Is The VW Touareg the Ultimate OFF-ROAD SLEEPER? We Claw Our Way Up Moab's Slick Rock to Find Out!

( www.TFLcar.com ) Our 2004 Volkswagen Touareg has conquered rocks and mud in Colorado, but will the scorching heat and slick rock of the Utah desert finally break it? We head to Fins & Things outside Moab to find out!
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#ToughT #VW #Touareg

[@jl4091]

My Touareg goes up in value with every video you guys make.love you guys.

[@2DYB]

Ahah,you got it right brother,mine as well,😅😃😃

[@krane15]

@Helicopter Dad The limitation of all German cars.

[@theFatDonkey]

Same here. Bought one of the last 3.0L diesels with air suspension and true transfer case (2010) ;)

[@Malc664]

@Helicopter Dad Ha ha ha haaaaa. 😂

[@dualsportbandit]

riiiight? good stuff. although my Mazda Tribute has no low range, i am still considering putting similar tires on...w00t

[@midealautoclub]

This really is the Swiss army knife of cars. It does great on long journeys, has super comfortable seats, goes off road almost anywhere and tows pretty much anything. Whit until you experience it in the winter on snow and ice, you will be blown away.

[@marko3254]

Tbor's Garage Yes.If only it was reliable :)

[@Mike-cz2yw]

I'll take a 4runner/FJ thanks though

[@eddiekarisa1494]

Too unreliable

[@midealautoclub]

If you do your research you'll find that they are very robust and reliable, nothing like other VW or German automobiles.

[@ryanfay1]

@@midealautoclub if they are running right it’s awesome but as far as reliable not really too many common problems and complicated repairs / potential for errors. You can’t get the feeling for the money any cheaper though comparing to cars with 4x the price. But your still going to pay. Rear locker and air is worth the money pit.

[@pollumG]

Just like the phaeton.....nobody remembers is but it was a serious car

[@krane15]

VW wanted to prove that they could build a luxury that was as good as any. The Phaeton was a world-class luxury car that equaled and in many instance surpass all the BMW and Mercedes could offer at the time (OK, it wasn't as quick). Unfortunate, like the Touareg it suffered from badge aversion, and nobody wanted to spend $90,000 for a VW no matter how good it was. Well nobody except the Chinese.

[@eddgrs9193]

@@krane15 it's funny that, put a VW badge, no one will buy it, put a Bentley badge on the same car , triple the price, and people will buy it like crazy :)

[@pollumG]

@@eddgrs9193 because 90% of the world are idiots..but side note it wasn't triple the price

[@trugearreviewmtb2226]

@@krane15 Jeremy Clarkson got a Phaeton to do something like 206 mph. I'd say plenty quick. But you're right . . .badge aversion.

[@wordreet]

Willian Shatner drives a Phaeton.

[@9pmrockstar910]

I witnessed a rancher in full cowboy gear-boots, hat, fancy belt buckle-buy a Touareg. I knew back then there was something special about this SUV.

[@bid84]

9pm Rockstar Was he a jolly rancher?

[@Bruce6001]

Wow a real cowboy belt buckles and all , it must be the toughest car ever 😱

[@9pmrockstar910]

I am never was & never will be that’s exactly what I thought 😂

[@philtripe]

@@9pmrockstar910 a rancher wouldnt have a fancy belt buckle...it was someone that deals with horses and didnt want to get stuck around muddy bars

[@9pmrockstar910]

stickloaf makes sense. After all, this did happen in Southern California.

[@drewhiz7334]

As i've said before, I thought this vehicle is nothing more than a soccer mom mobile. I'm thoroughly impressed by this vehicle capability. I'm no means an off-road type person and I live vicariously through videos as such, but man, this vehicle is great! Keep it up!

[@CncObsession]

I have a 2015 TDI with a full glass roof. It is a fantastic vehicle in so many ways.

[@717UT]

Anymore, I think the Wrangler is more of a suburban mom mobile than the VW...

[@PierAlexandreLemay]

Back then, the Touareg actually got awards (jointly with the Cayenne, they were actually based on the same platform) for its off-road capability.

[@mostlybrokenbritishcars3220]

Off-road sleeper is the perfect term for that vehicle. Before this series, if I had seen one of them out on the trails/riverbed, I would've thought Karen got lost on the way to the kids soccer practice. But holy shit they're good.

[@markusotto6631]

I own a VW Touareg and I had no idea that my car is able to do that =)

[@yamahschector]

We have turned around lost soccer mom suvs before I would have done the same to this thing before I saw this video.

[@joemaxant]

In Europe I owned a 2006 Touareg and I have to tell you that it is a true off-road vehicle that drives super on the road. I had a straight 2.5 l 5 cyl diesel that gave you over 30 mpg on a 2900 kg or 6400 lb vehicle. I put over 377000 KM on this car and must say that this was my best SUV ever. To bad I came back to Montreal last fall and had to leave the Touareg behind...

