Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
MSRP: $60,565
Estimated MPG: 20 city / 24 highway
Class: Full-size SUV
The Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, like its gasoline-only and diesel counterparts, is part of a second generation of the Touareg line. As such, the SUV is lighter and quieter than previous Touareg models, with Volkswagen having shaved over 400 pounds off of the new Touareg Hybrid. This helps give the SUV more power and better fuel economy.
The VW Touareg Hybrid does not get by on looks alone. The drivetrain bundles a 333 horsepower, 3.0 liter supercharged V6 engine (the same one used in Audi S4) with a 47 horsepower electric motor. The combined output is between 375 hp and 380 hp. Motor Trend reported that the SUV hybrid offered impressive engine power (425 pound-feet of torque), “making it the most powerful drivetrain offered in the new Touareg.” As such, the Touareg Hybrid has a towing capacity of 7700 pounds.
The SUV comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all wheel-drive is standard. For fuel economy, this SUV hybrid gets about 28.7 mpg combined city/highway. Volkswagen says the Touareg Hybrid offers 0-to-62-mph time of 6.5 seconds and a 149 mph top speed. The Touareg Hybrid can also run at speeds up to 31 mph in battery-only mode.
Driving performance with the Touareg Hybrid is enhanced through the use of technology and a selective driving mode. To corner better, the SUV uses Adaptive Roll Compensation technology, and a Sports Mode helps to make the SUV more responsive to the driver’s actions. Much of the vehicle’s platform is shared with the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, which helps to give it additional performance cred.
The Touareg will be offered in 12 feature package combinations. While this number may seem high (and confusing), it is significantly less than the roughly 170 combinations offered on the previous generation Touareg line.