By Kevin Harrison

My nephew has just marked his sixth month on this earth and he has got to be one of the most entertaining babies around.  A mere tap on the glass of the window will have him laughing in stitches. He seems to have an extreme fascination with place mats and whenever you present him with his favourite glow-worm, he becomes more hypnotized than a young girl at a Justin Bieber concert.

Trying to feed him, however, can be a bit of a challenge. It’s quite clear that the little guy just does not like his apple puree. And trying to trick him to open his mouth by making him laugh with some window tapping doesn’t work either because he then proceeds to just laugh with his mouth closed. Smart kid.

There can be quite frustrating challenges in the automotive industry as well. For instance making an efficient SUV is just as difficult as feeding apples to my nephew. You’ve got a vehicle that’s inherently heavy shaped like a drag producing box with a need for a powerful engine. Not the best recipe for efficiency indeed.

But that doesn’t stop automakers from trying. Volkswagen introduced their first ever SUV in 2005 and it took them until them three years to figure out how to make the Touareg more efficient. The TDI was then born, back in a time when diesel engine technology, for some reason, still left a sour taste in peoples mouths despite the advances in technology to make them cleaner, quieter and more efficient.

The Touareg TDI is back again for this second generation, but it actually faces some stiff competition, from its German peers, of which I thought bested the previous generation iteration of the Touareg TDI.

Is this version a more credible contender?

Firstly, the Touareg is much improved in terms of the interior over the 2010 Touareg TDI. While the previous generation was quite comfortable with high quality materials, this new interior is much cleaner, refined and logical. There’s no mistaking the 2011 Touareg TDI for anything but a premium vehicle once you step inside. The rear seats offer plenty of legroom and will fit three full-sized adults quite comfortably thanks in part to the reclining bench back there. The cabin is opened up nicely by a panorama sunroof. The rear seats don’t quite fold flat, but it still offers plenty of cargo room to swallow up mostly anything you challenge it to. The 12-speaker system is spot-on and as is the navigation.

Outside, the Touareg’s look has been softened in my opinion, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The large twin-spoked 20 inch wheels along with a sleek profile and horseshoe shaped LED daytime running helps definitely help the Touareg to stand out in a good way. It’s a classy look typical of most German designs which captures attention in a graceful, elegant way. Many American and Japanese designers could learn from this simplistic design language.

Power is generated by a 3.0 litre V6 turbo-diesel and makes 225 horsepower and a whopping 406 pound feet of torque. The torque is really the part of the recipe that gets this 5100 pound mid-size SUV off the line in an impressive 6.8 seconds. Torque thankfully chimes in at around 2,000 RPM and boy is it ever a head-snapper. When putting your foot to the floor, there’s no question that the Touareg TDI feels fast.  But perhaps the more impressive thing about this engine is what it does when you are waiting at a red light. The engine is dead quiet. No diesel clatter, not ear bleeding loudness. Nothing. When the light turns green, it feels and sounds as if you’re driving a regular gas engine V6. Even when you try to test that 6.8 second run to 100, there’s still no audible indication that you’re driving a diesel, in fact, there were more than a few occasions when I just plain forgot about it. From inside the cabin there’s no noise intrusion, it’s not until you roll down the window and push the Touareg TDI a little harder that the diesel noise becomes prevalent, and even then it’s not that bad.

The Touareg TDI is rated at 11.1 L/100 kms city and 7.0 L/100 kms highway. I got a combined rating of around 9.7 L/100 kms. Not bad at all considering you can get similar levels of efficiency from a Honda Accord which isn’t nearly as versatile.

Handling is good, but that’s relative. It’s good considering how high off the ground it is and how heavy it is, but don’t expect to set any records in the Nurburgring. The 4motion all-wheel drive system does a good job of keeping the Tourareg TDI planted. The large wheels and low-profile tires likely play a role here as well. The heavy diesel engine produces a bit of understand and can be nose heavy under heavy braking, but overall it feels composed. I never had the chance to try out the Touareg’s handling abilities, but making the Touareg off-road ready is as simple as switching a dial on the console from on-road to off-road.

One feature I really liked was the ‘auto-hold’ feature which does as the name suggests. Whenever I came to a stop on going up a hill, this feature did a great job of preventing the Touareg from slipping backwards when taking your foot off the brake. In fact, I used it in regular traffic as well. In a manual transmission car you can take your foot off the brake without rolling forward, but in an automatic, you can’t. This feature allows your right foot a bit of a brake in between stops. There were a few instances when it seemed as though the auto-hold was hesitant to release the Touareg once you stepped on the gas, however.

Faults? Well, sometimes the touch screen doesn’t respond to commands. And I still find the dial typical of all VW’s difficult to get the sunroof to get what you want it to do. And I prefer a bit heavier steering. And I’m not a fan of rear turn signals that don’t flash amber. As you can plainly see, I’m reaching to find a whole lot wrong with the Touareg TDI.

