Touareg

[spyderdoc]

I turned in my beloved 2009 X5d, and picked up a 2013 VW Touareg TDI executive. I thought I'd post some remarks.

I considered a Cayenne Diesel as well. The 2013 Touareg TDI has the exact drivetrain, so I could not justify the extra $20k+ for it. I also thought of waiting for the updated Q7 or the Q5 TDI that is supposed to come out this summer....

After I test drove the VW, I knew that this was the car for me....

So far, only about 600 mi on it. I have been averaging 24mpg with 70/30 city/hwy. My X5 got no better than 21.5mpg on mixed driving with the 19 in rims, and 20mpg on the 20 in rims. My VW has 20 in rims, so it seems to be more efficient....The VW has a 25ish gallon diesel tank, so has about 700 mi range. We'll be taking it to Tahoe over New Year, so will see how it does on the highway....

It feels as strong as the X5 as far as accelerating off the line and passing at speed. It has a much quieter cabin than the X5, including engine sound, wind noise, and tire noise. No rattles inside whatsoever. Pretty much no diesel noise (I liked the noise on the X5) heard in the cabin. When accelerating, it sounds more throaty, almost like you would have removed an air filter to get more of that throaty sound.....

It feels solid on the road, and handles very well. My old X5 had adaptive drive, so I feel a bit more lean in the VW. Nonetheless, it handles very well and feels solid and well planted on the road.....

Comfort wise, the seats are very comfortable. The sport seats in my X5 may have been slightly more comfortable and offer a bit more lateral support, but harder to get in and out of. The steering wheel is thick like the sport wheel on my X5, and has a good feel to it. The steering is variable, so at low speed it is very light and easy to turn, and it stiffens up as you pick up speed. Road feel is not as good as the X5, but is is pretty good nonetheless.

The electronics in the VW blow away the X5 (and my wife's current 2012 F10). Touch screen NAV is great! Voice commands are easy to use. Radio sounds a lot better. There is a temperature gauge, which I like. Front parking sensors are always on, so when I am parking head in, they beep when I get close to something. On the X5, The sensors only come on if you put in reverse or turn them on manually....

The VW has a spare tire, which I like. Strangely, there is no dipstick, but there is a tube present for the dipstick with a rubber stopper (instead of a dipstick), so I can order the dipstick from a 2012 model and it is compatible. Even if I don't get a dipstick, I like that the tube is there so when I do my own oil change, I can use an oil extractor. The oil filter is at the top of the engine as well.

Mirrors "auto-fold" when doors are locked, which I like.

The VW came from factory with a tow hitch that looks like it really belongs there, unlike the X5 where they have to hack away the rear bumper plastic to mount the hitch....

The VW has a 100k mile powertrain warranty, which is awesome. Also 3 years of maintenance is included...

A couple of minor things I am not crazy about. The rear windows don't roll all the way down, so 3-4 inches of glass remain visible with the windows "all the way down". The steering wheel heater does not have a button on the steering wheel, so you have to turn it on through the touchscreen NAV display...Easy to do, but not as convenient as a button on the steering wheel. I don't think the VW has a ceramic heater like the X5, so takes longer to heat up in the morning. Also, there is a fuel filler restrictor, like on the X5...

I was also thinking of waiting for the Q5 diesel, but WAY too many on the road around here (as well as X5s, Cayennes, Q7s). The Q5 is also a bit small for my needs (kids, etc), and more like the size of X3...

I don't see too many Touaregs on the road, unlike the X5, X3, Audi, Cayenne. I figure at the price point of the VW, people will more likely go for the "badge". I think the VW is a very understated, and has a lot of great features and luxuries similar to the "brands"....

In summary, I do miss my X5, but I think that the Touareg is a worthy replacement.....