vw touareg 2.5 tdi review With a V10 diesel heading the Touareg line-up

vw touareg 2.5 tdi review With a V10 diesel heading the Touareg line-up, the vw touareg 2.5 TDi’s got as much chance of making headlines as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s political opponents. But, unsurprisingly, the price of vw touareg 2.5 tdi  is £28,600 option – nearly half the price of the V10 – is the one most likely to populate UK roads.
So half the price, but half the engine – literally – as it’s an in-line five-cylinder version of the 5.0-litre V10, sharing its basic architecture and the pumpe düse injection system. In this bisected form it produces 172bhp, optimised at 3500rpm, while 1500rpm lower down the rev range you get the full 295 lb ft slug of torque.
The Volkswagen touareg 2.5 tdi is a luxury sport-utility with a rare blend of highway composure, refinement, and impressive off-highway capability. Touareg offers a choice of a V6 gas engine or V6 diesel.
Notable options include a touch-screen navigation system that comes with a multi-function color display, a choice of two upgraded stereos, and active Bi-Xenon headlights. Walnut interior trim and Bluetooth connectivity are standard on 2010 Touareg models. The V8-powered version is no longer available.
vw touareg 2.5 tdi  offers five-passenger seating. Like the Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz ML, the Touareg eschews a third row of seats for five-passenger space in a compact package.
The V6 diesel TDI engine is aimed more at economy than performance, and is emissions-certified in all 50 states; in cities where the air is really bad the TDI’s exhaust will be less toxic than the air going in. All Touareg models use a six-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive.
Protected by a rigid structure and full suite of airbags and electronic safety systems, the Touareg cabin is inviting, involving, and efficient. There are more thoughtful touches than you’ll notice at first glance, yet the learning curve is quick, the controls not daunting, and comfort remains high even after hours on the road, or off it.
Touareg is a genuinely capable four-wheel-drive vehicle. It takes to trails like you wouldn’t believe. Its combination of clearance angles, gearing, fording depth and suspension travel compares to that of the recognized benchmark vehicles in the class, none of which offer a 25-mpg diesel.
Back on the highway the Touareg has a Teutonic feel, with smoothness imparted by precision and not softness. It cruises effortlessly regardless of road condition, and belies its heft on winding roads. A sports car it isn’t, but you could make a dynamic argument for an inclement weather Grand Touring vehicle.
If you like the Volkswagen Touareg but need a third row of seats at the expanse of some off-road capability, check out the Audi Q7; it uses a stretched version of the same basic structure.
Touareg was launched as a 2003 model and revised for 2008. For 2010, there are no major changes. An all-new Touareg will be launched as a 2011 model.

vw touareg 2.5 tdi Review Interior

interior vw touareg 2.5 tdi review

Opening a vw touareg 2.5 tdi door makes a good first impression, as the door itself conveys that feeling of pinpoint-balanced heft and quality and the cabin only reinforces the notion. Few things here appear little or lightweight, from the big T-handle shifter in a wide console to the fairly large steering wheel suitable for a long-distance cruising yacht.

Materials appear first-rate as does assembly; even after days of trail twisting and pavement pounding we heard no squeaks, rattles or wind whistles. The VR6′s V-tex upholstery makes a fair rendition of synthetic leather. Genuine leather comes with the Luxury and Lux Limited packages; it’s called Cricket though it chirps and squeaks only if you’re wearing leather as well. Even the lower door panels are done in soft-touch material. Dull hard plastic is very hard to find in this car. Leather wrappers for steering wheel and shifter are standard. With leather upholstery also come leather door pulls and very comfortable armrests. Silver-tinted trim is standard but all the aluminum accents pieces are real aluminum, and all models now feature some real walnut panels on the dash and console as well.
With a wide range of power adjustment, seat heaters and a big padded headrest, it’s easy to sit for hours yet not restrained, so you can put your head out the window to see exactly where the near-side rocks and obstacles are or where your toll coin landed.
Rear seats are fixed at a good backrest angle balancing comfort and vision, and outboard riders enjoy big, cushy headrests and adjustable height shoulder belts just as front riders do.