[@RyanRKJ]

This VW is embarrassing all of the off road vehicles currently on the market. TFL has taken a lot of vehicles on these trails, and nothing has done this well. So many of the current off road vehicles give a strong off road appearance, but really fall a little short on the trail, without modifications.

[@maltem6226]

yeah the touareg is damn amazing, as is the Grand Cherokee (WK). In Germany basicly all the WKs had 3 diff locks.

[@humbertorubi4947]

Ryan rkj They should bring in a Mitsubishi Montero third gen basically the same capabilities but less expensive and more reliable.

[@krane15]

The sad part is most were marked as pure off-road vehicles.

[@RK1FX]

Lx570 can take on this trail

[@krane15]

@@RK1FX Too bad they don't have one from the same time period to compare it to. I would have enjoyed watching that video.

[@rootsmanuva82]

Ironic how the Touareg’s car-like front and rear ends is what gives it such great approach and departure angles (along with fantastic ride height).

[@tallll70]

There are cars with big plastic chins and long overhangs on rear...Touareg devs followed the simple understanding of putting axles close to each end and round or angle up the bottoms. That's why i always liked H2s over their plastic cheapness and Jeeps both heavily focusing on that aspect. Now ZR2 did something similar on front of the truck, but it kind of seems other crossover and suv makers don't care about that too much

[@richarda3764]

That car-like appearance does make it look rather ugly even if it performs well.

[@scottykillmore7549]

Agreed. Hate the “snowplow” front chin on new suvs and trucks. Jeep cherokee is the only one that kept the thinner front.

[@noahmcdaniel4920]

@@richarda3764 I think these cars are sexy as hell. Especially the facelift version. I much prefer it to the second gen vehicles. I think the front end looks kind of muscular if you look at it head on, particularly the facelift one (08-10). And I think their backsides look really distinctive and cool as well.

[@rafaeldomenikos5978]

This is my favorite channel on KZbin, subscribed since the cliffhanger 1.0 days. Also this series with the Touareg is my favorite, love the off road vids of normal SUVs !

[@alexandermathar7780]

I think that 90% of All Touareg owners do not know of its true potential

[@AversaS2]

This is news to me. I had no clue that it had lockers AND sway disconnects. In a 2004. That's incredible. VW for life, baby!

[@nh90]

Only if ordered from factory, so they're extremely rare, especially here in europe. Most of them just have the high/low transfer case.

[@SDav21]

The Mercedes ML and GL from that year had the same as part of its off road Pro package. The Germans are always ahead of their time. Even after many years their cars still feel modern.

[@diltzm]

You could get lockers but not disconnects in a 90s Toyota Land Cruiser.

[@paulj9821]

@@SDav21 So Mercedes/Chrysler cause when this was released Jeep was owned and controlled by Daimler.

[@SDav21]

@@paulj9821 none of the Jeep was Chrysler other than interior and styling. The capable chassis was Mercedes. It was Mercedes parting gift to Chrysler Jeep when they separated.

[@user-abcdeFyou]

The first gen Touareg is defenitely my favorite vehicle. It's a combination of comfort, luxury and toughness. Especially the one with 4motion X system, it has got all the stuff you need to go offroad, and you won't feel awkward to take it down a casino either. And it's extremely comfortble for your family's weekend trip. Just so awesome.

[@teddysliftworld]

I had no idea the Touareg was such a good off-roader.

[@Spinal2111]

With VW's lack of marketing, its likely hardly anyone did. Having on-board air, up to 3 locking diffs and a disconnecting sway bar is something you don't even see in the G-Wagon. VW really missed the boat with this one.

[@nitroxide17]

@@Spinal2111 yeah... Wrangler doesn't have on board air either

[@SDav21]

@@Spinal2111 The G Wagon doesn't need it. The Mercedes ML and GL from the same period also had 3 locking diffs with an off road Pro package. It also had a disconnecting sway bar. All the Germans apart from BMW was doing this with their SUVs at the time. When they realised most people never used these things they stopped offering it in newer models. With Mercedes you can still however get their SUVs with an off road package which adds underbody protection and locking diffs. However this is market dependant and probably not available as an option in the US but it is in Europe. They test their normal SUVs in the same off road courses as the G Wagon. That's why even the new GLE has suspension which bounces to get you out of sand. And with all the new tech, they hardly need the 3 locking diffs anymore because they can do the same with electronics and trick software.

[@krane15]

@@Spinal2111 It wasn't the marketing it was the badge. Would you pay $70,000 for a VW?

