Short Take Road Test
The Volkswagen Touareg TDI eclipses the fuel economy of other Touaregs without compromising drivability. Volkswagen has a longer and deeper history with diesel in the U.S. than perhaps any automaker beyond Mercedes-Benz, and maybe Freightliner, and the experience shows. The Touareg’s 3.0-liter TDI V-6—while smaller than the gas-fired 3.6-liter V-6 in the base ’Reg—is barely slower and decimates the gas engine’s fuel economy numbers. EPA ratings for the gas V-6 are 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway, while the TDI is rated at 17/25. We achieved 21 mpg combined over the duration of our two-week test, and on a 40-mile, 75-mph highway loop, we saw an indicated 25 mpg on the onboard computer. In vehicles other than diesels, actually achieving the EPA’s highway rating requires traveling well below real-world interstate speeds.
It is Slower, but Would You Notice?
Like the diesel Honda CR-V we recently drove, the diesel Touareg returns comparable performance to the similar gas engine. Zero to 60 mph takes 7.9 seconds in the TDI—just 0.3 second longer than the base V-6 Touareg—and the quarter-mile passes in 16.1 at 84 mph, again only 0.3 second and 3 mph slower than the base engine.
With the test gear turned off, though, the diesel is completely transparent. Forced into the driver’s seat for a guerilla test drive, most people wouldn’t have a clue they were driving a diesel. Unlike smaller diesels that rely heavily on turbo pressure for power, the TDI V-6 suffers from minimal lag. Power delivery is smooth and consistent, although there is a slight tapering of pull as the tach sweeps beyond 3000 rpm.
We also noted a hesitation when starting from rest that seems to be due more to an oddly calibrated throttle than anything else, and a hefty prod of the pedal followed by quick feathering will get the vehicle moving quickly without a sudden jerk. We experienced a similar delay in passing maneuvers, but attributed that to the transmission being slow to kick down.
What’s Important to You?
We keep mentioning the gas V-6 Touareg because, although the TDI gets 25-percent better fuel economy, it costs $3500 more than the gas vehicle. (Outfitted with just one option—the Luxury Plus/Technology package—our Touareg ballooned from $43,550 to $52,500.) As a strictly logical decision, it doesn’t make much sense, since the number of miles you’d have to drive to recoup that premium likely is longer than most owners keep their vehicles, even when factoring in the $1150 tax credit offered by the federal government. But ask hybrid owners: it’s not about saving money—it’s about the fuel economy. And the Touareg TDI’s is pretty impressive.
