Volkswagen Touareg R PHEV road test review: Wolfsburg's powerful impact
This large SUV has always been a diesel vehicle. So, how convincing is this impressive proposal for an electric gasoline-powered car?
Price: AUD 159,990.
Powertrain: 2995cc petrol V6 engine with electric motor assist, 340kW/700Nm combined, eight-speed automatic transmission, 4Motion all-wheel drive.
Dimensions: length 4902mm, width 1984mm, height 1712mm.
We like: have the right sense of quality; Unquestionable performance requirements.
Not quite the same: the battery is smaller; Diesel is more suitable for its characteristics.
All use a common platform and technology, and are all produced in the same factory; So similar, yet so different.
Porsche is the sportiest, Audi is the most suave, and there is the added appeal of a seven-seater. What about the masses? It has been touted as a car that is both mass-appealing and cost-conscious.
In fact, the relationship between the Volkswagen Touareg, the Audi Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne is more complex and generally closer. Think of circles that more than occasionally converge.
The character of the Touareg is much more complex than is usually portrayed. It is a mistake to think that the Touareg is the last to be equipped with the best gear. Not only does the Touareg come with air suspension, aerobatic driver aids for opening and closing, and four-wheel steering, but Volkswagen, while most keen on diesel, also has some great engines: the V8 was recently introduced, and the V10 and (albeit only in Europe, and for a short time) the W12 were also introduced in the past.
So what now? Three versions, all V6 engines, may seem like a sign of the downsizing era, but in reality, the 3.0-liter engine of the new flagship model is quite different from the one carried by the cheaper option.
Open a tank cap and you'll see a label that says to top up premium gas...... This is a first for the Touareg. Open another ...... on the body You will see the entrance to another fuel. Electron.
R badges are located around the body, seats, and elsewhere. Another first. Never before has a car this big been allowed into the performance car segment, but now that it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, the big guy has entered the arena strongly. After all, this time is only 0.4 seconds slower than the Golf R. The top speed of 250 km/h is on par with the popular hatchback.
Achieving such speeds requires a huge output. In terms of power, it is unbeatable, not only the highest output of the Touareg, but also the most powerful Volkswagen here. None of the three large diesels that serviced this car reached this level, although the V10 diesel was within 9kW.
In terms of torque, it has the most torque in the existing series, with a whopping 200Nm of intensity, but not as strong as the previous series heroes. The data shows that the W12 is 50nm less than the eHybrid. But the V10 and V8 are still a strong driving force for this type of engine; The second place is quite significant with a torque of 900Nm. They don't make such diesels anymore.
So, there are gains and losses. But the key appeal from Volkswagen is that the new engine will make concessions in the "right" way, in different directions for good and evil.
Step on the hoof, it's like a rocket; When the power is at its best, it squeaks with 285/35 R22 thick rubber when launched, and the mid-range power is enough to make overtaking very easy. Obviously, this is an attractive place.
Another scenario is if you choose to err on the side of caution. Then it has the potential to be completely green. The result of the Volkswagen test was 1.9 liters of fuel per 100 km. No, it's not a typo. That's even more frugal than the Toyota Yaris Hybrid, the most frugal small car here. And, according to WLTP measurements, it also emits 44 grams per kilometer into the environment.
Can a high-performance SUV really be eco-friendly? I won't say more. The answer is no. In this test, the answer is no. But for a good reason.
Back to the performance aspect. You can immediately understand why Volkswagen's performance folks put so much effort into suspension tuning, tire selection, and brake upgrades. This matter requires such a level of attention.
You wonder if it's as passionate, agile and robust as a Porsche product from the Bratislava plant in Slovakia, with a similar engine and the same platform. Probably not. But it may be very close to the Cayenne hybrid, leaving the impression that only the exclusivity of the logo limits Volkswagen's efforts. That's the price difference. Even though this is by far the most expensive Touareg, it is still far less expensive than the Cayenne Club entrance fee.
However, it is clear that Volkswagen is not underestimating anyone because of this test drive. This model is more dexterous than the regular Touareg and more gifted to drive. Additional features of four-wheel steering further enhance the performance and sporty potential. But only to a certain extent. For me, that's a good thing.
The Porsche is the best handling off-road vehicle you can buy – but it's never comfortable. The Touareg, on the other hand, has always been popular for its more gracious character. In that regard, I think the R's liveries and extra punch are pretty good, but it has softer movements.
Agree, for this you have to tune the air suspension to the stiffest position, but why don't you do it? With just one touch, the ride becomes more comfortable, and the anti-roll system still works, so it can still turn confidently and remains relatively smooth, but the ride and refinement are quite good. It's a win considering it features 22-inch wheels, which are the largest in its class.
Well, anyway, back to another thing. Is it as easy to find a thrifty point as it is to find a workhorse point?
In fact, it is difficult to imagine that any data in the area of fuel consumption of less than 4 liters per 100 kilometers will show an average on the trip computer. Although WLTP testing strives to be "real world", this is not the case.
That's not to say I don't want to try. But in this car, I can't do it.
Explain. The 17.9kWh battery pack used by Volkswagen provides 14.1kWh usable capacity for a 100kW electric motor, which is a smaller component for a larger car. For example, the smaller and lighter (but seven-seater) Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV now uses a 20kWh battery pack.
Keeping Volkswagen in the optimal charging range for electric gasoline vehicles logically needs to be charged every day. It only takes two hours to use the wall charging box, while I don't have one and it takes eight hours to use the home power supply. I can only accept the latter.
