This Should NOT Be Possible: Watch A Stock VW Keep Up With A Lifted Off-Roader Up A Mountain!

[@4wdsome444]

As a vw performance engineer I love watching Americans be impressed with these things, it was literally designed to be the best stock off-roader from factory and it was it was also in top spec designed to be the most comfortable, and in testing it made mince meat of rangerovers and Cadillacs at the time, and in escape trim it had low range, air suspension, and three locking diffs In Euro spec you get a full size spare and an air compressor The clucking is due to the air bag reaching maximum drop there is about 3mm of give

[@kubanskiloewe]

piece of shit

[@jh5kl]

@@kubanskiloewe yes you are

[@Yoda496]

in escape trim, didn't the vw touareg also have quick disconnectable sway bars?

[@roblotomy]

Can the minimum ride height of them be lowered with a vcds like how the cayenne can?

[@jerrodcorey25]

Throw some K02's or decent Mud Terrain's on that VW and become UNSTOPPABLE ! ! 1 vote for Toureg Off-Road

[@alewsome2005]

Put more agressive tires on the vw

[@jaylee8703]

Yeah the fact that the thing just cruised right through without much drama with those soccer mom tires/wheels...... LOL

[@BrendanPJames]

Alewsome why? It does just fine without them and it fits with the fact that it’s supposed to be an on road daily driver as well

[@alewsome2005]

Brendan James yeah but picture it having some mud/ all-terrain tires on that bad boy, with maybe some bolted fenders? It would still be road worthy with A/T but would give it an extra aesthetic spice

[@jaylee8703]

@@alewsome2005 Yep... would be THAT MUCH COOLER / MORE CAPABLE with the off road tires.

[@alewsome2005]

Thorsten that’s what I run on my bronco

[@The_Hi_Life]

Holy cow the ground clearance on the touareg is amazing!!! And that Brown leather interior is beautiful! it really looks classy!

[@dzelpwr]

VW calls it teak. It's orange-ish too. My 04 has the same color in it. Great vehicle!

[@vagscanetprogramation7239]

But the R line version have full option and really really good interior from normal version

[@stephenmoxley3004]

That VW is really impressive! With better tires and some skid plates, it would probably go anywhere. Keep up the good work.

[@CFG39]

The original Touareg was a monster off road. The locking diffs, air suspension and 4.2L V8 were phenomenal compared to just about every other car at that time. It just needed a couple of skid plates and better tires to be unstoppable. I wish TFL could’ve gotten their hands on an LR3 V8 with the locking rear diff instead of the last year model D2. Even to this day, the original Touareg is still a great looking SUV. I always wanted a V8 or V10 TDI Touareg in that greenish-Gray color you have with the beige interior.

[@williamparker7823]

I had an 05 touareg for a bit. It was a love hate affair. That 4.2 is a peach but it needed a thermostat which was behind the timing belt, which needed a lot of the front end off. Finding one with a rear locker is difficult too.

[@yuzeyang8847]

@@williamparker7823 I think chain driven version is more reliable. Yes, there is no way to find a Touareg with rear diff. Been looking this machine for years with no luck

[@ronaldreed7698]

The 4.2 v8 is a nice engine but the w-8 intrigues me.

[@beerbeforebreakfast]

My stock LR3 no locker with stock tires makes lifted moded Jeeps look goofy. I can drive home in luxury and silence after going anywhere i want!

[@CFG39]

Ronald Reed The W8 was very interesting in the Passat, especially with the 6mt, but it was an utter disaster to work on and really didn't make all that much power. The complexity of a W engine is hard to match.

[@supernova1976]

I used to own the Touareg and a 2002 Rangrover which is basically same as this discovery. used to take them to some serious offroading few times mainly sand dune bashing and some rock crowling and river bed driving. the Rangerover was super solid on the rocks i could just place the wheel wherever i wanted and it never slips , it was good on sand but felt a bit heavy , still managed to climb the biggest dunes :) and some jumps, untill i busted the air shocks . the Touareg wasn't as capable i guess because my one wasent the fully loaded options , still managed to do alot of offroad driving but not as hardcore as the Rangerover and got stuck more often, however it was good enough for me, and what it lacked offroad it made it up on the road, it had great handling and absorbed road bumps and humps like a champ . Rangerover reliability was 4 /10 ( not due to jumping issue )and VW was 8/10 in similar periods and Km. Rangrover had only 20k km when i bought it still under warranty and sold it about 56k km in between had all air shocks bags replaced engine leaking oil due to deformed cam cover , electrical issues due to loose connections, air compressor leaking . VW only had engine coil issue after warranty was expired but dealer replaced them free of charge , and interior couldn't handle the hot weather it was pealing all over and quality of material felt cheap.