And here’s the thing. The biggest advantage of the TDI is obviously fuel efficiency, but its inherent torque-y-ness makes combined with good handling makes it quite an entertaining drive as well. It seems as though Volkswagen has been able to achieve the impossible task. I should hire them to feed my nephew.

It terms of its competition, I can now confidently say it’s up there. While the BMW X5 diesel may have an edge in styling and handling, the Touareg TDI is a no brainer against its porkier and more expensive Audi Q7 diesel as well as the much forgotten Mercedes-Benz ML diesel. The Porsche Cayenne on which it is based also has a diesel version, but its safe to assume the Touareg isn’t even close to being in the same league. All in all, however, the Touareg TDI is definitely worth a spot on you car shopping list.

Base Price: $63,135

Pros:

• Good gas mileage considering size and weight
• Capable handling abilities
• Classy, comfortable interior
• Rear cargo and leg room
• Torque-y TDI engine, strong ability off the line
• Easy to use navigation

Cons:

• Fussy touch screen
• Softened exterior styling
• Tire/wheel set up makes actual off-roading difficult
• Steering a bit too light

Overall: 9/10

Lexus actually names the Audi A3, the Mercedes-Benz B-Series, the Volvo C30 and the BMW 1-series as the CT 200h’s main competitors. In my opinion, the only one on that list is actually comparable is the Audi A3 and even then only with the TDI engine. They’re both 5 door premium hatchbacks built for efficiency.

And now it has even less in common with those players as the price is significantly cheaper than all of them and on par with the C30. It will start at $30,950.

So since the A3 TDI is the most comparable vehicle, let’s see how they stack up.

The A3 TDI starts at around $35,000 so it’s about 4 grand more. But it gets better efficiency on the highway than the CT 200h, 4.6 L/100 kms and 4.8 L/100 kms respectively. But the CT 200h beats the A3 TDI with its city rating at 4.5 L/100 kms. The A3 gets a still respectable 6.7 in the city.

How the CT 200h drives remains to be seen, but the A3 sets the bar quite high as it is, even though it suffers from under steer as I found out in a test drive.

Which would you take?

[Lexus Canada]

By Kevin Harrison

Have you ever really liked something that was really popular, then all of a sudden people decided it wasn’t cool anymore? For instance, I like sweater vests. Believe me, I know they are terribly uncool, but the fact of the matter is, they really aren’t uncool. If you haven’t noticed, old men wear sweater vests and old men have completely fresh style. Think about it. Most old men are married and have been for a long time. How many single old men do you know? Exactly. I guarantee you their old man clothes had something to do with getting them a woman.

The same thing could be argued for wagons. I mean they used to be cool, but now, where are all the wagons? They’ve all turned into stupid useless SUV’s. As a result, wagons are seen as uncool and I really don’t understand that either. Going back to my old man analogy, how many old men to do you see in Hummers, Navigators, or even Explorers? Yet think of what old men typically drive. Cadillacs and Buick’s of course, but if they’re a bit more adventurous, they all get wagons. And on top of that, they always have a woman in the passenger seat. Wagons therefore = cool. On the flip side, How many douchebags do you see in SUV’s blasting questionable music with absolutely no girls in the car? See my point?

There are still a few automakers that are smart enough to get this. Volvo and Subaru are the ones that usually come to mind when you think of wagons, but Volkswagen should be considered as well. They’ve had the Passat wagon going for decades (and is still going strong) and they smartly introduced the Jetta wagon in the early 2000′s. It has since turned into the Golf wagon. It should also be noted that the Golf wagon name is just for Canadians. In the States, they still call in the Jetta wagon. That’s probably inaccurate now that it has a Golf front facia. Once again, Canada does it right.

But the bigger question is, does it actually do what a good wagon should?

First things first, does it look good? A big reason people don’t buy wagons is because they don’t think it’s cool enough, which largely has to do with how it looks. Luckily, the Golf wagon looks pretty slick, especially with the new Golf front end. That said, like an SUV and a minivan, there’s only so much you can do with its styling. I think a refresh of the rear end should have been in order, but otherwise the Golf wagon keeps a “sport wagon” styling theme throughout. You can even get optional 5 spoke 18 inch wheels which really bring out the look.

So, it looks good, but does that come at the expense of versatility and functionality – the marque of any good wagon. Well, no. Not at all. With 32.6 cubic feet with the seats up, the Golf wagon has more cargo space than the Matrix, the Elantra Touring, the Impreza hatchback, the Lancer sportback, the Chevy HHR, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Jeep Patriot. The Golf wagon also humiliates a lot of compact SUV’s for cargo space including its own sibling the Tiguan. That’s because, with the rear seats down (which fold flat by the way), the Golf Wagon can swallow a massive 60 cubic feet worth of stuff. It used to be with the old Jetta wagon, you had to remove the rear headrests if you wanted a perfectly flat surface, but now you can keep the headrests in place to fold the seats.

