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Too bad the Touareg. Struggling to defend their nomadic way of life, these North African peoples saw in the Arab Spring of the early 2010s the opportunity to claim a certain independence in a region of northern Mali.
The rebellion did not start earlier than in 2012 unsavory fellow travelers in the form of Ansar Dine, an al Qaeda alien, and a pinch of members of the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram. At the end of the year, the Tuaregs were doing business with the Malian government and the French peacekeeping troops to help them repel their former rebel colleagues. The Tuaregs are struggling to survive in a world of technology, jihadist militants and post-colonial border controls.
It is sad to note that the unfortunate – whose name is an Arabic term meaning abandoned by God – should have inspired Volkswagen. first real foray into the ranks of SUV. Baptized in the honor of these wandering North Africans, the Touareg has had a rocky history in terms of sales
Whatever the Tuareg are abandoned by God, the Touareg seems to have been hampered by VW
. While the years of Celtic Tiger were good for the model, when the recession bit, she bit hard.
The only thing that saved was a commercial variant that turned out to be very popular among Irish buyers. just when they went shopping for a new car. As a commercial, she has benefited from significant tax savings, both in terms of initial price and annual vehicle tax.
Take the example of 2016: 495 Touareg Commercials were registered in the Republic, against only five pbadenger variants. Among the commercials, 218 were recorded in Dublin, where a large 4×4 off-road is a must for the agricultural community of the city. The trend continued last year, where 413 advertisements were registered against only three pbadenger versions. Whatever the format, the sales were undoubtedly welcomed at the head office of Volkswagen Ireland. Unfortunately for the company, however, the changes in tax policy on commercials means that the new Touareg will not qualify for commercial status – and tax benefits – so that the smart SUV is confined to the pbadenger market.
] As to further reduce his chances, VW decided that the car would only have five seats, which would remove it from the shopping list of a large number of well-heeled family buyers. It's a shame because the car itself is a luxury liner, far exceeding its weight in terms of refinement and comfort, the reason why Volkswagen is generally considered a near premium brand. It's more than just a facelift. The new VW is longer and wider than the last generation, and although it bears the same general profile, there are several warning signs that it is the last and largest Touareg on the road – notably the long, dominant chrome grille. Under the metal, engineers achieved impressive weight savings, dropping an average of 106 kg of Touareg.
Needless to say, it is an appropriate SUV, with permanent four-wheel drive and the awesome double-clutch eight-speed business. DSG transmission. Perhaps as proof of the fact that this car is off-road, VW did not take us through muddy fields during the press campaign, a feature of many launches by car companies wanting to claim their new crossovers. on stilts (although that's exactly what they are).
In terms of mechanics, the obvious option for Irish buyers will be the 3-liter diesel V6, developing 286 horsepower, although a diesel V8 is in the German plan product. However, with emissions of 182g / km for the V6 – and an annual bill of 750 € – few will find the need or justification to opt for the bigger diesel.
Over several hundred kilometers – here and at the original launch – we have established that the Touareg is fun to drive. Maybe 300 horsepower is not enough to make it a sprinter, but it remains no less amazingly refined and sweet. There is a certain degree of bodyroll, but nothing that one can expect from a car of this size, and it hangs well in turns.
Engaging
Compared to the Volvo XC90, the steering is far more endearing, while it also feels more premium and polished than the Land Rover. Quite simply, it's a better car to drive.
This is the kind of SUV that suits a cream leather trim rather than resistant plastics. The new Touareg is also a kind of mobile techfest. As with the recently launched flagship Arteon sedan, you can effectively control the Touareg on most trips with just your left thumb. Engage the active cruise with traffic jam badistance and all you need to do is point the car in the right direction – even if it helps the track maintenance badistance system – and speed up or slow down using the rocker switch on the steering wheel
a trip to the west, we encountered a problem with the system, however. Given the time we spent on the M4 and M6, I thought I was either asleep or playing Fortnite on my phone. The initial warnings for "putting your hands on the wheel" were ignored, but after a few warning beeps, the system applied a little braking, shaking the car and its so-called occupants of our sleep. Basically, that meant that from time to time the alert would come up on the dashboard, forcing me to move the steering wheel to prove to the car that I was still composing and paying attention. It's easy to see how this could quickly begin to irritate an owner.
The big topic of discussion, however, for everyone who sat in the test car was the huge touch screens. Similar to what Mercedes has done with its luxury cars, VW has combined two large screens to give a true panoramic feel to the center console. It's also very intuitive for anyone with even a pbading knowledge of tablets. Simply swipe, scroll and pinch the various elements of the screen to control the infotainment system and heated seats.
The distraction factor of these tactile commands for drivers is under discussion. It got the right mix in terms of switching commands and touch elements here, and most of the important features can be exploited via switches on the steering wheel
There is still a lot of digibabble in play in the car interiors and applications. We have to wait a few more moments before settling on a number of features that are really useful to motorists, rather than being content with a simple facade.
The Touareg is considered the flagship of VW. Yet without a third row of seats, he flies at half-mast. Being only a five-seater car will cripple its sales potential, against seven-seater rivals like the XC90, Discovery or even its cousin the Audi Q7.
Still, not everything is lost for VW. They have an alternative in their line-up of the US market that could surely solve its situation of seven places here: the VW Atlas. This is a replica of the Touareg in all but size. It is really huge and the seven seats provide comfort and space for adults, but with limited luggage if all are used. Unfortunately, it is only sold in gasoline for the moment
Impressive beast
A recent trip to the United States gave me the chance to try the Atlas and it's an awesome beast. It is relatively easy to handle, and the cabin is like a mobile living room. The ride is not as good as the Touareg, but it could rectify for Europe, just like the range of engines. Every moment spent with him supported two impressions: if they could get the right price, then the Atlas would surely find a ready audience among well-off Irish families.
For now, the Touareg offers refinement, comfort and, frankly, it's less brazen than its rivals, which is good for those looking for some subtlety in their SUVs.
I am afraid, however, that with a relatively high tax rate, and contrary to more general trends in the industry, fate for Tuareg, struggling to make itself relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Low-off: VW Touareg 3.0 Line TDI R
Price: € 84,970 (from € 78,995)
Engine: V6 diesel 2967cc matched to the 8-speed DSG automatic transmission extinguishing 286bhp
Issues (Vehicle tax): 182g / km (1965 €)
Verdict: SUV refined and comfortable paralyzed by the The absence of a third row favorable to the family of seats
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