The VW Touareg is the all-rounder in the large SUV category – the perfect combination of comfortable touring car, superior towing vehicle and authentic off-roader. Volkswagen is now launching the next Touareg generation. The flagship model is the first Volkswagen to make its debut with newly developed IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights. The interactive lighting system makes driving at night even more comfortable. Volkswagen has also upgraded the high-end interior, and the Innovision Cockpit features the latest hardware and software. A new roof load sensor and enhanced running gear systems increase the bandwidth between optimum comfort and maximum performance. With its new technologies, the Touareg is more versatile and multi-faceted than ever before. The newly designed front and rear ends mean the update is instantly recognisable. Particularly distinctive features include the LED tail light clusters – these are now designed as a light strip and feature a red illuminated Volkswagen logo.
Popular premium SUV
More than 1.13 million Touaregs have been sold so far. Imelda Labbé, Member of the Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales: “The new Touareg impresses with top quality and outstanding comfort. We have again systematically implemented the wishes of our customers in this model – sharpening the design, making operation even more intuitive, and enhancing the excellent driving characteristics. The result is a true all-rounder that will excite on-road, off-road and naturally also as a first-class towing vehicle.”
Innovation pioneer
Innovative technologies have always made their debut in the Touareg. This know-how often benefits the smaller vehicle classes, and this is also the case here. Kai Grünitz, Member of the Brand Board of Management responsible for Development: “The Touareg has always been a technology pioneer for us, allowing us to transfer new developments into other brand vehicles as part of a top-down strategy. And we are following the same approach with the new Touareg. As the first Volkswagen model, it is being launched with the newly developed HD LED matrix headlights – one of the best lighting systems in the world. More than 38,000 interactive LEDs project a light carpet exactly onto the driving lane and illuminate the road more precisely than ever before. We will soon transfer the HD LED matrix lighting system to other SUV-class models.”
Fusion of technological systems
The Volkswagen Touareg is equipped with a new roof load sensor that is closely integrated with the running gear electronics. This offers the benefit of increased agility. If a roof box is fitted, the sensor detects this and passes on the information to assist systems such as Electronic Stability Control. This system then in turn intervenes earlier to increase driving stability. In contrast, the systems allow sportier performance than before if there is no roof load. For Jochen Reichel, Head of Driving Dynamics, Steering and Control Systems, it is this interaction of all technologies that is a standout feature of the new Touareg: “Thanks to the roof load sensor, we have been able to further increase the spread between maximum comfort and optimum performance. As part of this, the enhanced coordination of the running gear and control systems ensures greater stability and precision in both dynamic and comfort-oriented driving situations. Particularly in combination with the running gear systems such as active roll compensation and all-wheel steering, the Touareg now offers even greater driving dynamics.” The Touareg’s innovative assist systems include technologies such as Travel Assist (assisted driving up to maximum speed), Area View (360-degree bird’s eye view shown on the infotainment system display to facilitate manoeuvring), Park Assist Plus with remote parking capability via app for automatically driving into and out of parking spaces (the driver can control the parking procedure from outside the vehicle), Trailer Assist (assisted manoeuvring with trailer) and Night Vision (night vision assistance).
Striking design update
The new Volkswagen Touareg can be recognised immediately by the new front and rear design. At the front, the complete unit with radiator grille and headlights and the front apron have been given a new look. Particularly striking are the IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights, which come as standard except on the basic model. With three light modules and thus three light points on each side, they create an unmistakable day and night light design. The centre horizontal strip in the radiator grille is also illuminated for the first time on the Touareg. Another unique Touareg feature is the newly designed rear, which now has a continuous horizontal LED strip for the tail light clusters and incorporates a red-illuminated Volkswagen logo for the first time (standard except for basic model).
Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains
The new Touareg will be launched in five powertrain versions. These all come with 3.0-litre V6 engines: one turbocharged petrol engine (250 kW/340 PS), two turbodiesel engines (170 kW/231 PS and 210 kW/286 PS) and two plug-in hybrid drives (V6 petrol engine plus electric drive motor). The plug-in hybrid drive of the Touareg eHybrid develops a system power of 280 kW (381 PS); on board the Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid, the system delivers an output of 340 kW (462 PS). All engines are paired as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the 4MOTION permanent all-wheel drive system.
Designed by Volkswagen R
The Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid is the independent flagship model in the product line with the most powerful powertrain. The latest generation continues a long tradition of Touareg R models with high-tech features and customised equipment. They have all been developed by Volkswagen R.
The front end
Volkswagen Design has revamped the front end of the Touareg. The whole upper radiator grille now emphasises the vehicle width even more. Particularly striking are the new IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights with three LED modules and three L-shaped LEDs for the daytime running lights, as well as the new illuminated centre horizontal strip that extends from both sides of the Volkswagen logo. The horizontal strips feature chrome applications on the Touareg Elegance and Touareg R-Line and have a stylish high-gloss black finish on the Touareg R-Line with Black Style Package and the Touareg R eHybrid. The lower air intakes are significantly larger than those on the previous Touareg and have individual designs depending on the equipment specification. This area is also finished in high-gloss black; the Elegance and R-Line specifications have additional chrome elements here.
