MotorMouths

The Volkswagen Touareg mixes trail-worthy ability, excellent road manners, and a feature-laden five-seat cabin into a compact package to find favor with urban warriors, outdoor adventurers, suburban sybarites and everyone else who’d like to be one.

The Touareg TDI’s luxury and economy come at a hefty price. But for us, the thrust from the diesel and the extended range are more than worth the price of admission.

The Touareg is not inexpensive but it does wedge itself into its segment at or near the top end. Fighting the likes of the aforementioned Toyota 4Runner, Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder, it also tackles the upper crust which includes the Audi Q7, the Infiniti FX, Lexus RX and BMW X5.

The Volkswagen Touareg provides a feeling of confidence when pulling out to pass or just getting up the driveway. Getting groceries is no hum stuff and you find yourself wishing for a mountain to cross before you get to the store.

The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI may be the best way to get Americans into diesels. It combines a big SUV with good fuel economy like few other vehicles, while maintaining its European sophistication.

After spending a week behind the wheel of the Touareg TDI, I think that Volkswagen has done a great job of elevating the VW brand. VW is playing in premium luxury territory, and giving up little in terms of features or price to the competition.

VW has managed to create an SUV that delivers good mileage that has a bit of off-road cred tossed in (just in case). If you’re shopping for a Touareg, just walk right past that base V6 model on the floor and give the TDI a try.

If being first across the intersection isn’t a priority (if it is, you’re looking at the wrong class of vehicles), this powertrain, combined with cosmetic upgrades and a spiffy—and enlarged—interior, makes the 2011 Touareg TDI a very smooth operator and a compelling proposition.

Volkswagen is updating the Touareg for 2011, so it could be a good time to make a deal on a 2010 at a hungry VW dealer. A year-end discount could fix the only real problem I’ve ever had with the Touareg — the window sticker.

Ask hybrid owners: it’s not about saving money—it’s about the fuel economy. And the 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI’s is pretty impressive.

Our journey to the Rocky Mountains in the 2010 Volkswagen Touareg TDI proved to us that the soon-to-arrive 2011 model at the very least has a strong base to build upon.