2008 Volkswagen Touareg Styling

STYLING | 7 out of 10

A minor refresh for the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg subtly enhances the SUV’s adroit appearance and quality interior.

“Restyled headlamps and a large chrome grille that echoes the look of the Volkswagen Passat,” says Kelley Blue Book of the front of VW’s first entry into the SUV field, restyled subtly for 2008. They go on to praise its “tall, wide stance” and “short front and rear overhangs that also help improve approach and departure angles.” Cars.com likes the exterior freshening, making note of the grille that “adopts Volkswagen’s familiar silver faceplate,” as well as “darker taillights and a new roof spoiler.” Seventeen-inch wheels are now standard with the V-6 (VR6 in VW-speak), 19s for the V-8 and turbodiesel V-10. Of the new silhouette, MyRide.com feels “it gives the nose some character, something the generic-looking first run of Touaregs lacked,” and otherwise describes the Touareg shape as a “classic two-box SUV with all the edges rounded off.”

MyRide.com likes “the simplicity of the layout, the proper orientation of all the controls” on the inside of the Touareg. ConsumerGuide feels “the gauges, dashboard, and console look contemporary and upscale, but the proliferation of buttons and controls requires a preflight briefing.” They temper this criticism, noting the “Touareg 2 matches any luxury SUV for quality of interior materials.” Of the standard V-Tex Leatherette, MyRide.com says, “it's stiff but otherwise did a decent job of feeling like it once came from an animal of some sort.” Upgrades feature sumptuous leather and wood, an interior treatment that Kelley Blue Book attests “easily rivals the best in the luxury SUV class.” Car and Driver mentions “its handsome IP” that “includes analog gauges for water temp, oil temp, and volts – a rarity.”

Conclusion