IF YOU’RE wanting a new SUV as your next company car or a new car for your business motoring, then take a gander at this: the new Volkswagen Touareg.
It’s the big new and impressive looking SUV from VW at the top of its SUV tree (compact T-Roc, mid-size Tiguan, top end Touareg).
It’s certainly a very smart looking car this third-gen Touareg.
Volkswagen believes it takes the Touareg straight into the premium class SUV segment with its expressive design, the innovative operating, convenience and safety systems, as well as quality of craftsmanship and materials.
There will be two V6 diesel engines at launch offering 231 PS or a higher power 286 PS. Other engine options yet to be confirmed are a 340PS V6 petrol, a stonking 340PS V8 turbodiesel and a plug-in hybrid drive.
The new Touareg is bigger in every dimension: compared to its predecessor, the third generation Touareg is moderately wider and longer. The added exterior length ups luggage capacity, from 697 to 810 litres (with rear bench seat up). Cargo there is hidden from onlookers by an optional electrically extending and retracting luggage compartment cover.
Despite its increased length and width, the car body is 106 kg lighter because of its mixed material construction of aluminium (48 per cent) and high-tech steels (52 per cent).
As you’d expect from a car aiming for the premium SUV segment, the new VW Touareg is brimming with connectivity features.
In particular there is the fully digitalised Innovision Cockpit. Here the digital instruments (Digital Cockpit with 12-inch display) and the top Discover Premium infotainment system (with 15-inch display) merge to form a digital operating, information, communication and entertainment unit.
VW says that the system hardly needs any conventional buttons or switches, offers intuitive control and maximum personalisation. Drivers and passengers can ‘tune’ the Touareg to their tastes and preferences.
As you would expect, the new Touareg has a huge range of assistance, handling and comfort systems – the most ever integrated into one of its vehicles, says Volkswagen.
Technologies include:
- Night Vision assistance system (detects people and animals in darkness via a thermal imaging camera),
- Roadwork Lane Assist (semi-automated steering and lane keeping, accelerating and braking up to 17mph),
- Front Cross Traffic Assist (reacts to cross traffic in front of the Touareg),
- Active all-wheel steering (makes the Touareg handle like a compact car),
- New roll stabilisation with electromechanically controlled anti-roll bars,
- ‘IQ.Light – LED matrix headlights’ (interactive, camera-based dipped and main beam headlight control) and
- A ‘Windshield Head-up Display’ projected directly onto the windscreen.
No word yet on pricing or CO2 emissions for calculating company car tax.
The current Touareg starts at £45,970 – with CO2 emissions putting it in the 37% company car tax band. Not your average company car then; but not an average SUV either. And coming your way in June.
