Volkswagen Touareg gets a new engine and a price cut

A drop in power means a drop in price to £48,995

Volkswagen Touareg 231PS 3.0 V6 TDIWe recently reviewed the new Volkswagen Touareg and found it a hugely appealing luxury SUV for those with upwards of £50,000 to spend. Now, those who have less than £50k can also get a look-in, thanks to the launch of a new variant.

Joining the Touareg range is a lower-power 231hp version of the 3.0-litre TDI V6 turbodiesel, which sits below the 286hp launch model.

It is priced from £48,995 in base SEL guise, instead of £51,595. The 231hp version still gets an eight-speed tiptronic auto though, and both 4Motion all-wheel drive and a limited slip differential. Even the engine’s basically the same, albeit detuned. 

Volkswagen Touareg 231PS 3.0 V6 TDI

Performance takes a bit of a hit: 0-62mph takes 7.5 seconds instead of a near hot hatch-like 6.1 seconds; the top speed is 135mph instead of 145mph.

Economy is no better either: the power-capped 231hp still averages 42.8mpg and emits 173g/km CO2.

Its power is better-spread, though. 231hp is produced from 3,250-4,750rpm; the 286hp version’s peak is restricted to 3,500-4,000rpm. Pulling power of 369lb ft is generated from 1,750-3,000rpm; the 286hp’s peak torque kicks in from 2,250-3,250rpm.

It retains the same 3.5-tonne towing weight as well.

Volkswagen Touareg 231PS 3.0 V6 TDI

The cheaper new Touareg gets the same comprehensive haul of equipment as the higher-power model, and is also still offered in R-Line guise for £52,495 and prime R-Line Tech for £55,595. The latter has the Innovision Cockpit layout that so impressed us during our model review.

Ordering for the 231hp Touareg is open now; if even a second diesel choice is one diesel too many for you, fear not – a turbo petrol alternative is coming later in the year. But don’t expect the fuel economy of that one to match the diesels…

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror and Steering Committee director for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

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