Volkswagen Touareg R50 2009 Review

Volkswagen Touareg R50

Road Test

RRP: $134,990
Price as tested: $142,690
Crash rating: five-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 12.6
CO2 emissions (g/km): 333
Also consider: BMW X5 4.8i V8 (more here), Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG (more here), Porsche Cayenne S

About our ratings

If prospective buyers of German SUVs weren't exactly aghast, then they certainly must have been stunned when Volkswagen introduced its 5.0-litre V10 turbodiesel version of the Touareg in May 2004.

At a time when big-banger turbodiesels hadn't achieved any foothold in Australia (it was before Toyota's thumping 195kW/650Nm 4.5-litre V8 oiler for the LandCruiser in 2007, or the supposedly upcoming 368kW/1000Nm 6.0-litre V12 for Audi's sleekly massive Q7), the Touareg demonstrated how a monster-torque, truck-style powerhouse could find a place in a regular passenger vehicle.

So it was fitting that, when Volkswagen decided to announce an extended range of 'R' badged performance offerings in August 2008, the big turbodiesel SUV should play a role alongside the Golf R32 and the new Passat R36.

Bumping the twin-turbo 5.0-litre V10's power from 230kW to 258kW while lifting torque from 750Nm to a vein-popping 850Nm, then adding a revised, lower-slung air suspension system supported by 21-inch alloy wheels, sees the premium R50 Touareg emerge as an SUV to be messed with. Zero to 100km/h comes in 6.8 seconds (normal V10 Touareg 7.4 seconds) and, if you were able, top speed runs out to 235km/h.

So -- not for the first time -- a pumped-up turbodiesel becomes the fastest vehicle in a lineup that also includes petrol-powered variants.

The degree of extra heat in R-badged Volkswagens is not quite as pronounced as BMW's M series, or Benz AMGs, but there is considerable street credibility to be had nevertheless. Particularly when the R50 brings a bit of additional glamour, as well as numerous luxury upgrades to justify the $10,000 premium over the regular V10 Touareg.

Certainly there's no mistaking the R50 on the road. As well as the 21-inch wheels (with 295/35 tyres and blue brake calipers peeking out from behind the multitudinous spokes), there are extended wheel arches, side skirts, and a showy front end with a matt chrome grille and honeycomb-pattern inserts for the lower centre air intake and flanking intercooler ducts. At the back, there's the obligatory diffuser in the rear bumper, flanked by twin oval tailpipes.

The overall effect is that of a giant Golf GTI!

Step inside the R50 and you'll find a pretty complete array of standard gear. Heated seats front and rear (12-way adjustable including power lumbar support up front) with upgraded Napa leather trim, tinted rear windows, 11-speaker, eight-channel sound system, alloy-faced floor pedals and multi function steering wheel with shift paddles are all part of the deal. Look-around-the-corner bi-Xenon headlights and front and rear parking sensors are standard too.

Given the $134,990 pricetag though (interestingly less than the then slightly more generously equipped V10 Touareg's $138,500 introductory price in 2004), it might be something of a surprise to learn that things like a rearview camera, "side assist" blind-spot detection, satellite navigation, power sunroof, power tailgate -- and even Bluetooth capability -- are optional in the R50.

But, even though it uses a tyre mobility kit to keep you going in the event of a flat, a spare wheel is at least listed as a welcome option.

The five-star Euro NCAP R50 gets all the usual passive and active safety elements, including stability control, full-time all-wheel drive and Volkswagen's dirt-friendly ABSplus anti-lock braking, while the airbag count includes dual front and side-impact airbags (for the front seats only), as well as full-length curtain airbags.

The bottom line is that the Touareg R50 ends up looking and feeling like the real deal, inside and out. The general standard of fit and finish draws no complaints, and there's a good combination of comfort and practicality in a vehicle that is barely any smaller and about the same weight as a Range Rover. Rear-seat passengers will find generous legroom, and the laying-flat of the split-fold rear seats is a quick and simple process -- if not as seamless as, say, the single-lever flat-fold system in Renault's Koleos.

The split rear tailgate with its flip-up window is a handy way of loading smaller items into a cargo area that will take in excess of 1500 litres with all seats folded.

Some customers will also appreciate the variable-height air suspension system's capability of squatting down to make for easier climbing aboard. Although the driver can lift ground clearance as high as 280mm in limited circumstances, it's also possible to lower it to just 140mm, or 55mm below regular travelling height. There's more too, but we'll touch on that later.

