New Volkswagen Touareg goes upmarket

Luxury is the keyword for the third-generation Volkswagen Touareg coming to Australia in May 2019.

The five-seater family SUV takes a big step up and is being positioned as a genuine rival to Audi, BMW and Benz for the first time.

Its promotion comes thanks to the cascading effect of technology and refinement already fitted to its VW Group stablemates, the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga.

The new Volkswagen Touareg won’t be cheap, with a likely starting price beyond $70,000 — up from $65,000 for the outgoing car.

The early arrivals will cost around $80,000 thanks to a bunch of extra equipment in a value-added First Edition variant, but Volkswagen is talking big about the improvements for the whole range.

“We definitely see it as a luxury car — it’s the halo for our SUV range,” the product manager for Volkswagen Australia passenger cars, Glenn Reid, told carsales.com.au at the model’s press preview drive in Morocco.

“There is quite a bit of technology that is shared. It’s thanks to the MLB platform, that’s Modular Longitudinal Matrix, that’s already used for other large SUVs in the Volkswagen family.

“We’re benefiting from a top-down approach. It’s really something special. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before at Volkswagen.”

The new Volkswagen Touareg is chunkier in its design, from bolder LED lamps to a more squared-off tail, but the basic dimensions are much the same.

There is a longer wheelbase which translates, predictably, into more leg space in the back and a bigger boot, but there are also key changes to materials and equipment.

Even the basic 2019 Volkswagen Touareg will have a much more modern look inside, with bigger infotainment screens and full connectivity, while top-end models will offer a positively epic dash with one of the biggest displays on the road.

“The biggest change has to be the infotainment system. It’s next level. That’s probably been the biggest issue with the second-generation car, which didn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and they are both now standard,” said Reid.

He doesn’t want to get too deeply into specifics ahead of the new Touareg’s local showroom debut next year, but admits that the press preview cars in Morocco — fully loaded with everything from air suspension and cushy leather sports seats to a giant glass sunroof and onboard WiFi — are not representative of the mainstream models for Australia.

“It would be around $120,000 with all that kit. But I don’t see us having one with that specification, and you couldn’t built one like that for Australia anyway because some of the equipment won’t be available to us.”

One feature that won’t be available here is a built-in tow hitch that doesn’t meet Australian Design Rules.

What is coming, first, is a 190kW/550Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel with eight-speed automatic transmission, full-time four-wheel drive — with driver-selectable modes for off-road conditions — and lots of luxury.

It’s called the Launch Edition but it will not continue full-time, as Volkswagen will switch to a two-engine policy with 170kW and 210kW diesel V6 variants from the third quarter of next year.

The reason for the 190kW First Edition is that the engine is pre-approved for Australia through the Amarok ute, where the other engines are still being tested and certified.

“Next year there will be three engines,” confirmed Reid. “Initially it’s the 190, and we’re doing that as a Launch Edition with a generous equipment but also excellent value.

“Then that engine will be superseded by the full range — 170 and 210. We have to wait until those engines are tested for the New European Driving Cycle test.

“We want to take the 190 so we can get the car sooner.”

Reid highlighted the position and status of the Touareg by admitting the upscale models will easily clear the $100,000 barrier, but he rules out any plan to add a third row of seats — even in the style of the latest 5+2-seat Tiguan Allspace.

“There won’t be a seven-seater. It’s positioned as a large luxury SUV. It’s more about the luxury than the number of seats,” he said.