The news for the interior is also good up front where typical VW fit and finish can be found with soft touch materials and a relatively easy layout. One gripe though is the sunroof. All VW’s use a dial to operate the large panoramic sunroof located above the rear view mirror. Since it is an unconventional way of operating the sunroof, it definitely takes some getting used to. As a result, you find yourself looking up at the dial to find the placement you want, which of course takes your eyes off the road. Granted this may be something you would get used to, but being different for the sake of being different is a bit annoying and in this case, a bit unsafe. The steering wheel has controls for the audio system, bluetooth and the multifunctional information screen which ensures your eyes don’t leave the road more than they already have. The dials for the heated seats are difficult to use, I can only imagine how much worse they’d be with a glove hand.

Driving dynamics are good. The Golf wagon doesn’t have an overly firm suspension, but it is firm enough to invite confidence for more spirited driving as well. As was the case with the Audi A3 TDI that I tested earlier, the Golf Wagon suffers a tad from under steer thanks to the large diesel engine. That combined with the front wheel drive system means lots of weight in the front end making it nose heavy. Still, with its general low centre of gravity and the fully independent suspension, the Golf wagon much more nimble in the corners than its compact SUV counterparts. However, being longer and heavier than the Golf hatchback, it’s not quite as good.

The Golf wagon uses the same 2.0 litre 4. cylinder engine from the Jetta TDI I also tested a while back. It makes 140 horsepower and a healthy 236 pound feet of torque. When mated with my tester’s standard six speed manual (kudos to VW for offering a manual transmission), which replaces the five speed manual from last year, you definitely will not be left behind when the light turns green. That’s because the torque kicks in at just 1750 rpms. The only thing is though, when you push the engine hard, it reminds you that it is in fact a diesel. At normal speeds, the engine is excellently quiet. Volkswagen has gone to great lengths to deaden the sound of their diesel and they’ve done an excellent job.

But the main reason why anyone buys a diesel is because of its efficiency. I’m quite fond of this unit because it blends performance with efficiency nicely (not to mention you don’t need to sacrifice a manual transmission if your main concern is efficiency like 99% of hybrids out there). The Golf wagon TDI is rated at 4.6 L/100 kms highway and 6.7 L/100 kms city when equipped with the manual. If you opt for an automatic, you take a bit of a penalty is the auto returns 4.9 highway and 7.0 city. Obviously the Golf Wagon TDI is more suited to longer highway trips.

So the Golf Wagon is pretty much the only compact wagon you can buy these days. At least, the only one you can buy on the cheap. And of course, cheap is relative since this particular model was optioned all the way out to $33,000. What’s it’s direct competition? Well, you could say all those hatches and crossovers mentioned in the review, but none of them are true wagons. Therefore I’d venture to say the Volvo V50 is the Golf wagon’s true competition.

But let’s hope the Golf wagon sticks around and that the emergence of all these crossover SUV’s don’t kill it off. In a way the Golf wagon has an advantage of being almost the only wagon standing in its segment. But is being alone really all that cool? Damn right it is. It will only become uncool when old men stop buying it.

Price as tested: $33,230

Pros:

• Lots of cargo room
• Good blend of efficiency and performance
• 6 speed manual now available
• Excellent fit and finish

Cons:

• Rear end styling is getting dated
• Some interior controls not user friendly
• A bit nose heavy
• Price can climb fast with options

Overall: 8/10

I’ve reviewed the A3 TDI and while I think it’s a nice car, I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would spend the extra $10,000+ over the Volkswagen Golf TDI, since they are essentially the exact same car. I suggested that Audi needed to do something different to set it appart – or at least do more than adding leather and a premium badge. One of my suggestions was to make the diesel more available on other models and it seems Audi took that advice to heart (you’re welcome Audi, by the way).

Audi says the A4, A5, A6, A8 and Q5 will join the A3 and Q7 for diesel availability by 2015. That’s every model in Audi’s lineup. Well, almost every model. Audi was quick to burst our bubble of having a R8 V12 TDI any time soon. Anyway, Audi would be the first automaker in North America to offer a diesel variant in every model it sells. And if they’re smart they’ll also make TDI’s available with Quattro models (as I also suggested). Although apparently Quattro isn’t as good as we once thought.

Audi is hoping their diesel increase will gaim them 20% of the diesel market in the States. Currently they have about 5.5% of the market with the A3 TDI alone.

[Automotive News]

By Kevin Harrison

There are a lot of things about North Americans that I really don’t get. For instance why do we like Walmart enough that it has to be open 24 hours? Have you ever bolted up at 4 am wanting to buy a new set of silverware?

Likewise, why are we so opposed to diesels? For some reason we’ve asphyxiated them with a bad reputation, and as a result, North Americans have not responded well to them.

