Buy Microsoft Office Home & Student2005 Volkswagen Touareg
Manufacturer: Volkswagen Part number: 100467136
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Volkswagen builds a powerful set of off-road systems into the extremely civilized Touareg SUV, although it needs a navigation update.
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CNET editors' review
2005 Volkswagen Touareg price range: $37,795.00
- Reviewed by: Carey Russ
- Edited by: Wayne Cunningham
- Reviewed on: 08/02/2005
The good: Well-integrated off-road systems; adjustable air suspension; navigation that accepts GPS coordinates; useful vehicle-information displays.
The bad: Navigation system loads maps slowly and doesn't show street names; low mpg.
The bottom line: Volkswagen builds a powerful set of off-road systems into the extremely civilized Touareg SUV, although it needs a navigation update.
The Touareg retains Volkswagen styling. It has the look of a larger, brawnier Passat wagon, as opposed to the action-figure movie-prop looks of the Hummer H3. Powerful enough to tow 7,700 pounds, the Touareg also offers plenty of cargo space with a split, fold-flat rear seat. The MSRP of our test vehicle was $44,260 base. Add $7,600 for the Premium Plus package, $600 for electronic parking assist, another $600 for the Winter package, $550 for the rear differential lock, and $615 for destination and delivery, and that's $54,225 worth of go-almost-anywhere Volkswagen--expensive, but very competitive with the top luxury SUVs.
Usable and well-appointed space
The interior styling, with comfortable leather upholstery and tasteful burled wood, brushed aluminum, and chrome trim, echoes that of an understated German luxury vehicle. Instrumentation is complete and well designed, and the dual-zone climate-control system heats or cools quickly. There is plenty of space for five people and lots of cargo. Both front seats provide the comfort expected in a vehicle of this caliber, and they're 12-way power adjustable, with six-level seat heaters and three memory positions.
The steering wheel is power adjustable for both tilt and reach, and the outside mirrors fold to the body with a flick of a switch--useful whether traversing tight off-road trails or getting into a small garage. Rear-seat room is reasonable. The Winter package adds heating to the rear outboard seats and the steering wheel, and a ski pass-through and sack to the rear seat. Some luxury SUVs forget utility--not the Touareg. Its rear-seat cushions flip up so that the 60/40 split seat backs fold flat, making a long and not-too-high load floor. A removable cargo shade hides things in the cargo area from view when the rear seats are in normal position.
Buttons on the multifunction steering wheel control the audio system, the cruise control, and the multifunction display between the speedometer and the tachometer. The pricey but comprehensive Premium Plus package contains all of the technology that moves the Touareg to premium level: a DVD-based navigation system; a 12-channel, 11-speaker, 375-watt audio system with a remote CD changer in the side of the cargo area; bi-xenon headlights with washers; upgraded leather upholstery; and variable-height air suspension.
Context-sensitive buttons on the sides of the LCD screen provide control over the navigation system. General system and audio functions are controlled by hard-coded buttons below the screen and by two rotary knobs. You'll need to peruse the manual, as some function icons are self-explanatory and some are not. If desired, the nav system will announce directions, but you can't program it by voice. One particularly interesting feature is the ability to enter GPS coordinates for navigation off road or out of the map's marked area.
Unfortunately, back in civilization, the map does not display road names, and it takes a long time to load. There is also an informative screen that displays latitude, longitude, and altitude as determined by GPS. That's not too unusual, but it also shows the direction in which the front wheels are pointing. This is not only useful in technical off-roading, it's handy for making sure the wheels are straight when parking or backing up in tight quarters.
Over roads and rocks
Being German, VW designed the Touareg with high-speed autobahn travel in mind, using a unibody structure and a fully independent suspension with double wishbones in front and a multilink system in the rear. But it was also designed for serious off-road use. In standard trim it provides 8.3 inches of ground clearance. With the air suspension, the standard level is 8.7 inches, automatically lowered to 7.3 at speed for stability. It can be raised to 9.6 inches at speeds up to 43mph or 11.8 inches under 12mph.