[@AdityaBhatnagar]

Touareg is a very very capable and 3rd most powerful SUV on earth

[@kevinjekyll1521]

Yes a great platform, I have a Porsche Cayenne Turbo 2005, and a Passat W8 wagon. What a time for such really special cars, that will hopefully be remembered for all the time and engineering that went in to them. I'm feel proud when I drive them. Thanks for the experience to remind us all why we love cars.

[@skigod9]

touareg does have tow hooks you pop the covers off and they screw in

[@eddgrs9193]

16:40 , you can spot the two front tow hook covers just near the outer proximity sensors.

[@PatrickRich]

just to clarify the difference between tow hooks and recovery points though. Tow hooks are for rolling loads (towing a dead vehicle or rolling it up on a ramp truck) recovery points are rated for several times the vehicles weight for dynamic loads where the vehicle is stuck or not rolling. I can't say if VW rated those points for recovery but I can't imagine they are anywhere close.

[@CHMernerner]

those will not save you on off road stucks

[@racerx5379]

Tow truck driver lifted and dragged my dead 04 touraeg sideways with one front recovery point . i thought it would snap at any point but it didnt. Strong stuff

[@rmccarty33]

lmao

[@stephensmith745]

We have a 2011 VW Touareg TDI and it’s been the biggest surprise for us. In love with the diesel, fantastic ride quality, we’ve been through a few vehicles over the years and so far it’s our favorite. These were around $60k new but can easily be found used in the low 20’s. I’ll admit, longevity remains to be seen but so far so good! Don’t buy the diesel, you’ll fall in love with the torque and nothing else will ever satisfy you.

[@lorrinrodrigueshs-bcp192]

The 2004 Touareg came with two skid plates under the frame; the towing eye can screw on either front or back and is in the luggage compartment with the other tire-changing gear...mine has a wench on the front...I got lucky as my Treg is a Wednesday car...I really think that played a roll in its longevity.

[@insiainutorrt259]

I think its a crime to tie a wench to the front of your car... even if it's a tuareg....

[@gionder]

@@insiainutorrt259 i think he went for the theme we see on vintage ships, where there would be a mermaid sculpted into the hull at the very nose of the ship. I'm sure it has a name and nautical enthusiasts will come running to tell us, but i'm sure i made my point across.

[@jasondevereaux3369]

Wench...you mean like an ex wife?? 😁

[@lorrinrodrigueshs-bcp192]

@@jasondevereaux3369 Exactly! Rolls Royce has "Spirit of Ecstasy"...I got babie's mama strapped to the cattle bumper...LOL

[@jasondevereaux3369]

@@lorrinrodrigueshs-bcp192 oh! Be careful not to rear end somebody! 😒😒😉😁😁 or at least do it full throttle!

[@_kratos_888]

This 1st generation of the Touareg is built like a tank , it's very comfortable on- and off road , it has good engines and the transmission is awesome. It's not a coincidence that the Audi Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne are based on the Touareg platform. Just change the oil in the engine and transmission regularly and it will last forever! We have 3 Touaregs in the family. A 2019 , a 2008 and a 2012 and all 3 are perfect.

[@Seventh7Art]

So it is as reliable as a Land Cruiser?

[@Seventh7Art]

So you have all three generations of Touaregs? Which one is better off road? Do all of them have air suspension and diff lockers?

[@jackchn23]

Following....

[@MrTheDarku]

I own a 2015. I'm going to say that the first generation was the best for off road. Had a chance to drive the new one and I think that, unfortunately, it's just another SUV now :(

[@_kratos_888]

@@Seventh7Art I don't know but a Land Cruiser can not sprint in 6 seconds from 0-100 km/h and does not have the comfort of a Touareg , or the quality etc etc.

[@mahsiege]

Great videos! FYI - An old Touareg feature you keep missing is that IT DOES have a tow hook. That eye shaped screw thing to the right of the spare tire can be screwed into 4 different points on the vehicle (two on the front and two on the back) as needed to tow you out of a jam. There's a smaller metal piece beside it that "unlocks" the panels to access the tow hook points. Learned that from tow truck driver last winter after owning mine for almost 10 years!

[@oscarcanelo6262]

❤I own a 2012 2nd generation Touareg TDI , off road, in the snow, you name it it’s a BEST!! Lots of love to all the people who own Touaregs.

[@2DYB]

1st gen of VW touareg 4.2l V8,and its brothers Vw 5.0L V10,W12 6.0L,these are beasts,Thanks to the Germany engineers for the ride,,,,..👏👏👏👌👍👍👍

[@prestonia24]

Our 2005 Touareg V8 is doing strong at 140,000 miles. One of the best cars we've ever owned and actually the one with the highest miles. Wish we had the air suspension though :-\

[@brianmoore4778]

I have a 2006 4.2 spring suspension with 40mm lift . Also 2005 lr3 4.4 with air suspension an 2 in lift. Apples and oranges.

