Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.
Diesels are finally here, sort of. Now that we have the low-sulfur fuel, manufacturers have responded with vehicles that even the great state of California will allow on its hallowed highways.
Trouble is, these vehicles aren't exactly cheap. Case in point: the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI. It starts at nearly $43K, which is over $3,000 more than the base V6. And as the numbers below attest, it's not exactly the fastest SUV we've ever tested.
That said, the diesel engine works well in the Touareg, doling out torque right when you need a stiff push in the back. It's quiet, too, and according to the EPA it will return 25 mpg on the highway. See what our road test editor thought about what it can do at the test track after the jump.
Vehicle: 2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI
Odometer: 8284
Date: 06/02/09
Driver: Chris Walton
Price: $45,018
Specifications:
Drive Type: Four-wheel drive
Transmission Type: 6-speed automatic
Engine Type: V6
Displacement (cc / cu-in): 2,967cc (181 cu-in)
Redline (rpm): 4,400
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 221 @ 3,750
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 407 @ 1,750
Brake Type (front): Ventilated Disc
Brake Type (rear): Ventilated Disc
Steering System: Power steering
Suspension Type (front): Double-wishbone
Suspension Type (rear): Multilink
Tire Size (front): 255/60R17 106Y
Tire Size (rear): 255/60R17 106Y
Tire Brand: Goodyear
Tire Model: Eagle LS2
Tire Type: All-season
Wheel Size: 17-by-7.5 inches front and rear
Wheel Material (front/rear): Alloy
As tested Curb Weight (lb): 5,361
Test Results:
0 - 30 (sec): 2.6
0 - 45 (sec): 5.0
0 - 60 (sec): 8.1
0 - 75 (sec): 12.5
1/4 Mile (sec @ mph): 16.0 @ 83.4
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 7.9
30 - 0 (ft): 33
60 - 0 (ft): 131
Braking Rating: Average
Slalom (mph): 61.3
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.80
Handling Rating: Very Good
Db @ Idle: N/A
Db @ Full Throttle: N/A
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: N/A
Acceleration Comments: Surprisingly, this VW doesn't mind pedal overlap and it responds well to brake torque launches. Best run was in the manual gate where it automatically upshifted at the redline. Shifts are exceptionally smooth, but rather slow. Overall, a much quicker vehicle than I expected -- faster, too.
Braking Comments: Inconsistent distances, I believe, were due to all-season tires hunting for traction -- especially from 60 mph to 40 mph. From 40 mph to zero it feels planted and powerful, some bobbing/diving though.
Handling Comments: Slalom: Some steering delay/gain, but more responsive than I predicted. Steering is light but precise and body motions keep up in the transitions. Overall, quite athletic for a big SUV. ESP certainly doesn't help as it just throws out the anchor after the second cone. Skid pad: Light vague steering, but it holds a line well. ESP chops the throttle, not the brakes.
mustang5507 says:
10:44 PM, 06/ 9/09
Still a very elegant looking SUV, and surprisingly quiet diesel engine. I just wish VW's were a bit more dependable, and the interior quality wasn't so deceiving.
cruiserhead1 says:
02:04 AM, 06/10/09
I'll wait for the Audi TDI. Anyone willing to pay $45K for a VW is stupid.
stephen987 says:
04:03 AM, 06/10/09
Make mine a TDI Tiguan. Better yet, a Jetta TDI Sportwagen. Some folks may need the bulk of the Touareg--I'm not one of them.
rsholland says:
05:37 AM, 06/10/09
If I were ever to buy a Touareg, this would be the model. But, yeah, the price must drop and the reliability must increase. Oh, also add a full-size spare tire too...
cah11705 says:
10:06 AM, 06/10/09
what happened to the v10 touareg that can pull an airplane? that one is probably a bit faster...and more useless
beermagazine says:
10:19 AM, 06/10/09
We leased a V8 model (2004) and it was a great ride. Terrible MPG, but quiet, powerful and reliable. We had some minor issues, but all cars do. Considering the 43K wasn't even close to a base Cayanne (same freaking car) it was a good value.
We ended up leasing a new Tiguan SEL 4motion and are enjoying that.
clarkma5 says:
10:19 AM, 06/10/09
That's pretty impressive performance for this sort of vehicle. I remember seeing a steel-sprung Touareg V6 hot lapping Buttonwillow...he didn't embarass himself by any margin, in fact he was faster than half the people out there (that's driver talent, not the car) and he wasn't holding me up too badly either. The Touareg certainly is a capable performer.
tregger says:
10:47 AM, 06/10/09
As the owner of a fully loaded 2006 Touareg V8 I can tell you the reliability is there now. I have had no issues with mine other than regular service and a couple minor things I had done during regular service. That being said my 2004 had many issues and was bought back by VW and replaced with this 2006. I actually gained options with the deal.
