The new Volkswagen Touareg will go on sale on August 27 and the first cars will arrive on driveways from November for £43,000 and up.
The new SUV receives a subtle styling makeover pushing it closer to the looks of the little brother Tiguan while retaining the recognisable shape of the Touareg.
It gains a version of VW’s latest front bumper, seen already on the Golf and the recently revealed Passat as well as new alloys, bi-xenon headlights as standard and a refreshed interior.
At launch two versions of VW’s 3.0litre V6 TDI will be available, pumping out either 201 or 258 bhp, the latter a rise of 20 bhp from the outgoing model.
Thanks to some fettling from the boffins at VW the less powerful engine now pumps out 11g/km of CO2 less (173) to push it into a lower tax band.
Three trim levels will be on sale, SE, Escape and R-Line.
A basic £43,000, 201 bhp, SE will come with 9-inch ‘Salvador’ alloy wheels; RNS 850 satellite navigation with eight-inch touchscreen, DAB digital radio and Bluetooth; 2Zone climate control; ‘Cricket’ leather upholstery’; bi-xenon headlights; front fog lights; parking sensors and chrome roof rails.
Add another £1,700 and the Escape, only available with the more powerful motor, adds 4XMOTION off-road four-wheel drive system, with 50:50 torque split and centre and rear axle mechanical differential locks; higher off-road suspension; 18-inch ‘Karakum’ alloy wheels; 100-litre fuel tank (85 litres is standard on SE); underbody protection; black roof rails and a headlight cleaning system.
The top-of-the-range R-Line starts at £46,000 and adds R-Line bumpers and badges, 20-inch ‘Tarragona’ alloy wheels; lowered sports suspension; LED daytime running lights and a panoramic glass sunroof. Inside is a black roof lining; R-Line seats and aluminium-look pedals, a heated steering wheel; electrically operated tailgate and keyless entry and start.
| Trim | Engine/transmission | Combined mpg | CO2 (g/km) | Price (£), RRP OTR |
| SE | 3.0-litre 204 PS TDI 8-speed automatic | 42.8 | 173 | 43,000 |
| SE | 3.0-litre 262 PS TDI 8-speed automatic | 42.8 | 174 | 44,500 |
| Escape | 3.0-litre 262 PS TDI 8-speed automatic | 40.9 | 180 | 44,700 |
| R-Line | 3.0-litre 204 PS TDI 8-speed automatic | 42.8 | 173 | 46,000 |
| R-Line | 3.0-litre 262 PS TDI 8-speed automatic | 42.8 | 174 | 47,500 |