[@Deuteross]

Tommy, this time 'tour de force' was the French expression you were looking for, not 'piece de resistance'. Great video, folks!

[@andresparrow2971]

I loved the Touareg since it came out as it was essentially the brother of the Cayenne, but was just so much better inside. It seems where the Cayenne excelled in driving at speed, the Touareg was a true off roader. I tried to buy a 2014, but found a B6 Passat Wagon with great shape and little miles, that ended up in my garage.

[@chir0pter]

You can get a Cayenne with a locking rear diff, air suspension is standard, and also dynamic chassis control. If they made the 6-speed GTS with the locker I think that would be the trifecta for the perfect on and off-road performer.

[@eddgrs9193]

The Cayenne has all the offroad goodies the Touareg had (locking diffs, low range, air suspension, sway bar disconnect) and it's better on the road. Cayenne off road controls : www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=152033&stc=1&d=1307588818 They even made a special edition Cayenne Transsyberia , after they won the Transsyberian rally , that came trail ready from the factory, with undebody protection, off road tires and light bar included : www.6speedonline.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=455220&d=1470243309

[@eppyz]

All i have to say is this VW is impressing me big time. Keep in mind this rig is not new but over a decade old 😮

[@jjmarz1001]

Decade and a half.

[@jf0314]

I don't think I've enjoyed a sleeper video as much as this one since Top Gear's Toyota HiLux series...Great work!

[@capachin]

VW ran the Paris-Dakar Rally in a Gen1 Touareg, with only safety and fuel modifications and won their class for a number of years running, what a beast, And RIP to Ferdinand Piech who just passed away. Happy Trails, Glenn C.

[@ps1hagrid84]

my dad had one just like this-- fully loaded v8 but in silver with gray interior we sold it in 2016 I miss it but it was always in the shop.

[@carleymoote2103]

I love my tourage. Off road luxury. Thanks for showing her off.

[@richardkhoonk]

i have a 1st generation Touareg too. 2006 V6 with Central Diff lock. What about yours?

[@iggy944]

@@richardkhoonk she can't even spell it right, you think she's going to know what motors in it?!?!😂😂😂😂

[@mindspinn311]

I am rediscovering my love and respect for VW through this series. Cheers you guys!

[@deanboyle1538]

VW started with hitler and cheated the world with their emissions scam!

[@mindspinn311]

Dean Boyle Lol you have mastered sarcasm. 👍🏻

[@deanboyle1538]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Hitler actually called for ferdinand porche to design the first vw. And they got sued by america for their emissions scam!

[@lyleneovard7085]

I love watching the Tough T series. Every time I watch one it makes me wish I'd bought a Touareg when I had the chance.

[@PeterOekvist]

Should put an exhaust on that thing! Love to hear that v8

[@ogalief]

Peter Ökvist Replaced the flex pipe on mine two weeks ago. Before that, it sounded incredible. The 5 valves / cylinder gives it a really great exhaust note

[@pudgylittlehamster]

Wrong. You keep her quite.

[@markusotto6631]

Magnaflow is the best with German V8s

[@reinierrooi5650]

Peter, it was a 5 litre v10 turbo diesel !

[@katelynwallace6743]

@@reinierrooi5650 @4:37 it clearly shows the v8 badge

[@TJY2K]

I'm so glad you guys are making these videos on the touareg. This thing is soooooo underrated. I've always wanted to offroad in one when I worked for VW. And yes I did come across some with rear lockers. Did they look like they would take it off road? No but I wish they did.

[@Epik-hm8ws]

Best series on TFL right now! Opened my eyes about the Touareg. Shame it does not have the detachable stabiluers but still so capable

[@takiman1]

Excellent German engineering. Awesome Touareg. Liebe Deutchland 🇩🇪

[@Welcometofacsistube]

Tak1 excellent German engineering is an oxymoron

[@kaibrand8015]

Just bought a Touareg as my first car. 2004 V6. These videos definitely helped me decide, she’s a beast.

[@user-qv8sc7tc8u]

The first generation of VW Touareg was available (in Europe) also with a powerful 5 liter V10 Diesel engine (313ps and 750Nm of torque)

[@g.t.watson6796]

I love my '12 Touareg 3.0 TDI. These cars are so versatile. I routinely get 30-32 mpg on the highway and have gotten over 750 miles out of a tank of diesel. I've towed a 5,000 lb. camper with no problem and have gotten a bunch of crap in the back of the vehicle with the seats down including a big dresser, full size mattress etc. I don't have the air suspension but this thing does surprisingly well with moderate off-roading and is fairly impressive on snowy roads with just all-season tires.

