2005 Volkswagen Touareg Review

Specifications

Mountain-Flattening V8 Performance

A V8-powered Volkswagen Touareg was the vehicle of choice for a get-into-summer driving vacation, which led us into the arid lands that lie beyond the mountains bordering my hometown. Although the trip found us negotiating some tremendously high mountain passes, it was all done on pavement, so testing the off-road ability of the Touareg will have to await future opportunities. Nonetheless, I undertook to perform the duties of a diligent automotive journalist by testing and scrutinizing VWs subject matter as exhaustively as possible.

Cracking open the door of this weeks tester flooded my senses with the smell of tanned leather and the sight of starkly contrasting colors. The 2005 Touareg melds the elegance of a Rolls Royce with the ruggedness of a Willys Jeep in a package thats more attractive and less expensive than its Porsche Cayenne cousin. More attractive, one may question, but in my eyes VW has put a much happier face on the front of the Touareg than Porsche has on the nose of its Cayenne. From windscreen back, though, the vehicles are equally attractive, well-proportioned and clean-looking. I particularly like the large greenhouse effect produced by the expansive sheets of glass surrounding the Touaregs cabin, including the rear window, which doubles as an access hatch.

In the last decade or so, VW has forced a mindset shift on most folks by altering the perception that the brand is synonymous with frugality. The high-end Phaeton sedan and the Touareg are largely responsible for establishing it as a builder of premium automobiles; however, I am still not sure that older generations buy into the concept. My elderly father, once a car buff himself, would have difficulty accepting the notion that VW now builds vehicles capable of leading the pack rather than impeding the pack, but lead is what the Touareg V8 does.

The full Touareg experience begins with its beautifully executed interior, which I again prefer to the Cayennes. It really imparts a strong sense of elegance with the liberal use of genuine wood and aluminum trim. VW has also incorporated plenty of chrome bezels into the instrument panel and center console, all of which add to a sense of opulence. A comprehensive set of analogue gauges makes up the main cluster, delivering an appearance that speaks of precision.

But it doesnt end there; the build quality throughout the Touareg is first rate, competitive with the best available in todays SUV market. Where it loses out regardless of price, is in seating capacity. Without the availability of a third row seat, the Touareg is limited to five occupants, which may strike it from many a list faster than a salesman can exclaim “do I have an SUV for you.”

The tremendously comfortable seats in the Touareg will no doubt reward those willing to call a cab for the relatives. My tester was equipped with 12-way power-adjustable, heated front leather seats, which remain supportive and refreshing over the long haul. Although some folk espying its interior color scheme of beige leather against slate gray didnt appreciate the stark contrast, I did. I found it to be quite a bold and satisfying departure from the everything-the-same-color approach widely used in SUV interiors. The dark surfaces also highlighted the Vavona burled wood and aluminum trim tastefully applied in my test unit.

With 71 cubic feet of cargo capacity, the Touaregs dressy interior isnt shy of real estate. Its 60/40 split rear seat folds down to create a flat load floor, much of which was covered with gear during our trip. Handily, one side or the other of the rear seat can be left in place to accommodate either one or two passengers while the remaining portion of the seat is folded down to maximize cargo space. If interior capacity is surpassed, look up - the Touareg is equipped with roof rails with adjustable cross members.

Although the Touareg has independent four-wheel coil spring suspension as standard equipment, a self-leveling, four-corner air suspension system featuring six ride-heights is also available. Depending on needs ranging from cargo loading to extreme off-roading, the air suspended SUV can be lowered or raised by turning a console-mounted dial. Doing so will provide up to an impressive 11 inches of rock-crawling ground clearance. But regardless of whether the Touareg rides upon a bed of air or steel, it rides best when on the move.

The highly refined, 4.2-liter (256 cu in) five-valve per cylinder V8 residing beneath the hood of my Offroad Gray tester cooked with 310 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 302 healthy pound-feet of torque at a very useable 3,000 rpm. Maximizing the prodigious output is a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with Sport mode. The wide selection of gearing in this autobox has enabled VW to implement a very low first gear, something of great value when getting started on a hill or pulling a heavy load, and with a maximum tow rating of 7,700 pounds, the Touareg can definitely pull.

