SUV raises the bar

JUMPING over sand dunes in a state-of-the-art 4x4 and doing doughnuts around the Dubai desert is surely any car-fanatic's ultimate fantasy. Last weekend I got to live out that fantasy at the official unveiling of the new Volkswagen Touareg.

Volkswagen Middle East - the regional office of Europe's largest car manufacturer - launched its most technically-innovative model to date at an exclusive media unveiling ceremony and dinner at the Banyan Tree Al Wadi Hotel & Resort at Ras Al Khaimah.

Journalists from across the region, including yours truly, were invited to put the new Touareg through its paces and see why this SUV has been pegged as such a big deal. We took a convoy of the SUVs around the vast grounds of the resort and encountered some of the obstacles and challenges that are synonymous with the region. Steep climbs, bumps in the road and, of course, huge amounts of sand were some of the elements encountered.

The Touareg has been specially designed for the region, its designers say, and as such, I really pushed it to the limit during my off-road adventure. I took every bump, every dune, every sharp turn and the Touareg never failed to rise to the challenge.

The Touareg is a mid-size SUV that aims to provide a perfect balance between off-road ability and a sophisticated, on-road driving experience ... but from the outside it doesn't look very original. It's fairly sleek and bears an uncanny resemblance to the pricier Porsche Cayenne - understandably as the Touareg was co-developed with Porsche as part of a cost-sharing initiative.

So, with that in mind, you would assume there is a decent amount of power under the bonnet, and you'd be right. The new Touareg will initially be available in the Middle East with a V6 FSI, a direct-injection petrol engine with 206 kW /280 hp and, at 9.9 l/100 km, the 3.6-litre engine with 360 Newton-metres torque, it now consumes 2.5 litres less petrol than the previous version, meaning it's more fuel efficient than ever.

Every last detail of this SUV has been planned with the efficiency that the Germans are renowned for and, sticking with the eco-friendly theme, all Touareg versions are now shifted by a standard 8-speed automatic transmission - the first of its kind in the world in the SUV segment. The eighth gear reduces engine speed by 34 per cent compared to sixth gear, which saves on fuel and reduces emissions. Clever, right?

The interior is pure comfort, everything from the seats to the adjustable head-rests, to the leather dashboard finish oozes style.

The touch-screen control panel is nothing new to Volkswagen, and the controls are exactly the same as on the Passat CC and Golf GTI. But the real question is how this fuel-efficient SUV handles, I remember thinking that with less fuel there would also be less power. However, the Touareg comes up tops in the three areas I think are most important for any car, namely handling, response and safety.

Handling is vital, and it certainly did a good job around the sand dunes. The lightweight frame, along with its aerodynamic refinement measures make this SUV something to brag about. Another factor that played a part in the remarkable handling is that this Touareg sits lower to the ground than the previous model.

Response is a need-to-have feature and the steering on the Touareg was brilliant around the sharp bends and hairpin turns. At one point I actually managed to avoid a nasty drop from a dubious dune thanks to the precise steering and traction control.

However, the defining feature of this SUV is its long list of safety credentials, which I predict will put the Touareg in the running for one of the safest cars ever made. Dynamic Light Assist is a nifty little feature that I thought was very clever. This camera-based continuous main beam headlight actually 'sees' oncoming traffic and automatically adjusts the main beam to eliminate unwanted glare.

Another feature worth noting is the Area View, which is a surroundings monitoring system. Via four cameras (in the tailgate, outside mirrors and radiator grille) Area View transfers images of all of the Touareg's surroundings to the central touch screen control panel, making it easier to know what's going on around you.

After I had finished racing around the dessert it was time for a change of pace and scenery, so (with the help of two other Bahrain-based journalists) I took the Touareg on the open road for a drive away from the natural beauty of Ras Al Khaimah to the breathtaking skyline of Dubai.

The journey should have taken no longer than an hour but thanks to the one major fault I could find with this SUV, it ended up taking much longer. Many cars nowadays have built-in satellite navigation systems, which are put there to help us find our way to places we've never been before.

After making us double back on ourselves twice, costing around 30 minutes of travel time, we decided to just ignore the Sat-Nav and followed the tried and tested road signs. It was ironic that a feature made to save time, actually ended up costing us some.

However, besides that minor niggle, this vehicle proved ideal for people who need a little extra from their SUV. If you're going to get lost you may as well get lost in comfort and style, safety and class.

Prices start from BD18,000. For more information on the Touareg or other Volkswagen vehicles, contact the Sitra showroom on 17459977.