This attitude is in complete contrast to Europe where selling a car without a diesel option is like ordering a hamburger at a Chinese restaurant – it just doesn’t make sense.

VW has been trying for decades to make diesels more mainstream in our market but they hit a bit of a snag in 2007 when stricter emission standards forced them to axe their diesel and revamp it. During that period TDI’s were missing in action in our market.

But they’re back and VW promises them to be even more powerful yet more efficient than before.

The 2.0 litre TDI now produces 140 horsepower and 235 pound foot torque (compared to the old unit’s 100 hp and 177 lb. torque). The torque is generously available at low revs, which makes the Jetta TDI pretty fun to drive, but BMW’s offering is still the most fun I’ve ever had in a diesel. Still, the TDI can definitely hold its own. My only gripe is quite a bit of lag when you first take off, and you really don’t notice the torque until the automatic switches to second gear. My car was equipped with a six-speed automatic DSG. It’s easily one of the smoothest automatics around and shifts in manual mode are quite precise. It is, however, a bit inconsistent. There were a couple of days where it just didn’t seem to shift as quickly as before, but then on the last day I had the car, it went back to those crisp shifts again. I’m not sure what may have caused this.

Handling is as good as expected. There is little body roll and the Jetta feels very stable in corners. VW’s electric stability control system really just lets you have fun, and only interferes if you start driving like a huge jack-ass. Feedback from the steering is decent and the suspension has just the right amount of stiffness for fun driving every once and a while. But be prepared to watch fuel economy numbers drop if you do this. The Energuide’s rating for the Jetta TDI is 6.8 City and 4.9 highway. I was able to average 5.8 combined driving with frugal driving techniques and a not-so-stellar 8.2 L/100 kms when I was driving it like I stole it. It’s just really hard to not take advantage of this torquey engine, especially on on-ramps. Once it’s on the highway, it struggles a bit to pass slower vehicles, but it’s quite comfortable otherwise.

The brakes however, feel like you’re pushing your foot into a bowl of marshmallows. They just aren’t good, but to be fair, you could attribute this to all the other auto journos driving it hard. The Jetta’s computer warned me that it needed to be serviced. A brake pad replacement was definitely in order.

The engine is fairly tame in terms of sound, for a diesel. When you first start it up, you do notice the famous diesel clatter, as well as when you go up inclines at lower speeds (my driveway for instance), but other than that, it’s very easy to forget you’re driving a diesel. On top of that, VW claims their new diesel emits fewer nitrogen oxide as well as less particulate matter compared to the previous model. It really is a clean diesel, as they say.

Outside, the Jetta could use a bit of work. My tester was the top of the line Highline model, but other than rather boring looking alloys, you can’t really tell it apart from other Jettas. And someone needs to tell VW (and pretty much every domestic manufacturer) that chrome is about as cool as fanny packs. The huge chrome bar underneath the grille is super distracting from the otherwise attractive design. It’s like a huge mole on someone’s face; you can’t not look at it. It’s also blinding when the sun hits it. All that said, it’s not an offensive design, and I was a big fan when this generation Jetta came out, but it definitely needs a refresh.

Inside fit and finish is best in class. Materials are rich-feeling and everything is nicely laid out. The seats are comfortable, there’s adequate room in the back and the seats easily fold flat. The Jetta in general costs more than a Corolla or Civic, but you are getting what you pay for for the interior. The famous VW flip key is a neat idea, but if you’ve got borderline ADD like I do, then you won’t be able to stop playing with it. I unintentionally was able to irritate the dickens out of at least four people by the constant clicking sound. It’s not a good socializing tool.

I’ve driven lots of fuel efficient cars before, but the Jetta is quite high up there on the ever-hard-to-achieve “performance yet efficiency” list. In terms of diesels, it’s only outdone by BMW, but at least VW offers a manual gearbox with theirs, something BMW doesn’t. VW also offers the TDI in their very attractive Sportwagen, Golf as well as the Touareg. These options would seem to make more sense than the TDI found in the A3 I tested earlier.

If fuel efficiency is your main concern, a Prius would likely be the better option. However if you want great German engineering with great performance and the added benefit of fuel efficiency, then the Jetta TDI is the cheapest option available in our market and definitely worth a look.

Price: $30,875

Pros:

• Excellent TDI engine
• Good low end torque
• Decent handling
• Excellent fuel efficiency
• Great interior, high quality materials
• DSG transmission
• Manual transmission available

Cons:

• Price starts to climb with options
• DSG can get fussy
• Exterior style is getting old

Overall: 8/10

By Kevin Harrison

I was driving behind an old Mercedes-Benz diesel a while back and I have to say, it was about as desirable as playing strip poker with your parents. It was just awful.

