Volkswagen Touareg

Overview: Freshened for 2015, the Touareg is Volkswagen’s mid-size—and largest—crossover SUV, a five-seater with luxury aspirations. With a price range that opens in the mid-$40,000 range and culminates close to $70,000, it lies beyond more mainstream two-row offerings such as the Ford Edge, Kia Sorento, Nissan Murano, and Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. But handsome appointments, a roomy interior, refined road manners, and all-around usefulness give it strong appeal nevertheless.

The Touareg’s three engine options carry over from 2014. VW’s unique 3.6-liter narrow-angle VR6 is standard, its 280 horsepower providing adequate propulsion in this 4700-pound rig. Options are a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6, serving up 406 lb-ft of torque, and a hybrid that combines a 333-hp supercharged 3.0-liter gasoline V-6 with a 47-hp electric motor. Total output for the hybrid is 380 horsepower and 428 lb-ft, making it the quickest of the trio. But the diesel is the fuel-economy champ, according to the EPA, at 20 mpg city and 29 highway (we averaged 27 mpg in the TDI driven for this review). The hybrid is rated at 20/24 mpg. In all cases, an eight-speed automatic transmission does the shifting, four-wheel drive is standard, and the vehicle can tow up to 7700 pounds.

What’s New: It takes a keen eye to distinguish the 2015 Touareg from its 2014 predecessor. The major clue is a new four-bar grille. Less obvious: more bright trim, revised lighting (standard bixenon headlamps and LED taillamps), an updated rear fascia with triangular exhaust tips, new wheel designs (18-, 19-, and 20-inch), and some new colors. Inside, there are upgrades to materials and lighting as well as to the available (and tasteful) wood trim. VW has added several driver aids, including blind-spot detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and precollision automatic braking.

What We Like: The Touareg TDI prevailed in a 2013 comparo against a distinguished field of diesel-powered rivals (BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes-Benz ML350, Porsche Cayenne), emerging as being good at everything without excelling in any particular area. This is among the very quietest of VW’s diesel-powered offerings, and it gets off the line with respectable zeal (although if speed is your objective diesels are not the answer). The eight-speed automatic is smooth, the hydraulic power steering is quick and tactile, the unibody is solid, and the dynamics are a blend of Teutonic agility tempered by real-world compliance.

What We Don’t Like: We give the Touareg’s eight-speed automatic credit for having a manual mode, but this is achieved by waggling the shifter—paddles are conspicuous by their absence. The eight-speed is essentially seamless in fully automatic operation, but one or two trials with the manual mode are likely to be enough for most owners. Responses are languid and not very satisfying. Also, while brake-pedal feel is good, stopping distances with the standard all-season rubber are lengthy. A bigger issue is the pricing—from $45,615 for the VR6, $53,155 for the TDI, and $67,905 for the hybrid—which seems pretty ambitious.

Verdict: The Touareg is among the best vehicles in VW’s entire lineup, although the pricing is high enough to make you understand why it isn’t the bestselling.