Some Touareg history
The first-generation Volkswagen Touareg first appeared here in early 2004, and made quite a splash at the time. That first version of VW’s full-sized SUV made its debut with a twin-turbo V10 diesel engine, that was endowed with a considerable (for the time) 230 kW and 750 NM of torque. Coupled with a very real off-road ability, the Touareg was rightly lauded as a masterstroke by Volkswagen for its move into the world of luxury SUV transportation.
Related: Luxury SUV shootout! VW Touareg vs. Volvo XC90 vs. Lexus RX
The second-generation Touareg arrived on local soil in October 2010. Its appearance was, if anything, far less dramatic than that of the first Touareg — classier and more upmarket, but also a bit more subdued overall. Its engine range had been expanded to include a 3.6-litre V6 Petrol TFSi engine, a 3.0 TDI V6 turbodiesel good for 176 kW and a 4.2-litre V8 TDI diesel (which actually eclipsed the old 5.0 V10's outputs by a useful margin). As attitudes to fuel consumption changed, this second-generation range saw the V6 petrol engine dropped towards the end of its life-cycle.
Related: Top 3 things you need to know about the Volkswagen Touareg
The latest (current) Touareg launched in mid-2018
The latest version of the Volkswagen Touareg was launched here in July 2018 and Volkswagen sees it as one of the most technologically-advanced cars they have ever produced. It also featured the all-new, fully digitised cockpit which is actually the fore-runner of the future-tech digital dashboard that we will see in the new Golf 8 when it gets here in late 2020.
The latest Touareg is all new, and features a wide range of new technologies, but currently only offers the 3.0 V6 TDI engine, mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, under the bonnet. Here is our top 10 list of differences between the latest new Touareg and what you can expect if buying a used, second-generation car.
Related: 2019 Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 Luxury Review — Hanging with the bruisers.
Top 10 new differences on the new Volkswagen Touareg vs the previous-generation model.
1. The body is all new and features a large percentage of aluminium in its construction. Some 48% of the body is now made of aluminium, and 52 % of high-strength steel. So the new car, although larger, is actually lighter by some 100 kg!
2. The appearance of the third-generation is once again dramatic, but in a more street-wise way. The appearance is dominated by a chrome-heavy grille and pronounced wheel arch accents that give it far more character than you'd find in the second-gen Touareg.
3. The luggage compartment on the new car has grown by 100 litres, and now measures an impressive 810 litres.
4. Volkswagen terms the instrumentation in the cockpit as a “dashboard for the future”. It is known as the Innovision Cockpit with fully-digitised functionality, including a 12-inch instrument display and 15-inch infotainment screen.
5. The new Touareg features Active 4-wheel steering for enhanced maneuverability and high-speed cornering stability.
6. The new LED lighting system features automatic main-beam dipping.
7. The latest Touareg is now only available with a 3,0-litre V6 TDI turbodiesel engine, against the wide range of engines offered in the past. Interestingly, the maximum power output of the latest V6 TDI has dropped form 176 kW in 2010 to 170 kW in the latest Touareg introduced in mid-2018. Volkswagen states that this is due to required adaptations for local fuel quality.
8. Wheel sizing now starts at 18-inches, whereas previous Touaregs came standard with 17-inch wheels. Optional wheel sizing now rises to 21 inches.
9. Trailer Assist is a function of the new car’s Park Assist. When a trailer is detected, a camera and ultra-sound sensors work with mechanical systems to enable the trailer (or caravan) to be reversed with automatic steering inputs from the Park Assist system. This takes the hassle out of knowing how to reverse a trailer, where steering inputs are the opposite of what would be a normal reaction, due to the swiveling action of the trailer on the towbar.
10. Multi-collision braking now automatically applies full braking force in an accident, until the vehicle has come to a complete standstill.