I actually had to turn my radio up because that diesel clatter was making my ears bleed. Then, despite being 30 degrees outside, I had to roll up my windows because the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe had a rather black/purple-ish hue that would make even Stephen Harper concerned about its effect on the environment. On top of that, the smell was less agreeable than a hockey player locker room after the second period.

For the first time ever, I finally started to understand North American tendencies. Diesels of the past were terrible.

Since then, many automakers have refined diesel technology, most notably Volkswagen. Even though most automakers bailed on the idea of bringing diesels back, Volkswagen stuck with it, leaving them with virtually all the market share. Not a bad move. BMW and Mercedes-Benz have followed suit with each brand offering a small dosage of their diesel technology for open minded North Americans.

Volkswagen has expanded the technology into four of their models. But what if you want a little premium with that oil burner? Well, for the first time Volkswagen has made its famous TDI engine available in the Audi A3. Is it worth it?

The A3 is a bit of an odd entity. While I understand that Audi wishes to usher people into the brand with a lower priced model as BMW has done with the 1-series and Mercedes-Benz has done with the B-Class, I don’t quite understand why anyone would pay the premium over a Golf, which is essentially what the A3 is. Adding the TDI as an option certainly helps separate it from the 1-series and B-class however.

First things first, the A3 looks good. While I’m still on the fence about Audi’s LED overload on all its models, I think it works nicely on the refreshed A3. It definitely has a sleek premium yet sporty look to it with the black roof and multi-spoke wheels. The single exhaust pipe looks terribly out of place on an Audi, however.

Inside is very much on par for Audi though as fit and finish is terrific. Some have complained that Audi/Volkswagen have lost their reputation as being among the best in the business, but I’m not one of them. Quality of materials is superb, and while the positioning of all the buttons and switches takes a bit of getting used to, the layout is quite pleasant as is the white gauges with red undertones.

There is adequate space in the backseat for two adults – three in a pinch- and good cargo room especially with the seats down.

The engine is identical 2.0 litres that Volkswagen uses in the Jetta and Golf diesels. As such, it produces 140 horsepower and a very healthy 236 pound feet of torque which gives it its get-up-and-go. This is a tremendous engine only bested by BMW’s diesel offering in the 335d. It is smooth and refined. Even at idle, you have to listen very hard for that infamous diesel clatter. When the engine is pushed, the A3 makes more of a roaring sound, untypical of the traditional exhaust note, however it is inoffensive and is not intrusive to the cabin.

The good news with this engine continues as it gets a combined rating of 5.8 L/100 kms. That is excellent. A Smart Fortwo gets a city rating of 5.9 L/100 kms by comparison. In addition the A3 TDI emits only 111 g/km of C02. Good stuff.

Handling is adequate. The A3 TDI has a tendency to under steer however, mostly due to the fact that it is nose heavy. Diesels are usually heavier than gas engines, however BMW is able to retain handling abilities with its diesel, so it’s not really an excuse. Oddly enough, I didn’t experience the same under steering nature in the 2010 Jetta TDI (review coming soon!). But considering Audi is known for its handling abilities, I was slightly taken aback.

Likewise, Audi is known for their superb Quattro all-wheel drive. Don’t expect to experience it in the A3 TDI though. Front wheel drive only is the order of the day. I have no idea why Audi decided to do this. Buying a front wheel drive Audi is like trying to eat soup with a fork. Pointless.

And that’s the thing. While this car is very well put together, has typical Audi style and quality, decent handling and excellent fuel mileage it really doesn’t make any sense. At $35,000 to start, I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would take this over a Golf TDI which is just as good looking, has the same quality materials for the interior, virtually the same room, the exact same engine and handling capabilities but it’s $10,000 cheaper. If Audi had done something to set it apart – to justify the extra premium if you will, then it could have made sense. Audi could have put its Quattro standard and it would be the only all-wheel drive diesel engine car available. It would have the market to itself. Or maybe they could’ve boosted the torque, or improved the efficiency. Something. Anything.

But alas no. The only thing the Audi has the the Golf doesn’t is LED tail lights, leather and a premium badge. And if anyone thinks that’s worth 10 grand more then I’m pretty sure there is still tons of room available to check themselves into the Betty Ford Center.

I really wanted to like this car, and in fact I do, but I just can’t justify the price premium, much in the same way the Jersey Shore cast can’t justify why they’re famous.

Base Price: $35,500

Pros:

• Great style
• Great engine
• Great interior
• Great efficiency
• Great power

Cons:

• None of that matters when you can essentially have all of that in the form of the Golf for 10 grand less.

Overall: 7/10

Great minds think alike. We chose the 2010 Subaru Outback as our pick for the Canadian Utility of the Year, and AJAC agreed. You might as well give us our membership now, AJAC.

Volkswagen took Car of the Year honours and even though our pick was the BMW 335d, there is absolutely no disagreement from us that the GTI is just as deserving.

Congrats to the VW and Subaru!

To find out the winners in each individual category, hit the jump.

