Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance 2024 Review

The Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance effectively occupies the middle rung of the regular Touareg line-up in Australia, priced at $99,990 plus on-road costs.

That price represents an $8250 saving over the equivalent predecessor and wedges it between the entry 170TDI (from $86,790 plus ORCs) and the 210TDI R-Line (from $109,990).

Sitting atop the line-up is the sportier Touareg R, which is set at $129,990 plus ORCs.

In terms of like-minded rivals, Volkswagen is eager to push the fact the Touareg competes with smaller German rivals on price, including the forthcoming new-generation BMW X3 (from $84,500) and Mercedes-Benz GLC (from $103,400).

That said, real-world cross-shoppers will probably take more interest in vehicles like the Land Rover Defender 110 (from $94,992), the Volvo XC90 (from $100,990) or even the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series (from $98,076).

The 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance gets a healthy equipment fillip as part of this mid-life facelift, to the order of $4000, according to VW Australia.

Even the most basic Touareg 170TDI specification boasts 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights (each with 19,216 pixels per unit), 30-colour adjustable ambient interior lighting, genuine leather trim, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, wood dash inserts, wireless phone charging, heated and power-adjustable front seats with driver position memory and illuminated puddle lights projecting the Volkswagen logo.

Over and above that, the $13,000-dearer 210TDI Elegance driven here adds larger 20-inch wheels, adjustable-height air suspension, higher-quality Varenna leather trim and ventilated front seats with a massage function.

Across the range, the third-generation Touareg’s mid-life makeover brings various design tweaks headed by new bumpers and distinctive LED strip lighting both front and rear, where the red logo is illuminated.

The Touareg is backed by the manufacturer’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, while servicing intervals are spaced every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Buyers can opt for ‘Care Plan’ servicing packs up front; a three-year pack costs $1900, or a five-year pack costs $3500.

In terms of optional extras, Volkswagen charges between $2200 and $2700 for five of the six different paint hues (white is a no-cost colour).

A panoramic electric glass sunroof will set you back an additional $3300, while Volkswagen’s Sound and Comfort Package imposes an $8500 premium in this trim.

This brings a 14-speaker stereo and amplifier, alarm, four-zone climate control, front passenger seat electric adjustment and memory settings, heated second-row seats, a head-up display, tyre pressuring monitoring, soft-closing doors and an electric-adjust steering wheel.

The 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance is purportedly safer than before, having picked up rear auto-braking and speed sign recognition as part of this mid-life facelift.

Moreover, it retains the predecessor’s original five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2019 (when testing protocols were less strict than they are today), boasting carryover equipment including a full suite of airbags, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane and blind spot assist and front and rear cross traffic alert.

Assuming pride of place inside the updated cabin is the 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance’s brace of impressive display screens.

A 15.0-inch touch-screen resides in the middle of the dashboard, angled clearly at the driver and displaying key infotainment, climate and vehicle information.

A separate 12.3-inch digital display occupies the instrument cluster, and conveys driving information such as speed, trip meter and fuel consumption.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are standard inclusions, while the bank of permanent climate control fixtures to the right of the screen ensure one-touch functionality for important functions like recirculated air.

The screen is relatively easy to navigate, with a central ‘home’ button to navigate its key menus and features. What’s more, Apple CarPlay now displays full-screen, rather than having large black borders surrounding a smaller picture.

Similarly, the virtual instrument cluster is clear and concise with its layout, offering the option to integrate maps of the surrounding area or just keep it old-school with two plain round gauges. There is plenty of customisation.

There are five USB-C ports in total to support the surfeit of tech (three front, two rear), plus wireless phone charging.

The regular 2024 Volkswagen Touareg models – that is, all except the high-performance Touareg R – source power from a common 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

But whereas the entry 170TDI model boasts 170kW/500Nm, the 210TDI Elegance driven here boasts uprated figures of 210kW/600Nm courtesy of mapping and computer changes.

It helps shave a whole 2.0sec from the official 0-100km/h time, rated at 6.0sec neat compared with 8.0sec for the 170TDI.

A 4MOTION all-wheel drive system moves power between the front and rear axles to maximise traction, and there are four AWD modes to select from.

Furthermore, there are selectable drive modes: Normal, Sport, Eco, Off-road and Individual driving modes in all variants, with the 210TDI models gaining Comfort mode.

Given the almighty lump of a V6 diesel up front, the Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance is incredibly fuel-efficient.

Against a combined fuel consumption claim of 7.4L/100km, we averaged 8.6L/100km in a mix of conditions.

With the 90-litre fuel tank taken into account, that equates to well north of 1000km between refills, especially in highway driving.

One thing to keep in mind, though, the Touareg runs a separate 24-litre AdBlue tank, which requires periodic refilling.

