Skip advert
Advertisement

VW Touareg R-Line review

Will quality revisions be enough to give VW Touareg R-Line an edge?

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Find your Volkswagen Touareg
Offers from our trusted partners on this car and its predecessors...
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car
Advertisement

Styling revisions add a bit of sparkle to the tough and dependable VW Touareg. Our choice would be the more powerful diesel as it provides better performance with near-identical running costs to the less powerful version. But while there’s no doubting the fact the Touareg is exquisite in its own right, when compared to rivals, it feels a little long in the tooth.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It may not seem like it, but Volkswagen has been building its Touareg SUV for 12 years now. A second-generation model arrived in 2010 but it only notched up just under 3,000 sales last year, so its been treated to raft of revisions to keep it on buyers’ consideration lists.

In the UK, Volkswagen expects the top-spec R-Line version to snatch 85 per cent of Touareg sales, so that’s the one we’re focusing on. In fact, it’s the best example to show off the revisions, because while all 2015 Touaregs get revised bumpers and grilles, new wheels and paint colours, it’s the R-Line that makes the boldest statement.

That’s thanks to the more aggressive-looking bumpers, 20-inch alloys wheels, lowered sports suspension, LED daytime running lights and a panoramic glass sunroof. Inside, the conventional interior gets black roof-lining, aluminum-look pedals and sports seats.

The days of the Touareg being offered with V6 and V8 petrols, a hybrid and even a V10 diesel are long gone. Opt for a Touareg today and you’ll have the choice of a 3.0-litre V6 diesel in two flavours – 201bhp and 258bhp. We tested the latter and thanks to a strong 580Nm of torque, the Touareg rockets to 62mph in a hot hatch-rivaling 7.2 seconds – all backed up by a throaty V6 soundtrack.

The top speed is 140mph, while stop-start and a coasting function on the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox helps the big VW return 42.8mpg and emit 174g/km of CO2 – just 1g/km more than the lower-powered version, which also returns the same fuel economy.

The well-weighted and accurate steering make threading the Touareg along country roads a breeze, but the while some rivals seem to shrink around the driver, the VW always seems large and heavy. The 20-inch wheels enjoy crashing through pot holes too, but on better surfaces, the ride is floaty.

On the plus side, the Touareg feels built to last - a feeling that is backed up inside with the sturdy but conventional interior. The makeover adds a little bit of sparkle to the Touareg’s twilight days, but whether it’s enough to keep the car appealing to the UK buyers remains to be seen.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys
Opinion - Vauxhall Corsa-e

New cars that plummet in value can make brilliant used buys

Editor Paul Barker takes a closer look at our 2024 Used Car Awards
Opinion
20 Nov 2024
A £10k electric car with a 100-mile range would surely be a sales success
Opinion - cheap EV

A £10k electric car with a 100-mile range would surely be a sales success

Mike Rutherford thinks there would be demand for an electric car with a modest 100-mile range if it only cost £10k
Opinion
17 Nov 2024
Best used cars to buy 2024
Best used cars 2024

Best used cars to buy 2024

From city cars to large SUVs, here’s our annual pick of the star performers that’ll save you thousands when you buy them used instead of new
Best cars & vans
20 Nov 2024