Best New Small Car (under $21,000): Mazda3

Best New Small Car (over $21,000): Mazda3 Sport

Best New Family Car (under $30,000): Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI

Best New Family Car (over $30,000): Ford Taurus

Best New Luxury Car: BMW 335d

Best New Prestige Car: Porsche Panamera

Best New Performance Car (under $50,000): Volkswagen GTI

Best New Performance Car (over $50,000): Audi S4

Best New Convertible: Audi S5 Cabriolet

Best New SUV / CUV (under $35,000): Subaru Outback

Best New SUV / CUV (over $35,000): Volkswagen Touareg TDI

Best New SUV / CUV (over $60,000): Lexus RX450h

Best New Technology: Audi Drive Select

Best New Green Technology: Ford Next Generation Hybrid System & Smartgauge

Best New Design: BMW 335d

]]> http://www.cardriven.ca/2010/02/canadian-car-utility-of-the-year-announced/feed/ 0 http://www.cardriven.ca/2010/02/oh-hi-2011-volkswagen-touareg/ http://www.cardriven.ca/2010/02/oh-hi-2011-volkswagen-touareg/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:51:07 +0000 admin http://www.cardriven.ca/?p=258

Very nice!

After saying that it would make its official debut about a month from now at the Geneva Auto Show, VW decided that we couldn’t wait that long and gave us a few pics to oggle.

The upgrades help it stay more in line with VW’s new three barred grille theme and tail lights get a similar family resemblance treatment as well. The sides are a lot more sculpted and eye-catching. The overall size remains the same. Although the previous generation’s design is now eight year’s old, we are still fans of the old version. This new Touareg is still agreeable though.

Apparently fuel efficiency was a big factor in the Touareg’s redesign. We criticized the current generation Touareg for being obese, which negatively affects fuel consumption. VW obviously read our review ( we like to tell ourselves that anyway) and took our advice of putting the Touareg on a diet. The 2011 version will lose 460 pounds.

Also helping out in the fuel efficiency department will be a hybrid model in addition to the great TDI engine (only making its debut for the 2010 year). The hybrid will be VW’s first ever and will have a 3.0 direct injected V6 matched to an eight speed automatic. Normally we’d make some smart ass comment about that being too many gears, but for the benefit of fuel efficiency, it actually makes sense. The Touareg Hybrid is expected to produce a combined rating of 8.3L/100 kms. The diesel is expected to be tweaked for efficiency as well and will get an expected 7.3L/100 kms.

More pics here

By Kevin Harrison

A few days ago, I was on my way to Halifax from Dartmouth via Metro Transit’s superb bus services. It was around lunch time and I expected it to be quite busy. It was. However I was able to get myself a seat near the front of the bus which is typically reserved for the elderly, people who are disabled or have  young children. At one point a woman got on the bus and sat down next to me. This annoyed me because at no point during her time on the bus did she do anything remotely surprising. I had her ‘type’ pinned down as soon as the bus pulled up. She was clearly a crazy woman. Now, normally I don’t tend to judge books by their covers, but there seems to be a law in the universe that anyone that is remotely ‘loony tunes’ will interact with me, no matter what the circumstances.

I knew that this woman would choose to sit next to me rather than take the empty seats across from me. I knew that she would hit me in the face a few times with her bags as she attempted to sit down. I knew that she would ask me to hold her travel mug while she composed herself, then once settled in, act like the mug wasn’t hers. I knew that she would spend the majority of the trip talking to me about her dog “Jack” who may or may not exist. Seriously, the way she spoke about him made me question whether he was all in her head. It was at this point when I had started to pray that an elderly woman would get on the bus so I could give up my seat and get a break from hearing about how she once met a man with the same name as Tom Cruise, but wasn’t Tom Cruise, yet she still asked for his autograph anyway.

Sometimes you can nail down the personality of a car before driving it too, which is also irritating. For instance before you get into a Toyota Corolla (it does not matter what year) you know you will be in for a rather boring ride, but at least nothing will go wrong the gas pedal you’ll be able to save some gas. Before you get behind the wheel of a Ferrari 599 you know you’ll be in for one of the most thrilling adrenaline inducing rides of your life, but only if you can get it started first without jumper cables.

I thought I had the Touareg nailed down too. Turns out, I didn’t.

With its massive eye-catching 20 inch wheels, low profile tires, silver exterior trim, and blinding xenon headlamps I had VW’s mid-sized SUV pegged as another wannabe off-roader that only saw city streets and spent more time in mall parking lots than on a gravel road. In fact during my time with the Touareg, one guy referred to it as “a wannabe Cayenne”. It seemed this SUV was but one in a very crowded luxury ute market that only had big wheels to help it stand out in a crowd.

