POLISHED BUT STILL PRACTICAL

VW loads the “base” $90K Touareg to take aim at luxury rivals

The new Volkswagen Touareg keeps good company. Pitched as a rival to BMW’s X5 luxury SUV, the Touareg shares parts with VW Group machines such as the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus. Naturally, there are big differences separating the high-riding wagons. With the Touareg, you can’t get the seven-seat layout, 500kW hybrid engine or $300,000 Breitling clock found respectively in the Audi, Porsche and Bentley.

Volkswagen says the Touareg is all about affordable luxury — a taste of the good life without a six-figure price tag. The brand launched a fully loaded Launch Edition in June priced from $89,990 plus on-roads.

That wasn’t exactly cheap, so VW has followed up with a cheaper version, the 190 TDI, from $79,490 plus on-road costs, or about $88,000 drive-away.

It misses out on the 20-inch wheels, air suspension and matrix LED headlights of the launch model. Its companion, the new Premium grade (from $85,490), adds high-end options such as active roll bars and four-wheel steering.

But you get a good selection of kit including 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, smart keys and a comprehensive safety package including eight airbags, autonomous emergency braking, active cruise control, lane keeping and traffic jam assistance, plus front and rear cross traffic alerts.

Other niceties include a power tailgate, reversing camera with front and rear sensors, self-parking and more.

On the inside, heated leather seats with 14-way adjustment join analog gauges on either side of a seven-inch driver’s display, plus a 9.2-inch touchscreen with satnav and smartphone mirroring. Customers who want more can spend $8000 on the Innovision package’s 12.3-inch digital dashboard, 30-colour ambient lighting, head-up display and enormous 15-inch central touchscreen.

Metallic paint adds $2000 and capped-price servicing is a bit steep at $3248 for five years — watch out for the fourth-year job that costs $1224.

Spacious, beautifully finished and loaded, the Touareg is on par with luxury rivals. Controls fall easily to hand and outward vision is impressive.

The big wagon is great to drive, too, the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel making 190kW/ 600Nm. It’s smooth and quiet and has a fine partner in the eight-speed auto transmission that sends the power to all corners.

The numbers are impressive — claimed thirst is just 7.4L/100km, and the 0-100km/h sprint is sorted in 6.5 seconds.

Its 19-inch wheels with chubbier tyres might absorb bumps better than the low-profile rubber on the Launch Edition and Premium but its ride quality suffers without air suspension, feeling noticably fussier at low speed.

The air suspension also is handy to have if you want to exploit its 3500kg towing capacity or head off-road, as it can vary the ride height to suit different duties.

VW’s decision not to make the Touareg a five-seater compromises the wagon’s family appeal, relative to similar-sized premium seven-seaters.