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Volkswagen Touareg 2.5 TDI

Sometimes, it pays to do things by halves. We're not saying that VW has cut corners on the new five-cylinder diesel version of its Touareg - but, at £28,600, the newcomer is a little more than half the price of the range-topping V10 TDI.

An entry-level diesel model fills an obvious gap in the Touareg line-up - but we would have preferred it to be cleaner and more economical. That said, the engine shows promise and will no doubt be more thrifty and responsive when applied to smaller models within the Volkswagen range.

Sometimes, it pays to do things by halves. We're not saying that VW has cut corners on the new five-cylinder diesel version of its Touareg - but, at £28,600, the newcomer is a little more than half the price of the range-topping V10 TDI.

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Lift the bonnet and it's easy to see why - as the car has only half an engine! The new RD5 unit is effectively one cylinder bank from the mighty V10, with VW's Pumpe D

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