2011 Volkswagen Touareg review

[VolkswagenDubai]

The 2011 Touareg is all new from the ground up but is still recognisable as Volkswagen’s mid-size SUV.

It claims to offer the comfort and quality associated with Volkswagen’s products, but with strong performance both on and off-road. The sleek looks reflect the current range of Volkswagen vehicles.

The new Touareg is longer than previous version, but it shaves an impressive 208kg off its weight in a bit to improve performance and fuel economy – an aim assisted by a Stop-Start system that switches off the engine when the vehicle is at a standstill.

Said engine is a 276bhp, 3.6-litre V6, which VW expects to be the biggest seller in the range – a V8 engine will be added at the start of 2011. Don’t expect to see Europe’s hybrid version arrive in the Middle East though. Gears are shifted by an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Inside there’s room for five with a spacious boot (with powered tailgate) that houses a spare wheel under a false floor. Available features include a 6.5-inch touchscreen navigation system, with a 60gb hard drive for music storage

Technology includes a very clever headlight system called Dynamic Light Assist, which uses a camera to detect oncoming traffic and adjusts the Touareg’s bi-xenon headlights automatically to reduce glare.

Also available is the Area View system, which uses several cameras to provide drivers with an aerial view of the car and its surroundings on the in-car screen when manoeuvring, as well as front views for use when manoeuvring in areas with poor visibility.

Adaptive cruise control and a lane departure warning system are also available, as is Front Assist, which warns drivers of impending collisions and will even brake automatically if no action is taken. Side assist warns of vehicles in the Touraeg’s blind spot when changing lanes.

Up to nine airbags are available in the Touareg to protect occupants in the event of a crash.

The exact specifications of the V6 Touareg range in the Middle East were unclear at the time of writing. We’ll update the page when the information becomes available.

Price (AED): 170,000 – 200,000

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Max power (bhp/rpm): 276/6,200

Max torque (Nm/rpm): 360/3,000-4,000

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Weight: 2,035kg

SOURCE: http://automiddleeast.com/2011-volkswagen-touareg/