2004 Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagens Touareg luxury SUV is finally available with a V-10 turbo-diesel, and what an engine it is.

Diesels arent as popular in this country as they are in the rest of the world, especially Europe, but they have been improved so dramatically that they are now better than many of their gasoline counterparts. Diesels used to be noisy, sooty and slow, but the new state-of-the-art diesels are none of the above.

The Touareg TDI is just such an example. The 5.0-liter, 310-horspower diesel is very impressive. It cranks out a monstrous 553 pound-feet of torque at just 2,000 rpm. Nudge the throttle and you get instant movement. Flatten the pedal and this Touareg flies. The typical loud diesel clatter is almost completely muted. Start-up is the only time it is even slightly louder than the gasoline engine.

VW uses an aluminum block, two turbochargers and an electronically controlled drive-by-wire system that controls the throttle and the fuel injectors that deliver precise amounts of fuel into each cylinder. Fuel mileage is rated at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highway, whereas the 4.2-liter V-8 is rated at 14 mpg city and 18 on the highway.

The six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission has a gear for almost any situation, plus it can be shifted manually, which is a bonus in off-road situations.

The Touaregs all-wheel-drive system works together with hill descent control, hill climb assist, a locking center differential and a vehicle stability program. The transfer case with an extra-low gear means the Touareg has the off-road manners of a mountain goat.

2004 VW Touareg, 3.2L V6, Automatic Transmission. What a beautiful SUV! This has been a California Car from day one.