But the fact is, this Touareg is a capable machine that does stand out and a lot has to do with what’s under the hood. The V6 TDI is a new option for 2010. With 225 horses and 425 pound feet of torque, it’s a wonder why VW waited so long to drop it in the Touareg’s engine bay. It’s perfectly suited for this kind of vehicle. Due to all that torque, the optional tow hitch can actually be used to tow pretty much anything, which gives some credibility to the Touareg’s rugged appearance.

Power is readily available at low RPM’s, and is most noticeable when the automatic switches to second gear. The Touareg TDI can run a respectable 8.1 second sprint from 0 to 100. Not bad considering this porker weighs just over 5000 pounds. All that weight doesn’t necessarily translate into bad fuel economy either thanks to that impressive diesel. Rated at 11.9L/100 kms city and 8.0L/100 kms highway, the TDI gets significantly better mileage than its gas engine brother which is rated at a dismal 14.6L/100 kms city and 10.4L/100 kms highway.

VW likes to make sure the words ‘Clean Diesel’ follow the TDI, and a big reason why is to enhance public perception. The TDI emits 5508 kg of carbon dioxide (C02) per year. That’s roughly only 300 kg better than the gas version but a whopping 2000 kg worse than the Jetta TDI. Again, if the TDI went on the Jenny Craig diet, this would like help with better Co2 scores. Still, it’s on par with the BMW X5 diesel and Mercedes-Benz Blutech diesel. Less C02 and particulate matter is always a good thing, no matter how small the improvement, so kudos to VW for the effort.

On pavement around town, the Touareg TDi is quite comfortable, despite those large 20 inch wheels, low profile tires and a sport suspension, which are part of the optional $3,500 sport package. In fact, the handling is quite decent because of it – it’s not just all for show. The suspension isn’t so firm that you need to drive it like you have hemorrhoids, yet is firm enough to take a corner at relative high speeds without that unnerving feeling that you’re going to flip if you don’t slow down. It is very possible to have fun driving this vehicle, but again, fun is relative for a heavy SUV. BMW’s X5 Xdrive35d handles better despite it’s awful name (and having a name worse than Touareg is hard to do). The BMW just feels a tad tighter in the corners and the stability control doesn’t interfere as much.

I was lucky enough to get a snowfall of around 15 centimeters during my time with the Touareg TDI. I initially was a little concerned as low profile tires are usually hopeless in snow, so I drove it cautiously on the main roads. The TDI handled it fine, but admittedly any vehicle would’ve handled it fine considering how I was driving it. So, to really let loose, I found an empty parking lot. It turns out, the Touareg’s all-wheel drive system can handle snowy conditions with ease, despite the tires (that’s not to say that winter tires aren’t necessary as I believe the Touareg would’ve done even better with a good set on).

With no one around, I let out my inner nine-year-old and turned off the traction control. The Touareg felt right at home, slipping and sliding between doing donuts and and some slalom exercises, all the while feeling composed and almost relaxed.
The interior is the place to be if you have a button fetish. There are way too many. On top of that, they are all mostly on the small side so pushing them with a glove hand means you unintentionally hit two buttons at once. Using a dial for the heated seats made it even worse.Eventually you become frustrated and just take your gloves off. A heated steering wheel would be appreciated in this instance. But despite the button overload, the interior presentation is excellent with superb quality materials for fit and finish, with only one exception of the dials which made very cheap clicking sounds. At night, the soft blue backgrounds over red dials really gives it a unique futuristic look. VW really does know how to make a great looking and feeling interior.

Cargo room is definitely not lacking as it can easily swallow up 31 cubic feet with the rear seats up, and 71 cubic feet with them down. The only issue is that the seats don’t fold completely flat. Otherwise, you’ll have no trouble fitting cargo back there.

Likewise, you won’t have any problem fitting three average sized adults in the back seats either. There is more than adequate leg and foot room, even with the drivers seat set back all the way. The rear leather bench is just as comfortable as the two bucket seats up front, and the middle seat is actually usable. When no one is sitting in it, it makes a nice arm rest or can turn into a cup holder for two. The cup holders actually fit North American sized drinks, which is both great and embarrassing at the same time.

There are a few issues, however. For a vehicle of this size and of this price, the windshield wipers seem like they came from a salvage yard. They’re absolutely dreadful, including the rear wiper as well.

Secondly, about a day after picking up the Touareg, the computer had decided I was an idiot. It kept telling me I was out of windshield wiper fluid by popping it up on the disaply screen literally every seven seconds or so. Yes, I get it. There’s no washer fluid. There’s no need to repeatedly tell me this, I understood it the first time – English is my first language after all. There should really be a “read” button like Volvo has where you can push it to let the computer know that you understand what it’s telling you and wish to continue on without interruption until you have time to buy windshield wiper fluid.

After passing a slow moving vehicle on the highway, with much gusto thanks to that torque-y engine if I’m honest, the engine light came on. I made sure I checked the gas tank cover and it was sealed properly. This engine should be able to handle passing any vehicle no matter how aggressively without issue considering how new it is.