Additionally, the multimode Continuous Damping Control (CDC) system uses variable shock-absorber damping, controlled by a sensor system that detects the vertical-acceleration rates of the wheels and the body. In Automatic setting, it provides a moderately firm, well-controlled ride not unlike that of a premium German luxury sedan. Comfort mode is softer, in the American manner. Sport mode lowers the vehicle to its minimum ride height and firms the damping for better cornering. Ride comfort is still very good, making the Touareg one of the best-handling SUVs.
Volkswagen's 4XMotion full-time four-wheel-drive system is standard on all Touaregs. Torque distribution is 50/50 static, with torque automatically redistributed to the wheels that can best use it. Unlike many other luxury SUVs, the Touareg has a four-wheel-drive-low range for use in extreme off-road conditions. All safety systems--ABS, traction control, the ESP electronic-stability program, and the electronic differential lock (EDL)--work in four-low, although they may work a little differently than under normal conditions. Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist further help in tough conditions. You can lock both the center and rear differentials, the better to help extract a Touareg from loose dirt or sand. Note that four-low and the locking differentials are not meant for use on pavement.
All the four-wheeling equipment is of the modern variety, electronically controlled from inside the vehicle. While few Touareg owners will likely venture far off pavement, more will appreciate the Touareg V-8's 7,700-pound towing capacity (with trailer brakes). The four-wheel drive and the maneuvering aids can be as helpful backing a boat trailer down a steep and slippery dock as they would be in the North African desert where the vehicle's namesake tribe lives. Because of the positions of the intake and the exhausts and the construction of the drivetrain, the door, and the tailgate seals, a Touareg can ford still water up to 19.6 inches deep with the standard suspension, or 22.8 inches deep with the air suspension.
A 4.2-liter dual-overhead-cam 40-valve V-8 supplies power. It's essentially the same as the one in the V-8 Phaeton, but it's tuned differently and has a deeper oil pan for better oil circulation under extreme off-road conditions. Its 310 horsepower at 6,200rpm and 302 pound-feet of torque between 3,000rpm and 4,000rpm is enough to move the 5,300-pound Touareg from a standstill to 60mph in a claimed 7.6 seconds. Credit should also be given to the six-speed automatic with Tiptronic manual-shift mode and the fuzzy-logic-based adaptive shift control.
With the engine's strong, wide torque band, manual shift control is rarely necessary. The downside is fuel consumption. The Touareg's EPA rating is 14mpg city, 18mpg highway. We got 14.2mpg according to the multifunction gauge. But this is not unexpected for a heavy, powerful vehicle, and average for the class. Overall performance is considerably better than average. The Touareg V-8 is remarkably light on its feet for a vehicle in the 5,000-pound class.
Smart crash safety
The Touareg has the full suite of contemporary passive and active safety equipment. High-tensile steel is used in the structure around the passenger compartment, and the dual front, front seat-mounted side, and side-curtain air bags provide further occupant protection. If any air bag is deployed, the Touareg automatically unlocks all doors, disconnects engine electrical power, and turns off the fuel supply. The brakes are large four-wheel vented antilock discs.
All-speed traction control, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution, and electronic stability control (ESP) are all standard on-road-oriented safety features; Hill Descent Assist and Hill Climbing Assist aid in off-road situations. The OnStar telematics system is available but not on vehicles equipped with the navigation system. The Touareg comes with a four-year or 50,000-mile warranty, with four years of roadside assistance and five years or 60,000 miles on the power train.
User reviews
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Too bad it's a Volkswagen
by Contrarian on November 11, 2005
Pros: Great SUV
Cons: Poor service and too many problems
Summary: I purchased my V-8 Touareg in Oct of 2004. I sold my SUV at a deep discount in Sept of 2005.
I loved this SUV from the beginning. The performance ...Summary: I purchased my V-8 Touareg in Oct of 2004. I sold my SUV at a deep discount in Sept of 2005.
