlights, a 620-watt Dynaudio stereo with 12 speakers, heated rear seats and steering wheel, keyless entry and start, rear sunshades, park distance control, power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, and rearview camera. TDI Execline models add 20-inch tires and alloys, and a Sport suspension.
All Touaregs are available with an optional Sport Package ($2,525) that includes 20-inch tires and “Pikes Peak” alloy wheels, bi-Xenon headlights, and Sport Suspension. A towing hitch is also available for $705. Comfortline models are offered with the optional Panoramic sunroof ($1,800) that’s standard on Highline and Execline models.
2011 VW Touaregs competitors include the Acura MDX, Lexus RX350, Volvo XC90, and Infiniti FX, and maybe the Audi Q7. Touareg TDI competitors are the Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec, BMW X5 xDrive 35d, and Lexus RX400h. Though VW is not a luxury brand, the Touareg’s price, level of quality, and performance put it in to direct competition with luxury models rather than non-luxury mid-sized SUVs like the Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9 and Honda Pilot.
VW Touaregs are built in the same assembly plant as the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 in Bratislava, Slovakia.