[@LabradorRichy]

everybody off to craigslist lol

[@EvanRackle]

guilty

[@ChopStickZero]

IIRC the first gen Cayenne was also pretty darn capable off road, with lockers and detachable swaybars etc...

[@doublemartini6645]

yeah, the same platform...

[@rkan2]

Basically the same car...

[@maveric0738]

As others stated. This Touareg was built at the same plant as the Porsche Cayenne. Same vehicle!! Sad that Volkswagen will no longer be sending the Touareg to North America.

[@mindtraveller100]

rkan2 Yeah, but with a different price tag...

[@cevans2021]

@@mindtraveller100 and a Porsche V8 engine. Though the Touareg V10 diesel was actually the fastest of the Q7/Cayenne/Touareg family.

[@nh90]

You should've made this video series when the Touareg came out, i was 12/13 years old back then and "talked" cars with my uncle and some of his friends. When I said they are super capable off road i was immediately shut down and told they cant do anything offroad compared to a jeep. Damn ,i need to bring that conversation up again some time and then show them this series to rub it in their faces!! :D

[@MrDarrenNice]

Loved this 😍 I'm a massive VW fan. I've ordered a brand new Golf GTI TCR coming in October... But now, after watching this, I want to buy a first gen Touareg and go off-roading 👍🏻😁

[@m-at-the-w142]

Unfortunately the locking rear diff is even more rare on the second generation, but I highly recommend the second generation because they made many improvements and reliability and some other functional components. The front and also looks a little nicer in my opinion. I'm definitely biased because I have a 2008, but because of all the research that I put in before buying, I happen to think that the 2008 is the best model year of the Touareg.

[@MrDarrenNice]

@@m-at-the-w142 thanks for the advice, good to know 👍🏻

[@aquaboy1650]

Never thought the Touareg perform amazing on an offroad, Put the Borla pleaseee!

[@MIAMIBLUE777]

Fantastic , very impressive . Now I can see exactly what my Touareg can do . Although I don't think I will be going that extreme .Cheers guys.

[@DavidKaltz]

Love my ‘06 Touareg, its a beast and was well worth the $2500 I paid for it.

[@campbellmckenzie2194]

Does it have low range? I’m fairly sure the recent ones don’t but I dunno about the older ones

[@thedongerneedfood215]

As a VW Audi tech these were always my favorite, most people couldn’t afford the maintenance and electrical nightmares. Most were 3.6VR6 and spring suspensions so finding one with a V8 AND air ride is a bit harder but well worth it. Also the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 run the same platform only the Q7 has a longer wheel base. Good luck on those who wish to purchase one and make friends with an Tech.

[@rocketj7449]

This video moves me to buy a Touareg toy! Best VW marketing video ever!

[@cathy3592]

I love how people in the mundane monster video of tfl were like "that was just a dirt road" "I could do that in rwd" "Do something harder the approach and departure angles arent good" yet this video the touareg handled rock crawling, proved to have better angles than the Ram and did a surprising job. Of course there are better vehicles, but for what it looks like, the touareg did undeniably good. Also loving the positively surprised comments this video! And those who had faith in the touareg already! Cool car.

[@robinyue6603]

I got my VW Touareg 06 last week after watched your videos. Mine came as exact the same as this one. The only difference is that mine doesn’t have the 4 zone AC. The car drives awesome. The only issue is the emission code and saggy headliner. I’m gonna fix those and put new tires on.

[@m-at-the-w142]

Robin Yue welcome to the club!! 👍👍 We meet on wednesdays at noon. You'll learn the special knock and handshake at orientation. 😁

[@robinyue6603]

M-At-The-W sorry, what?

[@m-at-the-w142]

Robin Yue lol I was just trying to be funny, but I just meant, welcome to the Touareg owner's club.

[@robinyue6603]

M-At-The-W Oh. LoL. Thank you.

[@jlongjr27]

@@m-at-the-w142 lol

[@hastensavoir7782]

it’s a sleeper because the masses were all over the Land Cruiser and Range Rovers. I would never forget the V10 TDI video on the website years back.

[@Craig-dn6hn]

Bloody hell, that Tough-T did well.

[@SubieandFriends]

I always knew this VW was a bad ass offroader, back when it first came out every car magazine was testing this SUV on the off-road trails and it did amazing!! The problem this SUV had was the very high price, most people thought it was too much money for a VW.....but what's great about it now is that you can now find them very cheap.....just make sure it's a well maintained one.....cuz I hear parts are pretty expensive

[@garymolony8880]

Surprisingly capable. Who would have thought. Great vid as always.