I loved this SUV from the beginning. The performance was great, the ride was smooth, the construction was solid, the interior was second to none and the vehicle was priced significantly less than a Porsche. The gas mileage was poor, but I could live with that since it is an SUV. I opted for the V-8 because the V ?6 was under powered to move this vehicle and the gas mileage difference was not that great. Cruising at 90+ mph was the norm since this vehicle was so stable and quite at high speeds that I did not realize that I was exceeding the speed limit. During my tenure with the vehicle, I logged 49,900 miles without a mechanical failure. I did have to change the tires every 6 months due to the limited tread life of high performance tires on a heavy vehicle. This did come as a surprise!
My problem with the vehicle was the electronics. I literally brought the car in to be serviced every month. At the beginning it did not bother me because the car was so great to drive that I could live with a fault here and there. What I could not live with was the fact that I paid over $40K for the vehicle and was treated by VW of America and my local dealer as if their goal was to sell cars and not service them. They provided the worse customer service that I have ever experienced. VW of American would not follow up on issues and did not adequately train their dealerships on how to repair this vehicle. In the end, I had to let go of my Touareg before the warranty was up because there were several items that they could not repair. Maybe I purchased a lemon and my experience was atypical, but on the other hand, VW and the dealership were never helpful in resolving my SUV?s problems. The never could fixed the electronic control system after replacing it 3 or 4 times. My dealership would say they were waiting to hear from Germany and I would not hear from them or VW of America for weeks to months unless I called them. The doors stopped locking with the fob, the range of the fob was measured in inches not feet or yards, the manual shifting would not work, the SUV died with no impending warning due to faulty electronics, the headlights malfunctioned, the compass light flickered all of the time, the radio at times would not function, etc. I had to let the car go. I may purchase a Touareg vehicle again only after hearing that VW has gotten their act together. I?ll never purchase for the same dealer. At this point, I could no recommend the purchase of this vehicle even though I think VW has a great SUV.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Amazing vehicle!
by gkcmilner on August 25, 2005
Pros: Offroad capability, on road manners.
Cons: Gas mileage; dealer service should be better at this price
Summary: Price to features, this vehicle blows the competition out of the water. It's off road abilities for this type of vehicle is impressive. I have taken it places that ...
Summary: Price to features, this vehicle blows the competition out of the water. It's off road abilities for this type of vehicle is impressive. I have taken it places that I couldn't take my last 4X4 truck. Read the reviews from professional automotive sources about it's off road abilities. The luxury is built-in, not tacked on. The attention to detail throughout the vehicle is always surprising me. The V6 is a little anemic, but the V8 pulls this 5,500lbs vehicle around nicely; albeit with a penalty in gas mileage. This one?s a keeper.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The Best SUV for the price
by Slonar on August 12, 2005
Pros: Great engine, Great ride, Beautiful interior, Great value
Cons: no street names on navigation systeme
Summary: It"s great off road, great for traveling, lots of power delivered threw a sporty 6 speed automatic transmission and it as as fully loaded as you can imagine... traction ...
Summary: It"s great off road, great for traveling, lots of power delivered threw a sporty 6 speed automatic transmission and it as as fully loaded as you can imagine... traction control, abs, downhill assist, uphill assist, locking center diff., allwheel drive, low setting, stability control, tiptronic, airbags everywhere, cooling glove compartment, everything!
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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waste of time
by prtodd on August 3, 2005
Pros: fun to drive
Cons: unfortunately, most of my driving was back to the dealership for repairs
Summary: I've had mine for a 18 months now and i have had to go back to the dealership 8 times for repairs. Yeah they were all covered under warranty, ...
Summary: I've had mine for a 18 months now and i have had to go back to the dealership 8 times for repairs. Yeah they were all covered under warranty, but a royal pain in the neck. I was actually at the dealership 3 seperate times for 3 different repairs in a 24 hour period. It left me thinking that the dealership was breaking things as they went along. So I don't know if the issues lie solely in the car or the dealership.