Having owned many domestic, japanese, and german vehicles I can tell you this is one of the best vehicles I have ever owned and I would buy another one. And this is from a person who years ago said he would never own a VW.
Yes mileage is poor, but this baby does well offroad and can tow up to 7700 lbs. When I moved from Seattle to Phoenix in 2004 I towed a 6000 lb trailed down I-5 and through the mountains in southern Oregon and northern California I was passing full size Ford's and Chevy's towing similar loads with dumbfounded looks on they're faces about what this baby can tow. And having owned a couple domestic pickups in my time I can tell you this baby can tow without hardly a notice of the load back there and I was averaging 11.5-12 mpg overall on my trip.
Also for long range highway cruising this SUV cannot be beat. I was talking to an owner of a V10 TDI from South Africa who previously had owned a V6 TDI since they have been available oversea's for several years and he said the V6 TDI is much more refined than the V10 and he misses his V6....probably since the engine is much lighter than the V10 and it handles better.
Plus the interior on my loaded model exceeds prior Mercedes and BMW's I have owned. I love mine, but stay away from 2004's if they have a bad service history since that was the year with the most problems.
Enjoy.....
2fastdre says:
01:01 PM, 06/10/09
If I was in the market for an SUV - this would have to be my choice. I was looking for an SUV 6 years ago, and they only had a $80K V10 TDI monster. I ended up buying a Pathfinder. This V6 TDI is far more affordable! Yay!
huyracing says:
04:15 PM, 06/10/09
i want one.
darthbimmer says:
05:48 PM, 06/10/09
With the diesel's fuel economy I might be able to take advantage of the proposed "Cash for Clunkers" program to replace my aged Jeep Cherokee. But the price is so steep. The Xterra or 4Runner might work out cheaper despite the government rebate.
dino6 says:
07:26 PM, 06/10/09
The Touareg has always been overengineered for the U.S. SUV market. VW's version of the Land Rover. If they can bring out a much lighter version that has much less off-road capability they would be able to sell it for a lot less at a profit. Leave the German versions of the Land Rover to Audi.
mzsp3 says:
08:44 PM, 06/10/09
The whole thing about diesels is fuel economy. The article states "EPA estimate of 25 mpg." Why did Edmunds not post the mileage they got (regardless if may have been tested on the track)? BTW, many V6 SUVs can get near that 25 mpg mark nowadays. Still, this is a decent vehicle if you like SUVs.
isend2c says:
11:35 PM, 06/10/09
cruiserhead1:
I'll wait for the Audi TDI. Anyone willing to pay $45K for a VW is stupid.
But nearly every magazine, or automobile source at all, including edmunds, says that the $40,000 HYUNDAI Genesis is a great deal and is amazing. If Hyundai can go to the 40K mark why can't VW?
I think that's a reasonable deal for that type of vehicle.
Nobody yet has mentioned the milage compared to the normal V6 one.
V6 petrol: 14 city, 20 highway
V6 TDI: 17 city, 25 highway
And that's in a very heavy SUV. If people are willing to pay the $6000 premium to get the hybrid Camry over the base camry and get the extra 2 mpg (from 32 to 34) then why not the $3000 for the extra 5 mpg? Oh, by the way the percentage increase for the Toyota is 6%, it's 25% for the Touareg.
I'm well aware that they don't compete, but also, The Honda Pilot AWD gets 16 city, 23 highway. BMW X5 3.0 I6 gets 15 city, 21 highway. It starts at $47,500, without leather.
whateverdude says:
11:13 PM, 06/11/09
"If people are willing to pay the $6000 premium to get the hybrid Camry over the base camry and get the extra 2 mpg (from 32 to 34) then why not the $3000 for the extra 5 mpg? Oh, by the way the percentage increase for the Toyota is 6%, it's 25% for the Touareg."
Nice of you to completely ignore the Camry's city and combined mpg ratings, which for the vast majority of people are more accurate and relevant measurements.
Camry 4 cylinder: 21/31 (25 combined)
Camry hybrid: 33/34 (34 combined)
57% gain in city
26% gain overall
whateverdude says:
11:15 PM, 06/11/09
Correction, make that a 36% gain on combined mpg.
sustainability says:
02:15 AM, 06/12/09
Volkswagen conceals that this Touareg 3.0 TDI diesel uses more crude oil to run than its ordinary GASOLINE competitors, let alone hybrids.
