Volkswagen Touareg

The first local build hailing from Europe, the new Volkswagen Touareg R-Line (third-generation), upgraded and launched in Malaysia.

An E-segment SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle), it underpins Volkswagen’s MLB Evo Platform akin to the Cayenne, Bentayga, Urus and Q8.

Locally assembled (CKD – Pahang), available via PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM) is one variant (Touareg R-Line – MYR 384,972).

Price (OTR, w/o insurance) covers a standard warranty (two years, unlimited mileage) and a roadside assistance package (five years).

Optional (MYR 17,300) Volkswagen Assurance Package (VAP) adds on an extended warranty (five years, unlimited mileage) and a maintenance package (five years).

Five exterior colours (Lapiz Blue, Grenadilla Black, Oryx White, Silicon Grey, Dolomite Silver). One interior colour (Black).

Labelled the VW ‘Innovision Cockpit’, the new Touareg R-Line has an angularly tiered dashboard, linked to a wide-high-rising centre console (drive mode selector, wireless charger).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors), it sees a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with contrast trims (dash, doors: Brushed Dark Aluminium/centre console, bezels: High-Gloss Black, Dark Anodized Aluminium).

Centre-staged are the driver/central displays (instrument cluster, infotainment), and filling-in the spaces are rectangular air-conditioning vents, ambient lights (30 colours) and pedals (accelerator, brake - Brushed Stainless Steel).

Inclusively, the layout is sporty and non-cluttered, with accessibilities ergonomically arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Part of the ‘Innovision Cockpit’, installed is a 12.3-Inch Digital Cockpit HD TFT driver display (instrument cluster). 

The system supports customisable menus and information.

Sportily comfortable, the interior sees leather (Vienna) upholstery in a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with embossed ‘R-Line’ embroidery (front seats).

The front gets electric-powered (12-way, lumbar, longitudinal sliding thigh support, memory, active climate) bolstered seats.

The rear gets a manual-operated (button - 40:20:40 split-flat-fold, backrest recline, longitudinal sliding) bolstered bench.

Included are armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out), headrests (front, rear), rear sunshades (pull-out – open/close) and scuff plates (Stainless Steel: front – illuminated ‘R-Line’ logo, rear – ‘R-Line’ logo).

A proper full-fledged SUV (five-seater), the cabin offers generous space, providing the occupants (front, rear) with ample interior mobility.

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

The cabin’s spaciousness is majorly due to its overall framing, which boasts a wide body and a long wheelbase (MLB Evo Platform).

Mounted is a three-spoke-flat-bottom sports steering wheel, wrapped in leather (Black) with contrast trims (Silver). 

Features are multi-switches (haptic touch - Bluetooth Media, Vehicle Telematics, Voice Recognition), paddle shifters, heating and electric column adjustments (tiptronic, tilt, telescopic, memory).

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Practical storage areas. E.g., side door/seat back/armrest pockets, centre console partitioned/caverned spaces and a glove box.

Provided are four cup holders (two - front, rear) and four bottle holders (one - side doors).

Multiple charging outlets. E.g., five USB ports (three – front, two – rear), 12 V sockets (one – front, one – boot) and one wireless charger (front). 

Accessing its electric-powered (hands free – Easy Open/Close sensor, key fob/remote, button) tailgate, opens to 810-Litres (rear seats up) and 1,800-Litres (rear seats down) of load capacities.

Tipping the scale at 2,143 KG, the new Touareg R-Line measures at 4,878 MM long, 1,984 MM wide, 1,717 MM tall and with a wheelbase spanning 2,899 MM.

Commandingly solid and sporty, its wide and planted exterior parades VW’s ‘R-Line Styling’, emphasised by sharply cut and angular surfaces.

The front-end sees a contoured bonnet, flared quarter panels and an ‘R-Style’ bumper (two-part grille: upper – light strip-VW emblem, lower – air-intakes).

Accentuations, body clad (body-colour – bumper, fenders, side mirrors, side sills), body trims (Black – grille, side mirror arms/Chrome – window surrounds), roof rails (Silver Anodised) and VW emblem (Black-Chrome).

Robustly solid and sporty, it continues the wide and planted profile, emphasised by symmetrically and horizontally aligned contours.

The rear-end sees a straight cut roofline (shark fin antenna, roof-edge spoiler), a bulging tailgate (VW emblem, Touareg script, light strip) and a covered bumper (diffuser, twin trapezoidal exhausts).

Accentuations, body clad (body-colour – bumper, fenders, side sills), body trims (Black – diffuser/Chrome – exhausts, window surrounds), roof rails (Silver Anodised), VW emblem (illuminated – Red) and Touareg script (Chrome).

Sharp and angular, the headlamps are framed boxy with a grille integrated light strip (LED). Installed are full LED units (IQ.Light - HD Matrix). 

Features are automatic On/Off, Dynamic Light Assist (advanced high-beam control), Dynamic Headlamp Range Control, L-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL), welcome/cornering/all-weather lights and sequential turn signals (LED). 