[@andrewhovanetz3525]

supernova1976 a 2003 Range Rover is a completely different vehicle than a discovery. Different chassis (monocoque vs body on frame), different suspension ( solid axle vs independent, different traction control system, different motor and trans, I could go on forever lol

[@andrewhovanetz3525]

supernova1976 ahhh so an 02 haha

[@altergreenhorn]

? NOPE RR 2003 and this Discovery has only one common thing the name Land Rover and both have 4 wheels

[@supernova1976]

@@altergreenhorn 2002

[@jeepjoseph9036]

?

[@dulos69]

I've been hating this VW since the beginning, until now. What an impressive wonderful car! I can't believe it keep up with the Land Rover! Respect!

[@discoverlight]

Next video should be your VW vs the 2020 Touareg. 🙏🏾

[@MichaelMiller-rg6or]

Unfortunately, we don't get the 2020 Touareg anymore.

[@yannickukatz4086]

Michael Miller Maybe the Atlas🤔

[@krane15]

A totally different vehicle. Improved luxury but no longer a rock climber.

[@krane15]

@@MichaelMiller-rg6or For Americans the Touareg did not compute.

[@Agent77X]

Not available in the U.S. anymore. The 2020 Touareg is quite the looker too!

[@KYoss68]

Tommy the VW spare inflates to full size.. just try it out. It's very clever.

[@DEEuroworks]

KYoss68 wow, really? Amazing car, love the Touareg.

[@janozkk]

German Engineering, the 1998 to 2005 Mercedes SLK have that amazing inflatable spares too

[@sailingspark9748]

I had a 70s Porsche with the inflatable spare. I never had to use it as I did not have the car long, but it was an interesting answer to putting a full size spare in a small car

[@guyod1]

One of the many benefits of having on board air compressor

[@michieljames737]

They were also released in Sub-Saharan countries with the rear mounted spare wheel. Looking very much the part for an proper offroader.

[@webenic57]

I have a 2006 for my daily/hunting truck. Not only is it a beast off road, but it's the best vehicle I've ever driven through nasty winter weather. I was super pumped to see you guys do a few vids on it.....Push that thing to the limits and video it for us all to enjoy!

[@josephwhiskeybeale]

If they’re both running by the end of the video I’d consider it a win.

[@spedracer55]

LOL

[@Smicky20]

Joseph Whiskey Beale 😂😂😂😂😂

[@MrJcjet]

🤣🤣🤣

[@abrahamestrada2206]

I see this as an absolute win

[@lisminircstudio974]

I use my gl500 off road for over 10years still good

[@gumbie05]

The first generation Touaregs were one of the BEST SUVS made in the 15 years!! 👍

[@carholic-sz3qv]

you mean one of the BEST GERMAN SUV made in the 15 years

[@hEXordo]

Le Chat Botté first gen mercedes ml were no joke, body on frame

[@The_Hi_Life]

Yes, way better than the 2nd gens, 4 sure!

[@krane15]

Unforgettably, Americans don't buy their SUV to go off-road. Which is why the vehicle failed so miserably here in the States.

[@krane15]

@@carholic-sz3qv One of the best vehicles ever. It was, in fact, the best combination of all things road worthy. No other vehicles has ever done as much before or after for the price.

[@ExTrumpet]

Thanks for making the value of old Touaregs go up 30%!!

[@VladoooThe]

Brits always: "nothing off-roads like a land rover" Reality: a lifted, modified, big tired discovery just got smoked off-road by a completely stock, unibody crossover with minivan tires....

[@joelsharman5964]

A defender would kill that thing off road

[@VladoooThe]

@@joelsharman5964 Don't think so. Stock for stock, they would be evenly matched. But the VW is much more luxurious and refined on road.

[@supergearhead152]

You're talking about a Land Rover without a rear locker with a traction control system designed in the 90's. A better comparison would be between the 1st gen Touareg and a Discovery 3/LR3 or early Range Rover Sport with the rear locker both of which perform incredibly well(and very similar) stock and the Terrain Response traction control system is vastly better than the system in the Disco II and P38(which is why both Ford and BMW ripped it off their own watered down versions for their own cars when they owned LR)

[@yannickpds8910]

I have approx 15 years of raid, off road, around Europe and Africa, and Im telling you that a Land Rover, a Toyota or a Mitsubishi can't be beaten by a crossover in REAL off road condition ! Here, with a Duster 2WD it's possible to climb... The driver put volontary in difficult the Land Rover and choose different line to climb ! Im sorry, this test is wrong

[@eddgrs9193]

Soccer moms have high standards.

