Luxury SUV shootout! VW Touareg vs. Volvo XC90 vs. Lexus RX

By Martin Pretorius

Luxury SUVs have largely replaced executive saloons and estates in the driveways of affluent suburbanites. They offer more space and practicality, and their elevated seating positions give a commanding view of the surrounding traffic. We look at three large on-road SUVs, to determine which one earns top honours in this aspirational niche.

Which sumptuous SUV takes the top spot?

While tradition-minded buyers mourn the near-demise of the large family saloon, the fact remains that large luxury SUVs present a more-practical alternative to the large executive saloon. Sure, their driving characteristics are more ponderous, but their extra cabin space and imposing stature are important considerations on the school run and on the open road.

Not everyone can stretch their budget to a BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE, however, which leaves a cozy niche for alternatives which offer most of the ability but at a lower price. Now in its third generation, the Volkswagen Touareg has a loyal following as a near-premium SUV, while the second-generation Volvo XC90 adds distinctive looks and plenty of premium features to the equation. Meanwhile, the original Lexus RX really created this market segment, and its current generation offers an enticing blend of comfort and a luxury specification.

We selected the mid-level Touareg V6 TDI Luxury R-Line, and put it up against the Volvo XC90 D5 AWD Inscription and 7-seater Lexus RX 350L EX. Let’s see which one ends up on top of this pile.

	Touareg V6 TDI Luxury R-Line	Volvo XC90 D5 AWD Inscription	Lexus RX 350L EX
Engine size	6-cyl, 3.0-litre, turbo-diesel	4-cyl, 2.0-litre, turbo-diesel	6-cyl, 3.5-litre, petrol
Power/Torque	190 kW/600 Nm	173 kW/480 Nm	216 kW/358 Nm
Kerb Weight	2 040 kg	1 999 kg	2 150 kg
Length (mm)	4 878	4 950	5000
Wheelbase (mm)	2 895	2 984	2 790
Airbag count	8	6	10
Ave Consumption *	7.1 ℓ/100 km	5.7 ℓ/100 km	9.6 ℓ/100 km
Warranty	3-yr/120 000 km	5-yr/100 000 km	4-yr/100 000 km
Price	R 1 059 850	R 1 026 569	R 959 000

*Manufacturer's official figures.

Analysis

As far as their engine specifications go, these three cars couldn’t be any more different: we have a large-displacement turbo-diesel, a downsized turbo-diesel hiding some clever tricks up its sleeve, and a large normally-aspirated petrol V6, all doing battle for class supremacy. Being the only one without a premium badge, the Touareg has to offer something special to justify its inclusion in this company, so it uses a potent, big V6 diesel as motive power.

The Volvo is a little more forward-thinking, as its smaller 4-cylinder diesel uses Volvo’s PowerPulse technology to deliver instant response and a solid slug of torque across a wide rev range. The Lexus is the most conservatively-engineered of these three, with a powerful but less-torquey petrol V6 providing the motive power.

Claimed performance reflects these differing strategies, as the Touareg uses its mountain of torque and reasonable top-end stamina to clinch the top-performing slot among this trio. Having an advanced AWD system and slick-shifting 8-speed automatic obviously also helps its cause. The XC90 also features AWD and an 8-speed automatic, but its power- and torque deficit means that it has the least enthusiastic acceleration in this company. Both diesels are remarkably frugal, however – something which cannot really be said about the rev-happy and sonorous RX 350L.

The Lexus V6 is smooth and pulls lustily when wound through the gears, but it’s known to be rather thirsty, and its relative lack of torque means that it’s always working hard to haul the hefty RX 350L around. This round goes to the Touareg, with the RX 350L bringing up the rear and the XC90 D5 finding a middle ground between frugal operation and adequate performance.

In terms of practicality, there isn’t much between them, except for the fact that the Touareg is the only 5-seater in this company. How relevant this is would depend on the buyer, but the reality is that the third seating rows of the others are of limited use in any case – it’s far too cramped back there for adults to tolerate on long trips. Think of those last two seats as occasional-use items – if you don’t need them, losing them isn’t really much of a loss.

Then we look at the standard equipment, where the more-affordable (but still expensive) Lexus stages a strong fightback. On the RX’s specification sheet are items such as a head-up display, heated- and ventilated front seats, and blind spot monitoring. Thankfully, the Touareg breaks with the German tradition of having all the nice things relegated to the options list, and comes with niceties such as a digital dashboard, panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps and adaptive cruise control as standard.

And then safety comes into play, which, as you already know, counts for a lot in these comparisons. The Lexus and Volkswagen offer rear side airbags as standard, but the Lexus adds knee airbags as standard for a total of 10. The Volkswagen is close behind with a total tally of 8, while the Volvo rather surprisingly only has 6 airbags. That said, they all have excellent crash safety ratings and every conceivable electronic safety aid, so you’ll most likely have a great chance of surviving a severe accident in any of them.

Choosing a winner between these three should be a daunting task, but some factors did make it a little easier. The Volvo is the first tree to fall, as its relatively sparse standard equipment and lack of power militates against its not-inconsiderable price tag. Next to fall by the wayside is the Lexus: yes, it’s very comfortable, safe, well-equipped and well-made, but its thirsty engine and lack of torque means that it’s bound to cost a bomb to run. This leaves the Touareg as the best all-rounder: frugal when you need it to be, powerful when you so desire, very well-equipped, and with enough safety equipment to keep you alive in a crash, it’s the sensible choice here.