One other thing. the V6 is way under powered. the 8 is great, but that brings the car closer to $50k.
anybody want to by a used VW?2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Video Review Not Consistent with Editors Rating!
by wdlee123 on August 4, 2005
Pros: When Mass Matters
Cons: Fuel Economy
Summary: The VW Toureg falls short in fuel economy when matched with a motor that compels it. As for name recognition, value, and ownership experience the VW can not compete with ...
Summary: The VW Toureg falls short in fuel economy when matched with a motor that compels it. As for name recognition, value, and ownership experience the VW can not compete with brands like Lexus RX330, Mercedes ML350, BMW X5, and the to be released Acura RDX (although SUV's like the BMW X3 may be a hot ticket in the States). I have yet to determine if CNET is a reliable resource for auto evaluations. I trust the video content but pass on the editorials and editors ratings. Inconstancy bothers me.
3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awsome Styling, with good looks to boot
by coriewright on September 6, 2006
Pros: All Wheel Drive, DVD Based Navigation, Sunroof, Leather
Cons: V6 Engine, Gas Mileage,
Summary: My Fiance and I have a 2005 VW Tourage. It is a nice vehicle, but the gas milage on it is crappy. We should have gotten the V-10TDI. I'm ...
Summary: My Fiance and I have a 2005 VW Tourage. It is a nice vehicle, but the gas milage on it is crappy. We should have gotten the V-10TDI. I'm 6'6" and I fit in it comfortably, so it has good leg room. The stereo is good, although they should have used better speakers. I would have to say the best part about this vehicle is the suspension system. I like the different adjustments it has, but again if it had the V-10TDI i think it would be much better. Anyway this is a really good vehicle, if you are into VW.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Sexy, High Class, High-Tech, Gas-Guzzling Toy
by TregNStang on August 10, 2006
Pros: Creature comforts and bells/whistles on par with any luxury SUV
Cons: Refuses to pass a petrol station.
Summary: A joy to drive, especially here on the German autobahn. Keeping up with the big boys over here requires the 300+ HP. Yet she handles nimbly and the stability control ...
Summary: A joy to drive, especially here on the German autobahn. Keeping up with the big boys over here requires the 300+ HP. Yet she handles nimbly and the stability control gives extra support in the turns.
It feels substantial--not Pathfinder or Suburban huge--but a bit larger than the BMW X5 or Volvo XC90s that one sees everywhere.
Reviewer made several of oversights--keyless entry is available. Keyless start is only available in Europe (thanks to American attorneys...). NAV system can be easily modified to play DVDs. There's also an aftermarket mod for the IPod hookup.
I get live traffic data on my German NAV system, showing accidents and construction on the autobahn. And although the street names don't appear on the Map view (I'd think it would be too cluttered), they do appear in the dash multifunction display.
Distinctive and fun! The only drawback I would try to re-engineer is the awkward process for stowing headrests so the rear seats can be folded flat.
As long as you and your conscience can afford the gas...1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Spent more time in repair shop than on the road.
by htdmail on November 16, 2005
Pros: Beautiful looking car.
Cons: Terrible, terrible quality. Poor gas mileage.
Summary: I owned the Touareg for less than a year. Replete with mechanical and trim problems. Dealership unable to cope with technology. Poor relationship between Volkswagen of America and dealership/customer. ...
Summary: I owned the Touareg for less than a year. Replete with mechanical and trim problems. Dealership unable to cope with technology. Poor relationship between Volkswagen of America and dealership/customer. Bought a Subaru Forester XT and have been happy ever since.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The best SUV out there for the money
by seancdm on August 12, 2005
Pros: Interior design, Exterior design, great driving feel, sporty
Cons: fuel economy
Summary: For those of you who simply buy a vehicle based on the symbol sitting on the front...this is not a vehicle for you. For everyone else who judges a ...
