Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI SE review

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Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI 240 SE Road Test

Test date 27 August 2010 Price as tested £40,440

For Fine ride/steering/handling, Better cabin space, Green credentials, Weighs less

Against Only five seats, Plain cabin, Thirsty if driven hard, Expensive options list

The first-generation Volkswagen Touareg was launched in 2003 and was based on no less a vehicle than the Porsche Cayenne.

Now watch the VW Touareg 90-second video review road test

The VW was popular with its target audience, achieving over half a million sales during its lifespan, and the secret to its success lay in offering BMW X5 levels of space and performance at a significantly reduced price. And that’s a recipe on which this all-new model seeks to improve.

The big news concerning the new Touareg, also based on the latest Cayenne, is its weight, which has been reduced by fully 10 per cent across the range.

At the same time, however, the new Touareg is roomier, more economical, better equipped and, says VW, better than ever to drive, thanks to its new range of engines and brand new, lightweight steel suspension.

The model we test here is the £38,255 3.0 V6 TDI, complete with an eight-speed auto ’box and BlueMotion Technology pack, both of which are standard across the range.

A 4.2 V8 TDI and petrol hybrid model are also available, but this is likely to be the biggest seller, accounting for 35 per cent of all Touareg sales in the UK.