Then there were the front sensors which seemed to consistently warn me that I was immanently going to hit something when there was clearly nothing there. The first time I thought maybe a cat or something had ran out in front of me and I hadn’t noticed so I slammed on the brakes just in case. But then it kept happening. It happened five more times throughout my time with the Touareg. Again, no cats or any objects, just the Touareg apparently messing about with the driver.

Then there’s the issue of the price. The over $63,000 as tested price is quite the sticker shock – not what you’d expect from “The People’s Car”. You can get the BMW X5 diesel for the same price and it has a better engine and better handling, although admittedly, if it is optioned out like the Touareg, the price climbs steadily from there.

But in a way that doesn’t even matter. This is one of the few SUV’s that can actually be proud to be one and which surprises in a good way. It has excellent rugged looks (despite being an eight year old design), it proves to hold its own in bad conditions, the interior is great, there’s lots of cargo room, it handles exceptionally well and it has a tremendous engine under the hood. If you take away the shaky VW reliability and cut the price down you’d have yourself one hell of an SUV. And that’s something people just might not expect, which makes the Touareg TDI refreshingly non-irritating.

Base Price: $58,300

Price As Tested: $63,380

Pros:

• Excellent engine
• Great looks
• Handles decently for its weight as size
• A bit of piece of mind for the environment

Cons:

• Shaky reliability
• Steep price
• Too many buttons on the dash

Score: 8/10

All photos are property of cardriven.ca and are not to be used or distributed for without permission.

Those lucky ducks that have coveted AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) memberships all recently got together to rate the best new car of the year from the Canadian perspective for 2010. They tested them, rated them, and broke down the finalists into five categories.

Since Car Driven is literally only hours old as we write this, it seems a bit premature to have our own COTY awards. So instead, we’ll just use AJAC’s finalists and make our own picks.

Find out the finalists and our picks after the jump!

Ford walked away with both North American Car of the Year Awards with their Ford Transit courier van and the new Fusion, but the non-government funded American brand only finds themselves with two nominations.

And the finalists are:

2010 Canadian Car of the Year:

• BMW 335d
• Volkswagen Golf GTI
• Volkswagen Golf Wagon TDI

Our Pick: BMW 335d – The only thing wrong with this car is it comes with an automatic transmission only. That’s seriously its only fault. If you’ve never tried this diesel before, or have second thoughts about owning a diesel, do yourself a favour and go drive one. It features 265 hp and 425 (!) lb-foot torque with a combined rating of 9.4 L /100 kms. Combine that with BMW’s obsession for perfect handling, stunning looks and excellent luxury and you’ve got yourself one ultimate driving machine for sure.

2010 Canadian Utility of the Year:

• Lexus 450h
• Subaru Outback
• Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel

Our Pick: Subaru Outback- It was quite the toss up between the Outback and the VW, but we like how Subaru proves again and again that a nice wagon can do anything that an SUV can do, and sometimes even do it better. It’s unique styling, AWD, versatility and reasonable price makes it a great all year round vehicle perfectly suited for Canadians.

NOTE: Our pick could very well change for this category since we will be testing a VW Touareg TDI this coming week. Watch for the review very soon!

Best New Design:

• Audi A5 Cabriolet
• BMW 335d
• Ford Taurus (including SHO)

Our Pick: Audi A5 Cabriolet - Mostly any convertible looks decent at the very least with the top down, but the A5 really makes a case for being a work of art. It’s stunning. We think the coupe version looks even better. Audi manages to make an eye-catcher without being too flashy (okay, minus those LED headlights). They made a simple graceful design, muscular lines, and a classic side profile. This is the convertible to be seen in.

Brand New Technology

• Audi Canada Drive Select
• Ford Motor Company of Canada MyKey
• Volvo City Safety

Our Pick: Volvo City Safety - After personally experiencing the XC60 stop itself, without any aid from the brakes or the driver, from colliding with an object we came away seriously impressed. Leave it to Volvo to come up with technology such as this. This technology can save thousands of dollars in repair costs, but more importantly can save serious injuries and the headaches that go long with fender benders.

Best New Green Technology:

• Ford Next Generation Hybrid System and Smartguage
• Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid with Lithium-ion batteries
• Toyota/Lexus Plant-Based Ecological Plastics
• Toyota/Lexus Beltless Atkinson Cycle Engine with Cooled Exhaust

Our Pick: Ford Next Generation Hybrid System and Smartgauge - The Nissan Altima Hybrid is rated at 5.6L/100 kms city. The Toyota Camry Hybrid is rated at 5.7L/100 kms city. The Ford Focus Hybrid is rated at 4.6L/100 kms city. That’s seriously impressive. It’s even better mileage than a Smart Fortwo! The Smartgauge even helps you to beat that rating as it trains you how to drive more efficiently and get the best out of your tank.