[@minivanman1356]

The same gen Porsche Cayenne has the same off road kit. Correct me if I’m wrong. They offered a off road package that I think had the same off road aids this VW has. That would be even more or a sleeper and cool to see off road

[@tobiasburen8340]

The hardware from Cheyenne and Touareg is the same. Only the the software ist from Porsche selfmade. The Cheyenne is a bit smaller and more dynamic, so the VW has a bit more space and comfort.

[@CarswithNash]

Hell yeah! Go Touareg! I’m such a fan of this series and love how hard you guys are pushing this vehicle!

[@lukejones4017]

I have a t1 v6 3.2 here in Australia and there has do far been no where i havent been able to go in that car. Beaches, river crossing, rutted hill climbs. Amazing 4x4

[@davidf9027]

I had basically the exact 2004 truck. Unfortunately I had way too many electrical issues with it and returned it under the lemon-law. I wanted her to work, and I heard how capable she was supposed to be off-road, but I was a city-dude then. I loved the engine, the interior, the fact it was developed with Porsche, that I could adjust the height in traffic and entertain my passengers 😜. Oh well...too bad.

[@vukajlo-crnagora4797]

I have a 2005 Touareg that was really cheap to buy because people are afraid of expebsive repairs and fuel consumption here in the Balkans. But man, what you get for that money you cannot find even in many of the new cars. I even have a dvd screen and player on the ceiling and front and back seats heating, air conditioning can be set for 4 zones independently, it is so comfortable and quiet. On the off road side, I was able to tow out my brother's car from a big sand hole on a river bank uphil that was curved and bumpy. Overall, a luxurious beast.

[@IssaqAl-Ahmed]

Color me surprised. Would really like to see how this thing compares to a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

[@toddstone611]

I wheeled a Touereg around Moab for about two years. They are amazingly capable and fun. With all the lockers and black box magic, with a light off-road tire, the Touareg will scratch and crawl its way up anything. The Touereg’s two off-road limitations are that 1) they have very little suspension articulation, so In any serious terrain, you will have to get comfortable driving on three wheels at times. But, it’s a legitimate technique, and it’s easy to learn, fun, and more stable (safer) than it sounds. 2) The Touareg has pretty good ground clearance, but it often isn’t enough to get over things. You will need to be comfortable scraping or bumping bottom pretty regularly. Be gentle, careful, and smart and it’s not really an issue - the Touareg is tank if you don’t abuse it. As you would expect, put some light off-road tires on a Touareg, and the German engineering makes them a blast for higher speed off-road fun. I drove mine pretty hard around Utah until I put into four feet of water in one of the holes in this video and killed her. (I now wheel a modified 2008 Lexus GX470, which I can’t rave about enough. Google GXOR if you want to learn more). But a Touareg can be a fun choice.

[@darrenslatta]

Can't wait to see the model X try this

[@benzardaniel-ioan3358]

lol good one

[@markop0lp]

I just bought a touareg 04 v6 with the rear def lock. Based on this videos. Thank you! Grettings from mexico!

[@443829566]

Keep the beast guys, really want to see this to be featured in the future

[@briancorrigan5350]

I used the two fuel pumps from the Touareg in my 04 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. All the same chassis goodies, air suspension, high and low 4, variable locking diffs, and 450 hp. In fairness, I don't think I've got descent mode. And a pretty capable towing package. Spin your own wrenches or pay. Oh yeah, when you air down the tires, you can refill them with the air line take-off under the passenger's seat. It taps into the air suspension pump to feed a fill hose.

[@eddgrs9193]

13:53, you can see the rear tow point in the top right corner of the screen, behind that plastic cover, next to the reflector.

[@eleonik76]

The first Touareg was developed at the time Ferdinand Piech was still heading VW. He was obsessed with quality and engineering,and cutting costs was not an option. One of the most iconic cars were developed under his watch,like Audi Quattro,Porsche 911,Phaeton,etc. If you want a proper quality and engineering,and you want VAG product,the one before 2003 is your choice. After that it's all about cutting costs and profits. That Touareg had much more engineering and capabilities,than the ones that follow.

[@stajpi]

fiat panda 4x4 is Ultimate OFF-ROAD SLEEPER!

[@JW-hf5is]

Not really a sleeper tho.

[@MrSweetHart6976]

Holy crap, judging by the excessive tire bulging and unbelievable tire grip...you guys actually aired down to a psi below 30...... 10 points to TFL :) This Touareg really impresses me, I just wish another manufacturer made it, that had a more reliable track record. Keep the videos on this coming!!!

[@The_Hi_Life]

Wow! The VW continues to amaze, and looks damn good doing it with those BFGs! Great vid guys👌.