Fortunately, traction, or more specifically lack thereof, will seldom if ever impede a Touareg thanks to Volkswagens sophisticated 4XMOTION permanent four-wheel-drive (4WD) technology, low-range gearing and adaptive torque distribution. Basically, the techno-drivel means there is never a need to shift the Touareg into 4WD or do anything special to achieve Jeep-like traction, unless, of course, bull-like power and Velcro-like stick is required. Should this be the case, low-range gearing and an electronic differential lock can be activated with a console-mounted dial - its just that simple.

Despite its cutting-edge off road engineering, most Touaregs will be tackling curbs in mall parking lots more frequently than mud and granite in the hinterland. This SUV has a way of making the daily grind with the rest of the urban hacks fairly tolerable and almost relaxing, thanks to its great visibility, quiet operation, awesome audio and responsive steering and throttle. Yet for all its about-town charm, the Touareg is most at home on the open road where it can freely flex its muscle and show off its agility, and thats just what it did during our 620-mile week together.

I am one of those drivers who “sets and forgets,” so when it comes to cruise control Im all over it. I set the Touaregs speed at a shade over the legal limit to ensure I wasnt being cheated by an error margin over-representing my true speed. My chosen route led us up and over several long, steep mountain passes, some as high as 5,656 feet. The Touareg ate up the miles with nary a complaint.

With the V8s abundant torque, the VW SUV seldom needed to gear-down from 6th to 5th to devour the peaks. While ascending in 6th gear, the tachometer registered in the mid- 2,000 rpm range. When the pitch steepened, the Touareg autobox quickly inserted 5th gear before any loss of forward motion was encountered, prompting a jump to 3,300 rpm and a corresponding increase in power output. The Touaregs combination of effective gearing and V8 punch also wins it a “nod” for passing power.

After a week of driving, I gave the Touareg two enthusiastic thumbs-up for ride quality. My tester was equipped with the air suspension package, which at the turn of a console-mounted barrel switch, provides the choice of three suspension damping settings - Comfort, Auto and Sport. I generally chose the Auto setting for my mixed bag of driving. It nicely blended the smoothness of the Comfort setting with the handling characteristics of the Sport option, a setting I found too rigid for typical urban driving. The Auto setting never let me down when negotiating highway sweepers at well above the advised speed or bounding over potholes on backcountry roads.

The heavily-loaded Touareg swayed slightly in hard corners but held its line quite confidently throughout the twists and turns one can expect amidst the mountains. Steering it is a purposeful activity due to heavy steering resistance and fairly dull feedback; it certainly cant be labeled over-powered, as in some domestic SUVs I have sampled. When bumps and pavement depravity abound, the big VWs absorbent suspension and solid body structure prevent jarring and shock from penetrating the cabin and marring its supple ride quality.

In addition to its commendable ride, the Touareg quietly enhances driving pleasure by controlling road noise and muting wind rush. Few SUVs with multi-use tires are as effective at reducing fatigue-inducing highway “roar” over the long haul. It is simple considerations such as these that are often overlooked by purchasers until its too late. Thats why a test drive around the block is wholly inadequate when assessing a prospective new vehicle.

The Touareg is not an inexpensive purchase, but as one might expect, it comes heavily contented. Once a decision is made whether a V6, V8 or diesel V10 shall power it, the rest is easy. Air suspension or not? Luxury Package or not? Premium Audio or not? Navigation or not? Answer a few more such questions and youre on your way in one of the most off-road-competent SUVs available, not to mention a comfortable, agile and elegant one.

So whats the catch you ask? Well, price of course. Touareg ownership may require fewer greenbacks than its Porsche cousin, but its still a lot of green. And then theres the green that goes into the tank, which demands premium juice, and believe me, the Touareg V8 is not a poster-child for economy. It is, however, the poster-child for great road trips on- or off-pavement - especially if the mountain-flattening V8 is burbling beneath its hood.