Thick and angular, the tail lamps are framed full width (light bar, illuminated VW emblem) with pointed wraparound edges. Installed are LED combination units.

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome lights and sequential turn signals (LED).

The side mirrors (dual-tone – Body-colour-Black) are electronic-powered (auto-fold-adjust) with heating, automatic-dimming, blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Monitor – BSM) and sequential turn signals (LED). 

Incorporated is a setup of ventilated (front, rear) disc brakes. Drive is aided by an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

Fitted is a set of 20-Inch ‘Braga’ (five-V-spoke) dual-tone (Dark Graphite Diamond-Turned) alloy rims, wrapped in 285/45 R20 (front, rear) Bridgestone Alenza 001 tyres.

The new Touareg R-Line features the IQ.Drive suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Grouped are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop/Go, Advanced Driver Attention/Drowsiness Monitor, Automatic Post-Collision Braking System (APBS), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Front Assist, Front-Cross Traffic Assist (FCTA), Lane Assist with Lane Keeping System (LA-LKS), Night Vision, Park Assist with Park Distance Control, Proactive Passenger Protection System, Side Assist with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (SA-RCTA) and Area View Camera System (camera – reverse, 360-degree).

Others include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Hill-Start Assist (HSA) and Tyre pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Passive safety includes six airbags (driver-passenger, front sides, front-rear curtains), seat belts (anchor, pretensioner, reminder), ISOFIX (two – outer-rear seats), child safety lock (electric – rear doors), automatic-dimming rear-view mirrors (exterior, interior), high-beam assistant, parking sensors (six – front-rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), door ajar warning, automatic door locks (speed-sensing, central locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), impact beams (front, side, rear) and anti-theft system (interior monitoring, backup horn, towing protection, security alarm, engine-immobiliser).

Seven selectable drive modes (ECO, COMFORT, NORMAL, SPORT, INDIVIDUAL, OFF-ROAD, SNOW).

Completing the ‘Innovision Cockpit’ setup is a 15.0-Inch Discover Pro Max central display (infotainment). 

The system supports interior air-conditioning controls, navigation, voice recognition, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless).

Entertainment is channelled via a DYNAUDIO Consequence Sound System (730 W) with 16-channel amplifier (80 W), featuring 13 speakers and one subwoofer (boot-floor-integrated).

Nestled in the new Touareg R-Line is a 3.0-Litre V6 TSI petrol engine (Twin-scroll Turbocharger, Direct Fuel Injection), producing 335 HP (250 KW) and 450 NM.

Mated to the setup is an eight-speed automatic transmission (paddle shifters).

Power is transmitted to all four wheels, via VW’s 4MOTION All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system.

Acceleration from 0 to 100 KM/H is done in 6.0 seconds. Top speed is 250 KM/H.

Fuel tank capacity is at 90-Litres and fuel consumption is rated at 9.5 L/100 KM.

The new Touareg R-Line features these conveniences.

E.g., Keyless Entry system (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button), electric-powered (hands free – Easy Open/Close sensor, key fob/remote, button) tailgate, Air Care Climatronic four-zone automatic-climate control (rear-air vents, dedicated controls), steering wheel (electric column adjustments, multi-function, paddle shifters, heating, memory, EPS), interior lighting system (LED - reading, boot, ambient), electric-powered (12-way, lumbar, longitudinal sliding thigh support, memory, active climate) bolstered seats (front), manual-operated (button - 40:20:40 split-flat-fold, backrest recline, longitudinal sliding) bolstered bench (rear), armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out), headrests (front, rear), rear sunshades (pull-out – open/close), scuff plates (Stainless Steel: front – illuminated ‘R-Line’ logo, rear – ‘R-Line’ logo), VW ‘Innovision Cockpit’ (infotainment, instrument cluster), wireless charger, child safety lock (electric – rear doors), automatic-dimming rear-view mirrors (exterior, interior), side mirrors (heating, BSM), parking sensors (six – front-rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), door ajar warning, automatic door locks (speed-sensing, central locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), automatic headlamps (On/Off/high-beam), automatic windows (anti-pinch, one-touch-open/close), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is an Air Care Climatronic four-zone automatic-climate control system (rear-air vents, dedicated controls).

Propping-up the chassis is a suspension setup of multi-link (front, rear) with Air Suspension (self-levelling - height adjustable). 

Overall, very spacious with firm handling, suitable as a daily driver. Inside and out, performance- and comfort-wise, ride quality is satisfactory.

Good sound insulation with the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) factored in. The cabin is acoustically well-designed, enhancing the in-car ambience.

Ultimately, the cabin is able to suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable even when cruising through bumpy asphalts. 

The new Volkswagen Touareg R-Line is a solid build all around. Enveloped by a sportily luxurious appeal that commands a presence like no other. 

Exterior-wise, it is well designed with the harmonious proportions, powerful contours and emphasis on the robust body sculpture. 

Quality of the equipment and materials installed inside impresses with the upscale, mature design and restrained detailing.

Ultimately, the new Touareg R-Line is just a strong character, a great SUV that offers an elegant outlook, an engaging drive and comfort, all in one.