The second generation of Volkswagen’s full sized SUV, the VW Touareg has made its first appearance on the internet, before we actually see the new car in flesh this March at the Geneva Motor Show. Aside from the revised exterior styling, the new Touareg will be the first and only off road capable vehicle in Europe built by a German car maker to be offered as a hybrid when it goes on sale this April.
The Touareg's interior features are high on quantity and quality. While reviewers used to find the button-heavy dashboard confusing, the controls and systems inside the redesigned 2011 model are more intuitive. All models come with a seven-inch widescreen display between the main gauges.
Volkswagen has not released specs on the new Touareg, but all trims are expected to come with a navigation system – a rare standard feature even in a luxury SUV. Reviewers really like the system because it displays maps and directions in a three-dimensional view. The navigation system also comes with a 60-Gigabyte hard drive and satellite radio.
The new Touareg is a much more elegant SUV thanks to the addition Volkswagen’s new "design DNA" that includes touches like a leaner more athletic body featuring more horizontal lines on the front end as well as distinctive headlights that give the new Touareg an unmistakable appearance at night; and will be offered with a choice of FSI V6, TDI V6 and V8 as well as a hybrid version that replaces the old gas burning V8 mill for most markets. The hybrid versions combines a high voltage electric motor with a direct injected gas burning supercharged TSI V6 cranking out 333 HP, like in the S4, and an 8 speed automatic transmission that gets nearly 29 MPG and is able to operate under battery power alone as a Zero Emissions Vehicle up to 31 MPH.
The new Touareg Hybrid comes with a 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine paired with an electric motor. The powerplant makes a combined total of 375 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. The Touareg’s other two engines are carryovers from 2010. The base 3.6-liter V6 makes 280 horsepower, while the 3.0-liter six-cylinder common-rail diesel makes 225 horsepower. All three engines are mated to a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
Test drivers say all three engines have plenty of power, but they are most excited about the new hybrid powetrain. They say that the transition from gasoline to electric power is barely detectable. The hybrid even has the ability to “coast” after the engine shuts down. That means that all systems, such as power steering, continue working even when you’re using solely electric power.
The EPA estimates that the 2011 Touareg with the 3,6-liter engine and six-speed automatic transmission will get 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highwway. That's about average for the class. Volkswagen estimates the hybrid will achieve 21 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway, which is one of the highest ratings in its class. The diesel engine gets 19 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway.
In the Touareg’s class, you can easily find SUVs with better fuel economy than the base model. The Lexus RX 350 starts at about $4,000 less than the Touareg and has a much better 18/25 mpg fuel economy rating (incidentally, that rating matches the diesel Touareg’s rating, but the RX 350 costs $7,000 less than the Touareg TDI). You can even get better fuel economy than the Touareg Hybrid by opting for the Lexus RX Hybrid. It has a 32/28 fuel economy rating and starts at $8,000 less than the Touareg.
The federal government has not yet crash tested the 2011 Touareg. However, the 2011 Touareg does very well in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, earning "Top Safety Pick" status.
The Touareg came standard with anti-lock brakes, Anti-Slip Regulation, Engine Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Pressure Distribution, driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags, and front and rear side-curtain head airbags. A rearview camera is also standard, as is a rollover sensor.
Optional safety systems for the 2011 model include a lane departure warning and blind spot detection system.reference:usnews.rankingsandreviews.com,www.topspeed.com
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