Introduction
What Car? says...
The Volkswagen Touareg R is proof that sports SUVs are changing – and fast. They used to be all about effortless speed, built to get a well-heeled family plus ski gear to the Alps as quickly as possible.
Now, though, selling a new sports SUV on performance figures alone simply isn’t going to cut it. With many cities introducing increasingly strict emissions regulations and public attitudes towards ‘gas-guzzling’ vehicles changing, manufacturers are being forced to rethink the fast sport utility vehicle blueprint. Enter stage right the Touareg R, the hot 'VW R' sub brand’s first hybrid model.
The Volkswagen Group family ties continue with the four-wheel drive system, which is engineered by Audi, but the Touareg R does at least look very different to its cousins. The R model builds on the handsome lines of the regular Touareg with big 22in wheels, an R-specific body-kit, twin tailpipes and a plethora of R badges.
Over the next few pages, this VW Touareg R review will tell you how it stacks up against its closest rivals, so just head to the next page to start reading. Whichever sports SUV – or indeed any other make or model of car – you do decide to buy, remember that you can potentially save yourself a handsome pile of cash by using our New Car Buying service.