In today's world of ever more refined diesels it's no surprise that the V10 Touareg fires up in an instant, just about regardless of weather, and settles down to its job smoothly and relatively quietly. Only at idle in a confined space does it sound obviously like a diesel. Certainly when powering down the road, with the 850Nm powerplant given free reign, there's little intruding into the cabin to tell you just how much diesel engine is working up front.

As you would expect, the engine note is nothing like a V8 and, even though the V10 is smooth, there's a hint of edge to it… Not the refinement of Audi V8 TDI for instance. But the V10 has no trouble coping with the R50's 2.5 tonne-plus body. The zero to 100km/h time tells you that.

Depressing the accelerator brings a powerful, seemingly unstoppable lunge forward that continues -- with help from the six-speed Tiptronic auto -- high enough into the speed range to ensure rapid open-road overtaking. Yet the Touareg remains quite economical with a combined average figure of 12.6L/100km. With a 100-litre tank, this translates to more than 700km of open-road cruising.

Our on-test average was a little better than the quoted figure at 10.4L/100km, but that included a disproportionate amount of freeway driving. There's no disputing the size and weight of the R50 though when you look at the 333g/km CO2 figure.

The sizeable SUV steers well, even if at first the conventional hydraulic power steering seems overly light and maybe a little disconnected. More acquaintance shows that the R50 uses its sportier suspension and massive rubber to provide quick and accurate steering responses that don't require the driver to think constantly of all the bulk being shifted. It's no MX-5, but the R50 is unquestionably nimble for its size and weight.

Which brings us to the suspension. The system is intended to give the Touareg multi-use capability -- controlled, smooth riding and responsive on the road, grippy and tractable off-road.

Certainly there's no question it leans towards a sporting stance on the road, where the ride would probably be judged by some as too firm, even with the dial in its Comfort setting. The Automatic mode, which quickly adapts the suspension according to needs of the moment, attempts to give the best of both worlds, while the Sport setting is just that.

Most drivers, unless the R50 is operating on a super-smooth surface with lots of challenging bends, will probably prefer to leave the decisions to the electronics and settle on the auto position.

The Touareg has something else up its sleeve off-road too -- it's one of the few luxury SUVs to offer a dual-range transmission allowing the low-speed crawling often required in steep and lumpy conditions. Switching to low range brings in a 2.66:1 drive ratio that makes it all a lot easier, safer and less damaging to traverse rough ground.

Combined with the 220mm of clearance available in its off-road setting (and the quoted wading depth of 560mm) this gives the R50 capabilities way beyond your average SUV -- although still nothing like a Nissan Patrol or Toyota LandCruiser. Although VW's claim that the R50 will tackle slopes up to 45 degrees is hardly messing around.

The three-differential 4MOTION drive system provides constant 4WD in all driving circumstances, bringing in the extra grip of a locking centre differential in off-road situations. In normal driving, the Touareg is delivering power equally to back and front wheels, but the centre differential is able to apportion as much as 100 per cent of torque to either end if necessary. A four-wheel electronic differential lock system using individual wheel braking also helps.

The Touareg's' system also includes traction control, a hill descent control system and a hill-holder to keep it in place on a steep slope.

There's a rider to all that though. Fundamentally well positioned the R50 might be for more than average SUV off-road abilities, but it is compromised in the end by the low profile, 21-inch rubber. And the fact that, in standard trim, there's no spare wheel. If you really wanted to exploit the R50's potential, immediate attention to the wheels and tyres would be needed. The huge brakes may limit your wheel options here...

So how does the R50 Volkswagen Touareg rate at the very top of the sporting SUV tree, where it shares territory with the likes of Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5 4.8i V8 and ML 63 AMG M-Class Mercedes-Benz?

Probably better than you'd think, considering it's a diesel. But, in the end, there's probably no fair comparison because even the BMW, with 261kW to play with, will out-sprint it on the road and the 375kW Benz is in another world altogether. As is its co-developed competitor, the Porsche Cayenne -- apart from the entry V6 version.

The ace up the R50's sleeve is the diesel fuel consumption -- few 2.5-tonne SUVs are ever going to be genuinely thrifty.

And, however Volkswagen might like to think, there's no chance the Touareg will compete in a battle of the badges against the established luxury marques.

That said, in terms of Euro-macho SUV presence, and particularly in potential off-road ability, the R50 Touareg is in there swinging.

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