The 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance is a breeze to drive. Clinical, polished and plush, Volkswagen’s five-seater family SUV impresses with its balance of sporty and comfort traits.

The steering is light at low speed and the drive experience largely belies its almost 4.9-metre-long, 2.3-tonne stature in regular conveyance, with easy outward vision and umpteen outward facing cameras to streamline low-speed passage.

Although it doesn’t offer the nippiness of smaller SUVs like the Tiguan Allspace, you’d happily trade that for the vault-like road-holding and composure on offer. The almost 2.9-metre-long wheelbase straddles the road with comfort and authority.

Similarly, the engine makes light work of stop-start proceedings, reaching maximum torque from a lowly 1750rpm and working harmoniously with the gearbox.

The one exception to the rule is upon initially applying the accelerator, which is occasionally met with some hesitation – especially in more urgent situations.

Middling speeds – the kind synonymous with urban streets, changes in speed zones and rural country roads – is the Touareg’s real jam: simply ride the torque wave and enjoy effortless go-forward, accompanied by seamless gear changes and a bruising oiler soundtrack.

It’s all very serene and sophisticated, and impressive 0-100km/h time aside, the big torque reserves also mean you’ll make light work of getting around other cars before the overtaking lane ends.

At these speeds, the body feels taut and controlled, too, carefully following the contour of the road while keeping the body in check, with no sudden reactions or thudding to speak of.

And in highway passage, the Touareg simply wafts along, its digital tachometer resting barely above idle and its cabin mostly immune to road noise and wind.

Through corners, the Touareg offers a good mix of balance and composure. You can definitely feel its weight through faster changes in direction, but it offers grip levels and feedback commensurate with the European SUV set.

It’s surprisingly engaging and enjoyable for a high-riding diesel.

Although the adaptive suspension manages to take the edge off bumps in the road, we’re not sure it’s worth the additional $13,000 outlay compared with the base 170TDI, which instead employs lesser passive dampers.

We’d have to compare both back-to-back for the ultimate verdict, but by our seat of the pants, the adaptive dampers feel slightly more controlled through the stroke, lending the Touareg a more secure and comfortable ride in 210TDI specification. However, it’s hardly night and day.

Our off-road adventures on this particular test were limited to some light dirt roads that had been recently graded.

In all honesty, you probably wouldn’t take the 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance much further, but there is comfort in its minimum 180mm ground clearance (216mm for 170TDI), hill descent control and its electronic differential locks.

Four AWD modes are available: Snow, On-road, Off-road (with pre-set operating parameters) and Off-road Individual that allows the driver to select the settings.

Not as much as the base Touareg 170TDI. Although both share the same 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity, the fitment of adaptive dampers to the 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance drops maximum down ball weight from 280kg to 215kg.

If you subscribe to the old rule of thumb that the down ball loading weight is approximately 10 per cent of your total towing capacity, that dictates a significant drop in actual towing performance.

It’s a shame, because although we didn’t tow on this occasion, a recent dedicated tow test revealed the Touareg was an impressive performer. Gross vehicle mass is 2850kg for all models.

The 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance is fit for a family, that’s for sure. The sprawling cabin offers ample space and amenity across its two rows of seating, and although it doesn’t offer the option of a third row like its Audi Q7 sibling, for many buyers the 810-litre boot area (expandable up to 1800L with the second row folded) will be ample consolation.

Unlike some similarly minded Euro rivals of this size, though, everything you see on our test car is standard fare: quality materials adorning all the contact points, actual leather, open wood pore highlights and bristling lighting displays that are usually reserved for flagship equivalents.

There aren’t any standout cheap furnishings, or items that you’d option up on out of necessity. And the doors shut with an authoritative thunk, too, for what it’s worth.

The tech-laden cabin offers excellent incidental storage, with deep door pockets and ample cubbies and hidey holes.

We also like the driving position and its proximity to key controls. Everything is comfortable and within easy reach, as it should be.

The fitment of rear air vents plus integrated door shades in the second-row door cards are a nice touch for little ones, too. They complement ISOFIX attachment points on the outbound pews and three top tether strap points, plus a relatively wide door aperture to get in and out.

The fitment of a space-saver spare tyre isn’t ideal, but we’ll happily take one over a tyre inflation kit.

The 2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance is a more compelling proposition than before, aided by its additional standard equipment and lower purchase price.

That said, we’d posit the more affordable 170TDI is the most appealing of the updated Touareg fleet, with its $13,000 cheaper entry price, superior towing ability and sharpened equipment offering for 2024.

Irrespectively, the Touareg stands up strongly among the European SUV cohort. It’s smart, polished and comfortable – a great accompaniment to the modern family.

2024 Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance at a glance:
Price: $99,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel
Output: 210kW/600Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 194g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)