However, to do this, you need something that a car should have but doesn't have, and that is a charging kit. Somewhere on the road, the previous user took it and the luggage compartment cover. I only found out about this after the battery ran out. Volkswagen New Zealand could not provide me with new cables in time, and the local dealer did not have extra cables. I can go to the dealership to recharge the car. If I could go there. But it wasn't easy for me to get there. During the testing period, the only way out of our residential area was being rebuilt, so it was almost closed during the opening of the point of sale.
Fair enough, the drive battery can support more than two days of driving. And, even though the battery is supposedly completely depleted, I suspect it hasn't.
In the absence of full electric, the powertrain still runs smoothly without any tension, continuing to interact perfectly with the eight-speed automatic transmission. But it's no longer as powerful as the data on paper suggests. It also apparently consumes more oil. Of course it will be. This model feels very heavy thanks to the hybrid components. Is an average of 100 litres of fuel per 100km a good result? The diesel engine for continuous use is 7.9 liters.
After playing, I finally accepted that R wasn't what it advertised. It does have a sporty pedigree, but just like any other high-performance SUV, it's inevitably influenced by the realities of size and materials. I've driven Cayenne at high speed on the track; It's powerful, but it's not fun. But it's never as good as the 911. Similarly, the Touareg doesn't intimidate R-rated golf.
The reality is that it's more of a fast, luxurious SUV. It's nothing, is it? Especially considering that it has an undeniably luxurious look and atmosphere. In this regard, my neighbor has a diesel version of the R-Line, which I have always considered very luxurious. It's far from cheap compared to the R eHybrid, but even so, the new car clearly gets more improvements.
Despite claims that Volkswagen is one level below Audi and Porsche on the prestige ladder, it's hard to see evidence here. The quality of the fixtures and fittings is top-notch, and the Touareg already offers a very spacious and comfortable environment, it is an easy car to adapt to for a decent drive.
As with every upgraded Touareg, the exterior of the R eHybrid has undergone a low-profile makeover, centred around a new grille/headlight arrangement and full-width lighting strips at both ends of the vehicle, including illuminated Volkswagen trunk badges.
Entry to the R Club meant it required additional custom hammered detailing, including gloss black highlights and blue brake calipers and an 'R' logo. The crimson taillight cluster also gives a sportier look and can be decorated exclusively, as seen here, in Lapiz Blue; This is a common shade on the Golf R.
Inside, the 2024 model's most striking feature is the Siamese Digital Screen at the Innovision Cockpit, which is equipped with software and feature upgrades that provide more advanced HD map data, lane-level satellite navigation, and a new voice control system based on conversational commands. Plus, you can wirelessly mirror your smartphone via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Other changes are mainly focused on switchgear and USB-C ports inside the center console, which have been upgraded from 15W to 45W in charge of electronic devices faster.
Driver assistance systems have been improved and remote parking is available via an app. Roof load cells help ESCs understand the load they are handling.
For the R-Class models, there are additional premium configurations, including Puglia leather upholstery with contrasting blue stitching and piping, brushed dark aluminum dashboard inserts, quilted leather on the door card, full "ergoComfort" active climate control sports seats with 14-way adjustment, brushed stainless steel pedals and an "R" logo in all the most striking positions.
Another additional element to boast about is the extra padding that protects the front passenger's knees when cornering sharply.
Volkswagen's shift to a virtually buttonless cockpit environment sparked criticism, and the Touareg also needed to run more functions through a central screen, which measures 15 inches, the largest Volkswagen has ever installed in a car. Tapping and swiping requires some learning, but you'll find the way. Touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel are a different story.
Arguably, the best techniques don't come until after dark. The new ambient lighting effect is interesting, but even more shocking are the "HD Matrix" headlights, which are made up of thousands of tiny LEDs. These LEDs are able to create what the public calls "interactive light carpets" to reduce the stress and fatigue of driving at night. The lighting range is impressive, the patterns are constantly changing, but it doesn't seem to disturb the vehicles on the opposite side.
While the Touareg is still a five-seater and may be slightly lacking in design, it does offer plenty of passenger space. The boot space has always been decent on this model, but like many PHEV models, the Touareg R had to sacrifice boot space, mainly to accommodate the battery pack. The trunk capacity is 665 liters when the rear seats are raised and 1675 liters when the seats are folded, while the boot capacity of the diesel model is 810-1800 liters.
The Touareg's exterior design puts it in line with the rest of Volkswagen's SUV models, but it's also a reminder that in the 22 years since the brand's inception, the off-road wagon family has come a long way, with a range of younger models, the most important of which is the Tiguan, which could be a more sensible choice for many.
This iteration is an interesting development; While it's wider, longer, and slightly lower than previous iterations, with a sportier look, it also represents a complete redevelopment of a familiar design, rather than a reinvention.
We all know that the development of the PHEV model is a prelude to larger plans. Considering where Volkswagen is headed in terms of electrification, it's hard to imagine that the third-generation model will adopt the internal combustion engine mode for as long as the previous two generations. Will it be converted to a pure electric vehicle? It has not yet been announced.
As you can imagine, it's a good idea to enter the battery era, especially if it maintains its basic appeal. While some PHEVs require to be light when hauling loads, this car doesn't need to – it has the same towing capacity of 3500 kg as a diesel car.
So what's stopping you? It's just that you can't get rid of the idea that the Touareg is just one of those models that seems to be better suited to a turbodiesel engine overall.
Volkswagen New Zealand knows this, which is why they kept the R-Line engine and continued to use the one that many long-time fans may still consider to be good oil.
Of course, it doesn't look as luxurious, it's not as powerful (but it's only 100Nm lower), and it's probably just as convenient in an unsealed state, with a longer total range...... However, road users will be charged slightly higher. This was easily offset by the $18,000 savings.