The Touareg is VW's midsize crossover SUV; it has been in production since 2002. The Touareg was a joint venture, a project developed by the Volkswagen group which includes Audi and Porsche. As part of a cost sharing initiative the 3 brands decided to jointly develop a platform so that Audi and Porsche can add a luxury SUV to their line up.
The Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and the Touareg share the same platform, the goal was to produce an SUV that can handle like a sports car. Although designed in Germany all three models are built in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The Touareg comes with a 4.1 V8 diesel in the top of the range model; it is also available as a hybrid as well as the most popular 3.0 litre V6 diesel. The diesel is the cheapest and most fuel efficient in the range probably why there are so many Volkswagen Touareg in Aberdeen .
The SE spec models provide a good balance between comfort and control, the Escape models are tailored more for off roading so come with a higher ride height and greater ground clearance. The sportier Altitude models come with a lower and stiffer sports suspension. Air suspension is an optional extra on the Touareg.
Some tyre rumble intrudes over coarse surfaces, but wind noise is well contained and the engines are very quiet at a steady cruise. The 3.0 SE V6 Diesel starts at 38,255, the 4.2 litre V8 TDI costs 56,530.