The Volkswagen Touareg PHEV Inside the new Touareg The Audi A6 e-tron If you ever needed any convincing that the way to save the planet is through technology, then look no further than the biggest and best VW has to offer. Not only is the new Touareg larger and more powerful, it defies green logic, as the petrol version has a lower CO2 count than the diesel. I must admit this curious motoring hack was left scratching his head when I discovered that the 3.
0-litre V6 was cheaper to buy and tax than its oil-burning sibling. The road tax alone is worth mentioning – €1,250 a year versus €150 – while there’s almost five grand in the difference between RRPs. What makes the tale of the tape even more unbelievable is the fact that the PHEV, which weighs in at over 2.
5 tonnes, is a proper all-singing, all-dancing 4x4 that can tow up to 3,500kg. Being its flagship SUV, the new offering is super luxurious too, with all the premium trimmings. For starters, it sits on gargantuan 22-inch, five-spoke, two-tone rims, sports a piano-black grille, matching roof rails and coast-to-coast signature LED rear-light cluster that now illuminates the VW logo in the middle.
Inside, it takes styling tips from its Audi cousin, with sumptuous quilted leather seats, chunky multi-function steering wheel and soft-touch materials at every touch. The style is accentuated by ambient lighting (with 30 colours), which adds a sense of calm – especially in purple – as does the panoramic tilt/slide su.