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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 21, 2010 · 20 Volkswagen had hoped the 3.0­litre turbocharged V6 TDI engine would help sluggish sales of the midsize Touareg sport ute. In the first six months of this year, about 90 per cent of the 437 Touaregs sold were diesels. Bulk of Touareg sales are clean diesel models Continued from page 17 With the Technology Package comes a touch screen satellite navigation system with 30 GB hard drive, rear view camera, media device interface with iPod connectivity, 600 watt, 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system and multi-function instrumentation display. The Sport Package, which is new for 2010, includes 20-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension, silver roof rails and an exterior body package. I'm not a big SUV fan, but I've always liked the look of the Touareg. My tester was dressed in a very nice Shadow Blue Metallic paint colour that was particularly striking, helped in part by the big 20-inch wheels. Inside was beige leatherette upholstery and trim that also gave it a luxurious appearance. However, if I had to live with it every day, I imagine it would be a chore keeping it clean. This is a big truck weighing in at 2,332 kg (5,100 lb) that doesn't feel its size. The TDI engine gets you up to speed nicely and there's little of that diesel clatter that was so prevalent in older diesel engines. It's a little noisier at start up but that's about the only time you notice it. In fact, after nearly a week with it, my wife still wasn't aware we were driving a diesel until I had to fill it up. In my area, diesel fuel is readily available and outside of the smell when you fill the tank, there's little to dissuade people from buying a diesel these days. The turbocharged V6 diesel has only 225 hp, but the 406 lf/ft of torque is what makes the engine so formidable. It will tow up to 3,500 kg and would be an ideal boat- or camper trailer-hauler with its 4MOTION fulltime all-wheel drive. The roads were perfectly dry during my week-long test drive, but having driven an earlier Touareg in snowy conditions, I'm confident this was also make a great vehicle for trips into ski country. With seating for five, the front buckets are very comfortable and with easy access to both front and rear seats. The cabin is incredibly quiet for a diesel and the ride, thanks to the four-wheel independent suspension is fairly soft for a mid-size SUV that also has very good off-road capabilities. Volkswagen bills its TDI as one of the cleanest diesels on the planet thanks to its ability to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 per cent. To do this, a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalytic converter is used. The oxidation catalytic converter and a particulate filter are integrated into the emissions system. A solution called AdBlue is then injected into the system to treat the exhaust. It is made up of water and urea and has to be replenished by the dealer every 15,000 km although actual usage will vary depending upon on hard you push the vehicle. If the vehicle runs out of AdBlue you won't be able to start it so Touareg owners can buy small containers of it to top up the 16.5-litre tank under the spare tire, if needed. Three warnings are given to drivers to alert them that the AdBlue level is low. Sport utility vehicle sales have been declining as more and more people move into crossovers. But there are still those who need and want an SUV and for them the dieselpowered Volkswagen Touareg is certainly one to look at.