EPA estimates how much crude oil barrels are burnt and how many tons of CO2 are emitted to cover 15k miles:
Lexus RX450h hybrid: 11.8 barrels/6.3 tons of CO2 [1]
Lexus RX400h hybrid: 13.7 barrels/7.3 tons of CO2 [2]
Chevrolet Equinox 14.9 barrels/8.0 tons of CO2 [3]
Lexus RX350 AWD 17.1 barrels/9.2 tons of CO2 [4]
Lexus RX350 AWD: 18.0 barrels/9.6 tons of CO2 [5]
Cadillac Escalade hybrid: 17.1 barrels/9.2 tons of CO2 [6]
Chevrolet Silverado hybrid: same as Escalade hybrid
BMW X5 xDrive 30i: 19.0 barrels/10.2 tons of CO2 [7]
VW Touareg 3.0 TDI: 19.7 barrels 10.6 tons CO2 [8]
EPA estimates of 20 combined mpg proves bang on accurate. As of today, 24 drivers of the Touareg 3.0 TDI over 430,046 miles have an average MPG of 11,95 l/100km = 19,68 MPG (U.S) [9]. So their crude oil consumption number derived from the mpg is also correct.
Diesel cars also have higher total costs of ownership. 5-year Edmunds TCO real life estimes:
VW Touareg V8 gas: $60,594 [10]
VW Touareg V10 TDI: $70,292 [11]
This is due to diesel inherent complexity thus lower reliability, higher maintenance costs and price disadvantage. Diesels need ultra-high fuel pressure injection, turbochargers with variable vanes, particulate filters, NOx catalysts, heavier engine blocks and heavier drivetrains (higher pressure, power transferred at lower revs like in trucks), that's why.
So - more harm to the environment, more harm to the pocket. Why is VW selling those cars here then? Well, it's simple. The company wants to earn more (higher pricetag, higher repair costs), tricking buyers into thinking they've bought something more environmentally friendly and cheaper to run while both of these things are false.
Sources:
[1] tinyurl.com/mpjnob [2] tinyurl.com/kn6yoo [3] tinyurl.com/m79kv9 [4] tinyurl.com/n3soew [5] tinyurl.com/l9av3o [6] tinyurl.com/5p2vsk [7] tinyurl.com/nd7zcp [8] tinyurl.com/kk2urp [9] tinyurl.com/nc882d [10] tinyurl.com/kmxuk6 [11] tinyurl.com/klraf5
------------------------
isend2c:
> But nearly every magazine, or automobile source
> at all, including edmunds, says that the
> $40,000 HYUNDAI Genesis is a great deal
Genesis starts at $32,000.
Your selective bias in quoting Camry Hybrid mpg was just as blatant.
clarkma5 says:
12:52 AM, 06/20/09
When it comes to the handling, was this car equipped with the standard steel springs or the optional air suspension? That would be handy to know.
vwbliss says:
11:27 PM, 06/27/09
the one thing that remains constant with a lot of critique about VW is the reliability issue, and somehow they are over priced. myself as an owner of two VW's an 07 rabbit and an 08 passat wagon can say they are a drivers vehicle. you either get it, or you buy a neutered vehicle with no life or personality. I have driven a good number of SUV's that are on the market and other vehicles that are CUV's and the Touareg TDI will be my next purchase.
Will maintenance be more expensive, yes, it is a luxury vehicle. You folks that have no taste or have not driven a Phaeton talk a lot of mess about one of the most beautiful production cars to hit the US, but guess what, you were not that target customer.
I have 26k miles on my 08 passat and my wife has 20K on her 07 rabbit, and we have had NO reliability issues, because we have it serviced every 5K miles. i knew it would not be an inexpensive venture with these auto's and i am fine with that because it handles like an Audi just a lot less expensive.
The touareg is a LUXURY SUV, not a piece of junk like what belly up Chrysler or GM makes. I've driven enough of those to realize that the folks that buy those, don't care about the driving experience or any safety features, and that translates into the japanese imports into this country. try to find a Toyota Yaris with ANY safety features that are STANDARD on VW's.
most American consumers don't know what they want because they are uneducated. they think they want an H2 but then put 24" rims on it. Well, i for one know what a touareg was designed for, i also know why i WANT one vs thinking i need one. Know the difference and stop marginalizing why people stopped buying "American Cars"(what ever that may be), i haven't really been interested in GM products when they halted production on the camero, once again, dumb executives disconnected from actual people making poor decisions that lost me as a customer for life, NOW when i have the money.