It’s always disappointing when a really good car heads for the horizon never to return. Sadly, that’s the case with a lot of terrific petrol and diesel-powered cars which perform superbly, are supremely comfortable, and even sound good. Unfortunately, they are are making way for the inevitable…electric cars.

Which is exactly the case with the Volkswagen Touareg.

Volkswagen has launched the Final Edition model (obviously) after three generations, as it is the last Touareg to roll off the assembly lines. Final deliveries will be early next year, so if you fancy one, you need to get your skates on. The ID.7 picks up the baton to be the company’s flagship from then on.

Powertrain Options

Only two Touareg models are now available: the diesel-powered Touareg Final Edition and the petrol plug-in hybrid Touareg R Final Edition. You can’t get either with different engines. Take it or leave it.

Both engines are 3.0 litre V6 units and they sound glorious. The 3.0 TDi diesel engine churns out 281bhp and can manage 33.1 mpg, while the petrol V6 3.0 TSi e-hybrid is a much more potent beast offering 455bhp and, thanks to the hybrid system, returns an impressive estimated 49.5mpg. You can manage up to 29 miles on battery power alone.

Both are paired with 4MOTION all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic Tiptronic gearbox, which is one of the sweetest shifters I’ve ever tried. It can be a tad hesitant when you apply the power, but you don’t spot the gear changes and, if you fancy, you can juggle the cogs with some paddles behind the steering wheel.

Performance Figures

If you like relaxed, unruffled motoring, then the VW Touareg will be right up your street. There’s so much grunt available from either engine that you don’t need to work either unit hard to make them perform. They’re quick, although Volkswagen has plainly aimed this car at the comfort, easy-going end of the spectrum. The diesel model can hit 60mph in 6.4 seconds, while the petrol version knocks off more than a second from that time. Both have a top speed in the region of 150mph. They’re also incredibly quiet and you can only hear a faint rumble from under the bonnet.

And yes, you can chuck them into a corner and have some fun where conditions allow. The all-wheel drive certainly helps.

Towing Capacity & Off-Road Ability

If you need a big SUV to tow a trailer or horse box, the Volkswagen Touareg will oblige. It can haul up to 3.5 tonnes. A few years ago, I tried a Touareg towing a horse box containing a couple of sizeable nags. After a while, if it wasn’t for the odd rattle from the deployable tow bar, it would have been very easy to forget that the horse box was there.

This is a luxurious SUV with genuine off-road muscle. Okay, it won’t resemble a mountain goat, but if you need to pull the above-mentioned horse box across a soggy field or up a badly rutted track, the Touareg will take it in its stride.

Prices

No surprises to say that it isn’t cheap…but it stacks up well against the other premium badged SUVs when you spot that it comes with…well…everything. The diesel Touareg comes in at £72,635, while the thumping V6 PHEV ups the ante to £81,470. These models replace the Black Edition and R Touareg but, once you’ve done the sums, you get more kit for less outlay. Win win.

Driving Experience

Out on the road, the Touareg is a joy to punt along. The ride is fairly soft, but this means that you and your occupants float along courtesy of the air suspension. You can pump up the suspension to raise the ride height if you’re on a rutted track. The seats are also extremely comfortable, so long holiday hauls will be a piece of cake. It’s roomy too, although this is down to the fact that Volkswagen has resisted the temptation to squeeze in a third row and make the Touareg into a 7-seater. Some of you will see that as a negative but, on the plus side, the boot is cavernous, offering 810 litres before you flop the rear row forwards. If you do that, you’re now up to 1,800 litres of space…climb in, go for a walk.

Interior

Inside the Touareg is plush to say the least. It’s not flashy, and you could even call it a bit understated but that’s not to say that it doesn’t look good. It’s also fully stacked.

The dashboard is dominated by a crisp, clear, easy to use 15-inch infotainment screen and a 12-inch digital driver’s display. It looks like one screen sweeping across from in front of the driver, but’s it’s actually two for the simple reason that Volkswagen say it’s easier to sort one screen if it develops a fault rather than replace the whole thing. Fair enough.

The model I tried was the all-bells-and-whistles 455bhp 3.0 litre hybrid model. I shan’t give you the full list of what you get, there’s not enough room, but the juicy items are leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, 22-inch alloys, terrific matrix headlights, 30 different colours for your interior ambient lighting, heated steering wheel, panoramic roof, powered tailgate and adaptive chassis control which scans the road ahead of you and adjusts the suspension settings before you hit a ridge or potholes.

Petrol or diesel?

The petrol hybrid V6 can play the economy card, but there’s something about the cheaper diesel V6. Yes, it feels a bit old school, but the way it performs is outstanding. If you need to tow on a regular basis, it’ll be a wonderful hauler.

However, no matter which Volkswagen Touareg you go for, you’re getting an outstanding, big SUV which is up with the other premium brands.

When the car is eventually consigned to the history books, it’ll be a sad day. So make the most of it while it lasts.

words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Volkswagen

Volkswagen Touareg Review - Flagship Model Sets Sail For The Final Time