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spyderdoc 10-28-2012 03:25 PM

Touareg
 
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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.....

blondboinsd 10-28-2012 04:03 PM

Looks Nice. I had a 2008 VR6 and I enjoyed it but ultimately came back to the X5 for it's handling and tech options (HUD etc.) but I see a ton of Tregs here in OC so they seem to be increasing in popularity. My huge issue with the Treg's free services is that they don't cover the brakes etc etc

ard 10-28-2012 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyderdoc (Post 904255)
.... There is a temperature gauge, which I like. .

Oh, now there you go..rubbing our noses in it!!!

:thumbup:


Enjoy

A

zx45 10-28-2012 06:49 PM

Exellent choice i remind sitting in an 012 Touareg at last year car show, i have been really impress by the richness of the cabin and the overall quality of it. I think the Touareg did not get the credit it should have. Congrats and enjoy.

perryX5 10-28-2012 07:15 PM

Touregs are so unappreciated people usually forget them but for those that have driven one a couple of times it's a well executed German SUV at a pretty reasonable price. Enjoy the new wheels.

rh71 10-28-2012 07:37 PM

sounds nice, the only thing I wouldn't like is the U-shaped DRLs. ;)

Also post back about reliability in the long term - I think they are below BMW on the JD Power list. And we all know how quirky BMWs are already.

Suge206 10-29-2012 01:32 AM

i just came from a treg . it was underpowered with v6 and didnt have nav or even an aux in but i still really liked it. it was an early 04 but was pretty much trouble free. it was a beast in the snow, really comfortable, and i always thought the interior was really solid. overtime the underpower and lack of nav bugged me more and more so I jumped to an e70.

bimmerman11 10-29-2012 12:47 PM

I hope you don't hear any rattles.

alexmish 10-29-2012 01:19 PM

Good review, thanks. Debating myself if I should go for Treg, as I drive a lot and larger tank and better fuel economy look very attractive. I do hate light steering, but will need to re-evaluate again!

How are breakes? One thing (out of many) I like about X5 (and any other bimmer for that matter) is huge brake disks, and stopping-on-dime ability. Saved me from a few accidents for sure!

spyderdoc 10-29-2012 02:33 PM

Thanks for all the replies. The brakes are excellent, on par with the X5. Does not make nearly as much brake dust.

I forgot to mention that the 8-speed transmission is very smooth and does not shift around a lot trying to find the right gear while cruising. Perhaps shifts a bit more than the X5 when going up a hill. I think the strong diesel motor keeps it from shifting a bunch, similar to the X5.

VW does not have as much throttle lag as the X5 when starting from a dead stop.

The VW does not have auto-hold button, which I really miss since I used it a lot on my X5.


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