Following a long teasing campaign, VW has finally pulled the wraps off the all-new, third-generation Touareg during a special event in Beijing, China.
The new VW Touareg adopts a sleeker styling, moving away from the off-road character of its predecessors. Despite being built on the same MLB architecture used by the Porsche Cayenne, VW claims that the only exterior part the new Touareg shares with the Porsche is the front windscreen.
VW’s new flagship SUV now measures 4878mm long, 77mm more than the outgoing model. Width is now 1984mm (+44mm) and height is 1702mm (-7mm). The new platform and body also helps in making the new Touareg 106kg lighter than its predecessor.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the new Touareg is its interior, which VW calls Innovision Cockpit. The dashboard now features a 15-inch(!) touchscreen display merged under a single glass surface with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster. Some switches and knobs are retained for the frequently used functions, but otherwise it’s all screen.
The chassis features active roll bars for better ride quality and better dynamics on the road, while VW also offer an air suspension as an option. The all-wheel drive system comes with a lockable center differential and five standard drive modes, with the optional off-road package adding a further four driving modes, while rear-wheel steering is standard.
The engine range will include petrol, diesel and eventually plug-in hybrid powertrains, all mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The sole petrol available at launch is a 3.0-liter V6 with 335hp and 332lb-ft of torque. Diesel engines include a 3.0-liter V6 offered in 228hp and 282hp versions, with VW to add a range-topping 4.0-liter V8 that produces 417hp and 664lb-ft of peak torque. A plug-in hybrid powertrain with 362hp and 58km (36 miles) of EV range will arrive in late 2019 in China, with VW not announcing a debut date for Europe just yet.
The new VW Touareg also features new LED Matrix headlights, traffic jam assist, lane keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, a night vision camera and more safety and driver assist systems.
Sales of the all-new, third-generation Touareg in Europe are expected to start this summer, with prices expected to be increased due to the significant boost in on-board technologies and more premium market placement. However, VW reportedly doesn’t plan to offer its new full-size SUV in North America, so customers will have to make do with the Atlas that’ll soon get a sportier-looking, 5-seat version that will be unveiled next week at the New York Auto Show.
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