The silhouette
Depending on equipment, the new wheel rims in the designs Coventry (19-inch, standard for R-Line), Braga (20-inch, standard for R), Napoli (21-inch) and Leeds (21-inch) immediately catch the eye in the side view. As part of the surround lighting function, the Volkswagen logo or the R symbol (Touareg R eHybrid) are now projected on to the road from the exterior mirror housings when the VW Touareg is opened and parked in darkness.
The rear end
A light bar now extends across the tailgate of the Touareg. A thin horizontal LED line is illuminated in the upper area of the light strip when the lighting is active; this line has a contrasting light colour in daytime driving mode without the headlights switched on. The same applies to the total of six L-shaped LEDs in the new tail light clusters. As the first Volkswagen produced in Europe, the new Volkswagen Touareg has a red-illuminated Volkswagen logo in combination with the IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights. This is integrated in the new horizontal LED strip of the tail light clusters. This produces a unique graphic both during the day and at night.
Intelligent light
The IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights are a technical highlight in the new Touareg and are used in a Volkswagen for the first time in the world. HD stands for high definition and refers here to a sea of extremely bright pixels generated by 38,432 micro LEDs. They illuminate the road better than ever before and thus optimise comfort and safety for the driver and passengers. There are 19,216 micro LEDs distributed on each side of the vehicle to the new triple headlights. Among other things, the matrix system optionally projects an interactive light carpet onto the lane of the premium SUV – the Lane Light. This makes driving at night even more comfortable and makes it easy to drive through narrow motorway road works in the dark because the bright light carpet follows the lane with magnet-like precision. The glare-free main beam is a further benefit of the new headlights; this continuous main beam can be left switched on outside built-up areas because the interactive LEDs make sure that the masking area for oncoming traffic and vehicles driving in front is more precise than ever before. Together with the LED tail light clusters the driver can also configure three differently animated Coming and Leaving Home lighting effects.
High-tech details
The three modules in each headlight all perform their own tasks. A bi-matrix module is located on the outside with 16 LED pixels for the surround lighting and additional main beam. The actual HD matrix module is located in the middle with 19,200 individually controllable LEDs that permit various new light functions to be realised. Located on the inside is a reflector for the static and dynamic cornering light functions and the poor weather light. All three modules generate one light point each; together with the three L-shaped LED elements for the daytime running light and the horizontal LED strip in the radiator grille that extends to under the headlights, this results in a unique light design. Also, especially in combination with the Night Vision assist system – which detects people and animals by a thermal imaging camera and shows them in the digital instruments (Digital Cockpit) and corresponding warning signals in the optional head-up display – the HD matrix lighting of the Volkswagen Touareg is one of the best lighting and night vision systems in the world. The Night Vision system also includes a marker light that briefly illuminates people in the potential danger area with a particularly bright light to make them even more visible to the driver. The combination of IQ.Light HD LED matrix headlights and Night Vision can help in earlier recognition and mitigation of dangerous situations.
Enhanced vehicle interior
The VW Touareg is equipped as standard with the Innovision Cockpit – an intuitive combination of digital instruments (Digital Cockpit, display diagonal 30.5 cm, 1,920 x 720 pixels) and the Discover Pro Max high-end infotainment system with a central touchscreen (display diagonal 38.1 cm, 1,920 x 1,020 pixels). As a ‘one-screen design’, the two displays form a continuous digital landscape on one viewing and operating axis. Among other things, the Innovision Cockpit now offers lane-level navigation and high-resolution HD map data. The voice control system of the Touareg is also based on a new development level. App integration via smartphone and App Connect (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto) can now also take place wirelessly. Volkswagen has upgraded the buttons and the thumb wheel for volume control in the centre console – they are now finished in high-gloss black. In addition, Volkswagen has redesigned the illuminated trims in the dash panel and added the Touareg logo as a finishing touch.
Higher charging capacity for laptops and other equipment
New USB-C connections with a charging capacity of 45 watts (previously 15 watts) permit fast charging of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops. The optional cockpit features include a powerful 730-watt Dynaudio sound system and a head-up display (virtual screen size: 217 x 88 mm).
Ideal for long distances
The Volkswagen Touareg is designed for high driving comfort. Its high quality standard has been enhanced on the basis of customer feedback and a number of details adapted. For example, the top sections of the interior door panels now have attractive double decorative seams. The side trims of the centre console are now made of a haptically enhanced foamed material and have double seams; the contact surfaces for the knees are therefore softer.
New running gear generation
The running gear of the VW Touareg is based on a new development level. Among other things, a roof load sensor is now used that is closely integrated with the vehicle electronics. This makes it possible to transfer higher transverse forces and thus increase road agility in interaction with the control systems and running gear hardware. The standard steel spring running gear and the optional air suspension running gear have also been technically modified. Both comfort and agility have been raised to a new level thanks to the use of new running gear components and a revamped control system setup. New, optional 21-inch performance tyres further improve handling and braking characteristics.
On-road and off-road profiles
Using the button for driving profile selection in the centre console, the driver can select a wide range of on-road and off-road profiles and individually control the parameters for the automatic gearbox, automatic air conditioner, steering, optional air suspension, engine responsiveness and many assist systems. Depending on the version, the Touareg is again available with innovative running gear systems such as active roll compensation (adaptive running gear) and all-wheel steering.
