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Interior

The Touareg's interior has also been refined with a focus on comfort and functionality. Cabin noise has been reduced compared to the previous model through optimized insulation and acoustics. The greater use of curves and further attention to details on the door and dash trim coincide with redesigned, available leather seating surfaces for five, and cross-stitching on all panels and surfaces. Both the front and rear passengers can enjoy greater legroom with the Touareg's new overall dimensions and fully adjustable seats, while the rear seatback can be folded from a release in the luggage compartment, for more storage and convenience.

When looking up at the roof, drivers and passengers will enjoy the new optional panoramic sunroof which is a full 350% larger than the sunroof in the previous model. A ventilated, power release wind deflector eliminates turbulence and associated noise to help ensure a quiet drive even when the sunroof is open. The sunroof is standard in the "Lux", "Executive" and "Hybrid" trim lines.

A 7" display, located between the main gauges in the instrument cluster, provides the driver with the latest vehicle status information, including turn-by-turn navigation directions, information from the drive system in the hybrid model, and more.

Standard and found only in the Touareg is Volkswagen's new premium RNS850 touch screen radio-navigation system. It features a large 8-inch screen, with a DVD/CD player that has MP3 playback capabilities and Satellite/FM/AM stereo, along with a 60GB hard drive with 18GB of space available to upload media. Located conveniently in the glovebox is access for iPod or auxiliary input, SD cards, and a DVD drive. The navigation system can display maps and directions in a 3-D view, and highlights major landmarks to further assist when traveling.

In addition to navigation, the Touareg "Sport" comes standard with a multitude of premium interior features including navigation with rearview camera, BiXenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, an 18" alloy wheel, power adjustable and heated front seats in V-Tex leatherette, Bluetooth connectivity, Sirius Satellite Radio, Climatronic dual-zone A/C and silver metallic interior inlays with a black high-gloss center console and trim surrounds.

In addition to the "Sport" features, the "Lux" trim features a 19" alloy wheel, large two piece panoramic powered sunroof, 12-way power adjustable front seats and leather seating surfaces with driver memory, power lumbar and Burr Walnut interior inlays with a wood center console.

The "Executive" trim offers all Lux features along with a 20" alloy wheel, heated multifunction steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, keyless entry system with push-button start, rearview camera with Park Distance Control (PDC) and a Dynaudio premium sound system.

V6 Gasoline Engine and Transmission

A 3.6-liter V6 FSI gasoline engine comes standard with the 2011 model, providing smooth acceleration and all around performance offering 23 MPG hwy/16 MPG city EPA estimates, which represents a combined 19% improvement over the previous model.

The Volkswagen Touareg now comes with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission. 7th and 8th gears are laid out as fuel-efficient overdrive gears. The 8th gear reduces engine speed by 33 percent compared to 6th gear, which reduces fuel consumption and significantly lowers emissions.

The Touareg will continue its tradition of providing superior high-torque performance. The V6 engine will provide the driver a maximum torque of 265 lb-ft at 2,500 to 5,000 rpm while producing 280 horsepower at 6,200 rpm.

The 2011 Touareg has a towing capacity of 7,700 lbs. when equipped with the factory-installed tow package.

Chassis and Suspension

The design changes in the all-new 2011 Touareg resulted in a reduction of approximately 350 pounds, from the previous model, creating a more responsive and precise driving experience. The Touareg's optimized running gear offers very good vibration control and ride comfort, a low roll angle, responsive handling and excellent dynamic stability.

The Touareg utilizes aluminum in its double wishbone suspension, which helped with reducing the weight of the vehicle. The vehicles 4MOTION all-wheel drive system is mated to a rear limited-slip Torsen differential. The pairing results in a 40:60 distribution of the propulsive force between the front and rear axles to improve the vehicles weight and efficiency while improving overall driving dynamics.

The steering of the new Touareg is configured as a standard speed-dependent hydraulic rack steering system with variable ratio. The ratio is more directly configured across the entire steering stroke compared to the previous model.

Active and Passive Safety

The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg contains an impressive number of standard active and passive safety features to help keep the driver and passengers safe. Six airbags, including dual front units (dual-stage for the driver, single stage for the front passenger), thorax units for the driver and front passenger and Side Curtain Protection for the front and rear outboard passengers, all are standard on the Touareg.

For the 2011 Touareg, Volkswagen developed an improved head restraint system. The whiplash-optimized head restraint (WOKS) rear impact protection system uses the contours and foam firmness in the backrest to help reduce relative movements of the torso and combines a patented shape of the head restraint structure to minimize head rotation after contact.

The Touareg also includes the following safety programs and management systems for a smooth, poised ride through most any situation: Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Auto-Hold and Hill Hold Assist and Volkswagen's Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC).

The choice to include ESC standard on the Touareg and all other 2011 Volkswagen models, comes ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) mandate that by the 2012 model year, all vehicles produced will need to include some form of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). According to NHTSA, having ESC in a vehicle results in 35 percent fewer single-vehicle crashes and 30 percent fewer single-vehicle fatalities in passenger cars. Volkswagen's ESC compares the driver's intended course with the vehicle's actual direction. If a discrepancy is detected, ESC automatically brakes individual wheels and reduces engine power to help maintain directional control.

Volkswagen Touareg: Photo Gallery, Review (1/2) and Specifications