[@CncObsession]

I have a 2015 Touareg TDI. A true 750 mile range. You WILL stop to pee. Beautiful highway ride in almost silence. Plenty of torque. Never had the opportunity to drive in a situation as you are showing. The wife would be impressed with the ability more than the actual doing ;-)

[@johnmiller7682]

In my experience with VW's, they are actually quite reliable. I think the problem comes with the ones that aren't. It goes like this, 99 out of 100 cars are perfect. But that one bad one has every single problem you can imagine.

[@redrob2230]

I miss my Touareg. Comfy on the road and however not as good off road as my wrangler was, it was respectable. Drove it in Alaska to Canada. And in Texas too.

[@karimalameddine5092]

This is amazing! Touareg needs this recognition! You should do more with it. Also would be nice to test out the LR3/4

[@Kimbrough87]

Karim Alameddine I own a LR3 and love it

[@karimalameddine5092]

@@Kimbrough87 I drive an LR3 and MPG is horrible so I'm confused, love hate relationship! Diesel conversion or LR4 or import... In Canada we pay $1.30/L regular and $1.50/L premium...

[@thebulgarianguy8461]

The real test of this vw should be taking it to remote trails without a support vehicle. I love how capable it is, but the reality is that given it's reliability history and the presence of air suspension, one would be simply crazy to take it on a true overlanding expedition.

[@ikeo8666]

surprised TLF is finding about this now. There are many youtube videos of old touaregs doing the same thing

[@kenyattaclay7666]

They aren't just finding out about this now. In the video he says it took them three years to find the one they wanted and it was most likely a while before they decided to start looking because of all the different projects they do.

[@ramseybones2635]

My grandma has that same v8 you rag and it’s awsome, such a good luxury soccer mom car and a great car for off roasting, also you can get one for like 5 grand it’s the best budget car and it seems to be pretty reliable too

[@aldrichtagalog8322]

Shoot. Makes me want to get one! I’ll buy you guys’ Touareg when you’re done with it and it still runs! 😊😊💪

[@thebrucechannel8061]

Good video, thanks. I've got a 2007 Touareg without the air suspension or the V8 but it gets me almost anywhere, very underrated. I live in Arizona and take it from the mountains around Flagstaff to the beaches down in Mexico, without fail.

[@richardkhoonk]

There is a video which shows a V10 Touareg towing a Boeing 747. Look it up.

[@hikingjoe4752]

theres also a video of a Cayenne towing a 747 its not THAT hard actually i mean the Boing is on wheels so you dont have to tow anywhere near the whole weight. There was even a human who got a 747 into rolling

[@yamahschector]

Off-road sleeper for sure! I love off-road vehicles and had no idea this thing was this good. I may have bought one if I knew better.

[@waltermusial]

Jeep Grand Cherokee is the modern day equivalent of the VW Touareg. Tough T Shootout - Grand Cherokee Trailhawk vs VW Touareg!!!!

[@mountainmanjim6366]

Personally, I would much rather have a jeep grand Cherokee trail hawk. That jeep is a beast, and is soooooo comfortable to drive

[@dzelpwr]

@@mountainmanjim6366, the WK2 does look good, too. But, the Touareg is also VERY comfortable to drive and has impeccable on road manners, too. Also, with the WK2 that has air suspension, what's the max height vs. the Touareg? I had to look it up. WK2 max height, 10.7" Touareg? 11.8 on its stock tires. More than an inch above the WK2... then put the taller tires on, as TFL did, and they've got more than 13" of ground clearance. Though finding a VW mechanic who wants to work on these and understands the ins and outs and quirks well, that is the challenge.

[@m-at-the-w142]

dzelpwr I agree. I REALLY love the look of the WK2 but after a lot of research, I don't think that it is a modern day Touareg. The beauty of the Touareg is that it's pretty dang good at just about everything. Sure, there may be some SUVs that are more luxurious and maybe even sportier on the road, and some might even beat it off road, but anything that happens to beat it in any one of those categories likely isn't good in the rest of the categories. I love how I can crank it up into max height for some rock crawling, then drop it down into sport mode (which not only lowers the car but tightens up the handling) and effortlessly weave through traffic at 80mph on the freeway on the way home. All while my 4-zone climate control and front and read seat warmers (in the summer. Unfortunately there are no air-conditioned seats) keep all of my passengers comfortable. Oh with that cool and unique terra-cotta colored interior. I'm a little biased, but I love my Touareg The only vehicle that I'm curious might be a new version of it is the range rover sport. Sporty, luxurious, and capable Offroad (although I've never put it to the test so I can't say with certainty whether it is truly the new Touareg or not). It seems like the WK2 is capable off road and has a soft truck like a ride, which is nice, but I've heard it's not very sporty.

[@fartman10284]

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around a lot longer than the Touareg

[@dzelpwr]

@@fartman10284, yes, but the WK2 was the first one to have 4 wheel independent suspension and optional adjustable air ride like the Touareg...