Summary: For those of you who simply buy a vehicle based on the symbol sitting on the front...this is not a vehicle for you. For everyone else who judges a car based on its attributes...look no further. This SUV has a luxurious interior, rugged exterior and all the bells and whistles in between that a driver could need. Granted it may not have the best fuel economy on the road but if that is what you are looking for stay away from the SUV market in general. In conclusion, the Volkswagen Tourag is truly an SUV that gives you a lot for your money.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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European Prestige and Class - A true BMW / MB / Landrover beater
by vjeyakaran2001 on December 17, 2005
Pros: Extremely luxurious, BMW / Mercedes Beater!,Excellent acceleration, Folks at Clear Lake VW were excellent
Cons: 18 mpg on the highway - gas guzzler
Summary: I purchased my VW Touareg V8 after doing a lot of research and testing all the competitors (MB ML 350, Landrover LR3, BMW X5, Volvo XC90 V8). The Touareg impressed ...
Summary: I purchased my VW Touareg V8 after doing a lot of research and testing all the competitors (MB ML 350, Landrover LR3, BMW X5, Volvo XC90 V8). The Touareg impressed me the most with the excellent handling (you can do 60mph round a tight bend and feel totally in control), excellent handling, superb V8 engine, lots of cool technology and excellent VW customer service - Of late, VW have taken a real hit with the customer service, but they must have learned, because the service I received was exemplary. I only have 600 miles on the clock, but it must be said that the VW drives like a dream. My only minor complaint would be the use of too much technology - The front and rear sensors are excellent, but can cause nervousness at times, as they go off even when you are 3ft away from an object! The only other thing would be the gas mileage, which is actually better than the XC 90 V8.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Volkswagen
- Part number: 100467136
- Bottom Line: Volkswagen builds a powerful set of off-road systems into the extremely civilized Touareg SUV, although it needs a navigation update.
Basic car properties
- Body style SUV
- Trim levels V6
- Available Engine Gas
Safety Features
- Smart airbags Standard
- Antilock brakes Standard
- Traction control Standard
- Stability control Standard
- Back-up cameras Not available
- Heads-up display Not available
- Collision avoidance Not available
- Steerable headlights Optional
- Roadside assistance Standard
- Adaptive cruise control Standard
- Rain-sensitive wipers Standard
- Lane departure warning Not available
Entertainment
- 5 channel audio Not available
- HD radio Not available
- Satellite radio Not available
- Satellite video Not available
- Video entertainment system Not available
- Multizone entertainment Not available
- Connection for portable MP3 sound system Not available
- MP3 CD-enabled sound system Not available
- Media hard-disk MP3 sound system Not available
- Active noise cancelling Not available
- DIN-compatible bays Not available
- Memory card slot Not available
- USB connection Not available
Climate/convenience
- Multizone climate control Standard
- Smart (set-and-forget) climate control Standard
- Heated/cooled seats Standard
- Integrated interface (iDrive, for example) Not available
- Keyless entry Not available
- Keyless start Standard
- Remote start Not available
- Two-way security system Standard
- 120V power outlet Not available
- 12V power outlet Standard
Drivetrain Technology
- Drivetrain available all-wheel drive
- All-wheel steering Standard
- Steer by wire Not available
- Brake by wire Not available
- Drive by wire Not available
- Active suspension Not available
- Electronically controlled suspension Not available
Navigation
- GPS Navigation system - DVD data Optional
- Trip computer Standard
- Live traffic data Not available
- Touchscreen navigation Not available
- Voice activated navigation Not available
- DVD navigation system (non-GPS) Optional
Communication
- Bluetooth phone interface Not available
- Wi-Fi Not available
- Internet access - cellular Not available
- Internet access - satellite Not available
- OnStar or other roadside assistance system Optional
- Vehicle Web support Not available
- Home automation integration Standard
Manufacturer info
- Volkswagen
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Volkswagen products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.vw.com
- Phone: 1.800.822.8987
