2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2

When Volkswagen introduced the 2004 Touareg, it marked their belated entrance into the world of family-sized sport-utility vehicles. Still, this big, brawny beast quickly proved it had most of the right stuff, being right at home on the autobahn and the outback. But there is always room for improvement and VW is back with the 2008 Touareg 2. It doesn’t look that much different, but then looks can be deceiving.

More than just a mere mid-cycle refresh, the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 hits the road with meaningful changes outside, inside, and under the skin. Volkswagen says it has over 2,300 new parts, although most of them are found in the details.

As before, the Touareg 2 shares its basic underpinnings and generally well-proportioned shape with the more prestigious Porsche Cayenne.

The tweaked front end wears a new bumper and chrome shield grille flanked by revised headlamps with optional bi-xenon cornering lamps.

The athletic profile is punctuated by larger side mirrors with turn signals, which also neatly tuck away for tight spots thanks to a smart fold-in feature.

The restyling continues to the thickset rear.  New spoiler, lights, and exhaust tips give the Touareg a sharper look over its predecessor.

Inside, find a richly-appointed cabin with a higher-degree of craftsmanship.  The new instrument panel’s wood trim and metallic accents clearly fit an upscale SUV.

A bolder gauge cluster with an enhanced information display paves the way to a functional and modern layout. Buttons and controls look sophisticated but work more intelligently.

The redesigned seats now provide standard 12-way power for the driver. Other improvements include optional keyless entry with push button Start/Stop and adaptive cruise control.

And for true music lovers, there is a mind-blowing 10 speaker 620-watt Dynaudio sound system. High-end must-haves also include navigation and a back-up camera.

Safety comes from six airbags and a post-crash response system that unlocks doors and shuts off the fuel supply after an accident has occurred.

The rear seat makes room for three adults with optional seat heat. 

There’s also a 60/40 rear split with a flat fold feature.  Total cargo room remains a respectable 71 cubic feet through a now standard power liftgate.  But surprisingly, this SUV still lacks the availability of a third-row seat.

New engines were phased-in for ‘07.  Base is a 3.6-liter V6 with FSI direct fuel injection. Output is 280 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Even stronger is our 4.2-liter V8, also with FSI.  It delivers 350 horses, up 40, and 324 pound-feet of torque.

Also offered is a 5-liter V10 Turbo Diesel, boasting 310 horsepower and a hefty 553 pound-feet of torque. But, regardless of engine, the Touareg’s towing capacity is a strong 7,716 pounds.

Power flows through a 6-speed Tiptronic automatic and permanent 4XMOTION four-wheel drive with low range and locking center differential.

On our track our V8 Touareg galloped from 0 to 60 in a fine 6.9 seconds, almost a second faster than before, and covered the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 100 miles-per-hour.  Delivery was smooth, and the transmission eagerly rung out every ounce of power.

Despite its appearance of size, and 5,100 pound weight, the Touareg’s all-independent suspension allows for a tight and agile driving experience, especially in “Sport” mode. It charged through the corners with the utmost confidence. Standard Electronic stability control now includes rollover protection.

But as with the original, the Touareg 2’s off-road talents are just as inspiring.  Especially with our vehicle’s 4-Corner air suspension that raises and lowers the Touareg and provides up to 11.8 inches of ground clearance. 

Trail prowess is further enhanced by electronic traction control, Hill Climb and Descent Assist, and an optional rear-differential lock. The rest of the braking hardware includes 4-wheel vented discs.  While arrow-straight, stops from 60 to 0 on pavement averaged a longish 135 feet, but with minimal fade. In this test we felt the Touareg’s weight more.

Weight also contributes to low Government Fuel Economy ratings of 12 city/17 highway.  We managed a better than expected loop of 16 miles-per-gallon on premium gas.  Touareg’s Energy Impact Score is a very thirsty 24.5 barrels of oil consumed per year.

Pricing for the base V6 model starts at $40,000, while the V8 Touareg model jumps to $49,000. A 43-state legal Turbo Diesel Touareg stickers for $69,000.

The depth of improvements that Volkswagen has made with the 2008 Touareg 2 are far more obvious at first drive than first glance. Only the absence of a third-row seat option, and low fuel economy, give us pause. Still, all the new bits and pieces have gone directly into greatly enhancing this highly capable SUV.