[@ittaihakham-aharon3726]

I have to say that my father owned a 2008 Touareg and it was a briliant car, and a very popular one too. In Israel the Touareg outsold the Mercedes ML, Land Rover Discovery and more, even though it was more expensive than the others, costing more than 500,000 ILS (which is 140,000$, due to the massive taxes in Israel)...

[@sherman4970]

Very impressed. Would love the V10!!

[@morgandelgado4763]

Thank you team TFL,I've been looking to get a taureg diesel for quite some time as I have a pickup truck diesel dually and I have a 5600 pound travel trailer....its getting worst and worst looking for parking.....but the taureg towing capacity and 4wd capability it's the best out there.....once again great videos

[@Gouveia100]

Screw Jeep! Im buying a Touareg!

[@michaelwilliams8297]

Blasphemy!!

[@Gouveia100]

@I know you are right, And I just got owned but: I wont make an ass out of myself cuz im too poor to buy either of them.

[@theadventuresoftaco7306]

Dont

[@rmccarty33]

Please do we don't need another incompetent jeep owner

[@euunitedwestand1471]

TrekRider33 jeep it’s a pos overrated Chrysler .

[@dickywieb8043]

I have one too here in South America and I love them.

[@ponderinggeek7861]

If you're in the market for a 15 year old German luxury SUV / off road sleeper... Looks like Touareg fits the bill.

[@tetnum]

wait till you see the cayenne. even more off road goodness was available on it.

[@m-at-the-w142]

Far Creek Forge Ooo, the trans-Siberia edition!

[@markusotto6631]

@@tetnum The best is, that the cayenne has way more after market options. Like in Russia they are doing serious offroading with the Cayenne and even in Colorado I've seen GX470 and Cayennes doing some serious Offroad trips.

[@tetnum]

@@m-at-the-w142 just go for a GTS same spec without the skidplates also available in manual from 2008-10

[@tetnum]

@@markusotto6631 there is an after market for stock parts that were options on the Cayenne. At a minimum you get dual rear and center locking difs a low gear and torque vectoring. You can also get a hydraulic decoupling away bar, skidplates, tow hook, air suspension for an extra 3-4 inches of ground clearance.

[@hackonefouryou]

I was out in the Talladega National Forest and saw one of these. No Moab for sure, but this thing flat out stomped. I didn't even finish the first trail in my Outback and they were already going fishing.

[@sebastiankirk]

I really feel like you should take the LR3/4 out for a spin... Pretty sure it can do the same bone stock. Still impressed by the Touareg!

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

For a unibody truck, the tough-T is very impressive.

[@David-rx2to]

Do a comparo between the Touareg and the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk.

[@TheTulerie]

I'm excited to get my hands on either a Touareg or a Cayenne. It's cool to see that these things are so capable off-road.

[@Slingsomelead]

I think the point here is that off-roading is tires and skill, not just the vehicles.

[@billyy2000]

I used to have the v10 reg.... wat a machine.... these were brilliant... expensive to maintain... but wonderful

[@yannickukatz4086]

Could you compare this Touareg with the 2016?

[@glider1232]

In 2010 they removed a lot of the off road gear to save weight because they knew that no one ever took them off road.

[@EverydayCars]

@@glider1232 the 2nd gen Tourag doesn't even have a low range gear box But it does have an off-road mode

[@richardkhoonk]

The 2016 Touareg cant compare to the 1st generation Touareg. 2016 Touareg got no low range and locking diff.

[@alanj7306]

Awesome video! That VW just keeps amazing me. And even better, you have a super comfortable vehicle to drive home in. I’m more and more impressed with every single video you make about the Tough T.

[@Sitti2300]

I really regret I didn't buy it back then. When this Touareg was available, I was in the market for a new SUV and was looking at this Touareg. I don't remember why but for some reason I ended up buying Acura MDX. I never went offroad though.

[@mikewest712]

You made the right call.

[@mikewest712]

I was making suspension parts for acura mdxs around that time. Their quality standards were unmatched at the time.

[@rogermolina1244]

To answer Tommy's question as to what vehicle can go on all those Trails without any major modifications like the Volkswagen did is an easy one! The 2004 Toyota RAV-4 Sport! We've taken our 04 RAV (WITH 5 Speed manual) to MOAB twice and got the same looks from Jeep and 4 Runner owners with the look of amazement. Our RAV has typical A/T tires and a basic skid plate to protect the bottom of the engine. And like the Volkswagen Touareg we didn't scratch anything or even come close to it because our RAV4 is short but wide. MOAB is really fun as long as you take your time and don't rush over obstacles, plus the key thing for anyone going to test their rig at MOAB is to always ALWAYS AIR DOWN your tires☮