Repositioned Volkswagen Touareg now from $86,790

VOLKSWAGEN Australia has repositioned its Touareg large SUV range with a more value-focused, family-approachable entry-level variant at the base level, and the most powerful VW model ever at the top of the new-model range.

The 2024 VW Touareg line-up consists of four variants, with three powertrain choices – but all of them are all-wheel drive, with five seats, and all have the benchmark braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

VW Australia product manager, Glenn Reid, said the company wanted to push the Touareg back into the mindset of family buyers with more aggressive pricing for the updated model, which now starts at $86,790 plus on-road costs, and is claimed to have seen more than $10,000 of additional specification added in the base grade.

“With the previous generation Touareg, our research showed that we actually appealed quite a bit to families with kids – one or two children,” said Mr Reid.

“But with this new generation Touareg, the price point went up a bit, and we probably lost a bit of that consideration, and it was probably a lot more for the grey nomads who aren’t as price sensitive.

“So, with this facelift, we’re now hoping to reduce the price, increase the spec, make it better value and hopefully get back to some of those families.”

The entry-grade variant is the 170TDI, an entry-level V6 diesel model with five seats that replaces the identically named 170TDI base grade, which, in pre-facelift guise, listed at $89,240 + ORCs, and was nowhere near as well equipped.

Some of the standard inclusion highlights include LED Matrix headlights with adaptive beam tech, 19-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, keyless entry and ignition, leather interior trim, heated front seats with electric adjustment, digital driver info screen, and the existing optional 15.0-inch Innovision touchscreen is now standard, alongside wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and built-in sat nav.

There is also an array of standard safety technology including a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, semi-autonomous parking, dynamic road sign recognition, and the expected host of assistance tech such as autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alert with auto braking, and the brand has also added Manoeuvre Braking.

This grade runs a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine producing 170kW and 500Nm, with an eight-speed auto and 4Motion all-wheel drive standard. It has an official combined cycle fuel use figure of 7.3 litres per 100km, and 0-100km/h time of 8.0 seconds.

The mid-spec models both run a tuned-up version of the turbo-diesel V6, with 210kW of power and 600Nm of torque. As with the base grade, it runs an eight-speed auto and 4Motion all-wheel drive. Fuel use for it is a claimed 7.4L/100km and the 0-100km/h time is 6.0sec.

The 210TDI Elegance, at $99,990 + ORCs, is the more affordable model with that powertrain, adding a few notable features over the base car, such as larger 20-inch wheels, adaptive air suspension, different leather interior trim, and cooled front seats with massage function.

The $109,990 + ORCs 210TDI R-Line model runs the same punchy diesel and gets several sporty styling inclusions, such as specific R-Line exterior and interior design, 21-inch wheels, black leather interior trim, tinted rear glass, rear-wheel steering and electromechanical anti-roll stabilisation, a heated sports steering wheel, an alarm, and black headliner.

And at the top of the range is the Touareg R, the first of its kind, and the first plug-in hybrid model from VW in Australia. It runs a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 engine (producing 250kW/450Nm) that combines with a 100kW/400Nm electric motor, for a maximum combined output of 340kW and 700Nm – the most power from any VW yet.

It also runs an eight-speed auto and AWD, with a 14.3kWh lithium-ion battery capable of 51km of EV driving based on WLTP testing (21.1kWh per 100km efficiency claim). Furthermore, it has an official fuel use number of just 3.3L/100km – though it must be noted that is for the first 100km, after which the battery will have depleted, and the petrol engine will be called upon more regularly.

When it all sings together, VW claims a 0-100km/h time of just 5.1 seconds, which is spectacular considering this SUV weighs 2433kg (tare).

Not only is the Touareg a powerhouse with high-tech cred, at $129,990 + ORCs it comes with a bunch of impressive features as well. There’s a specific R exterior and interior design package, 22-inch wheels with blue brake calipers, a panoramic glass roof, a head-up display, quad-zone climate control, heated rear outboard seats, a Night Vision camera system, electric adjust steering, memory seats for the front, a Dynaudio sound system with 14 speakers, and darkened exterior light surrounds.

And unlike some other brands that offer electrified models, VW Australia is throwing in a couple of cables – Mode 2 (standard powerpoint to Type 2) and Mode 3 (Type 2 to Type 2). The AC charge port maxes out at 7.2kW.

The new Touareg range is on sale now, with all grades attracting the standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, while the PHEV model adds a bit of extra battery warranty.

2024 Volkswagen Touareg pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.