[@vernonbennettiii3646]

You are spot on with your analysis of these two vehicles. I am 63 years old and have owned a number of different true 4x4's over many years. I am currently running my "hunting and fishing rig" 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Diesel (240 hp; 420 foot pounds of torque), with factory air suspension. It has the factory "Off-Road Adventure II Pkg" (center locker, factory skid plates and electronic LSD which "locks" when in 4x4 Low "Rock" or "Mud" mode), Australian "Chief Products" lower front end skid plate and sump protection skid plate, Mopar rock sliders, DEF line skid plate, Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac Tires (32+"), and Yakima Roof Rack crossbars for my canoe. I bring all the usual recovery gear (except for a winch) with me when I head out into the northern Michigan woods (e.g. 4 Maxx Traxx, shovel, snatch straps, tow straps, shackles, hi-lift jack, "come-along" hand winch, chain saw, ropes, tarps, etc.). From the factory my Jeep GC was probably very close to the configuration of your 2004 Toureg, except for the true "direct" rear locker. I cut the passenger front end air suspension hose in a wreck off-road a couple of years ago. I had to limp it out back to my Cabin in northern Michigan, and then flatbed it to a Jeep dealer for a repair (driving it any further than the 2 or 3 miles back to my Cabin could have destroyed the already damaged air suspension system). So, I will personally attest to the fact that the "Boondocks Reliability Factor" is certainly a concern with your Toureg's air suspension system, regardless of how well it has worked for you so far or how well it may work "in theory". You have provided great video coverage of both these excellent off-road vehicles. Now, if I I could just find a 7/8 size RAM Power Wagon (Jeep Gladiator is a bit pricey, and is a little small, and has no factory winch), I would jump on it (for the right price) -- the RAM Rebel ought to up its game, yes?. My next-door neighbor has run RAM 3/4 ton 4x4's for years (he's now 84 and looks 20 years younger), and he and I have taken turns pulling each other out of the mud and ruts with my older Ford 4x4's and my old '04 Chevy Tahoe Z71 4x4 (which my daughter-in-law is still using to commute to a nearby town to teach high school), and he was with me when I wrecked my Jeep's air suspension. Keep up the good work!

[@eazyfabrizi]

I have worked for both companies. The Disco 2 is one of the worst vehicles in the world to own. From cylinder liners that crack and the head gasket failures alone would make me run for the hills. Also the front driveshaft failures in the discos are ridiculous and when the fail will smash the bell housing on the trans to pieces. You would be lucky to keep one on the road for 100,000 miles. The VW is hands down the better vehicle and I would trust it way more than the Disco. The air suspension rarely fails in that chassis. The engine, the 4.2 as long as the oil is changed 5,000 to 10,000 miles the chain failure is a rarity and is way better. If you are a diy'er the Vw is a better vehicle and more robust. Get some better shielding for the underside and better tires and it will destroy the Disco hands down. Oh and the LR3 rear diff bearing failures are common, wiring, lack of power out of the 4.4 and lower control arm failures would make the LR3 way less reliable. They also have wheel bearing failures constantly. At best the land Rover is an anemic British design that is sold as robust.

[@DasBoot83]

Also, the Touareg donut actually inflates to a full-size tire. That's the main purpose of the air hose and inflator.

[@savagetuner2404]

Nicholas Helfrich now that’s cool.

[@DasBoot83]

@@savagetuner2404 for sure! Every day I find new ways they overengineered the Touareg. Fortunately have never had to see the spare work in person!

[@savagetuner2404]

Nick Helfrich unfortunate they didn’t put this engineering in Audi so it would have a badge connected to the engineering.

[@brunopaynebarbosa]

I had a lifted Land Rover same year and I'm on my second Touareg now, V6 and V8. Land Rover felt like a tank but engine isn't realiable AT ALL, transmission is a beast tho. Now, Touareg is a WAY more luxurious car for many many reasons, WAY better on the road, way faster and better mileage, both engines are good and transmission is not as though at Land Rover but way better than most SUVs available around

[@chrismak4859]

I’ve loved VW’s since I was a teenager, my first car was a 73 Squareback, and I’ve had almost every water pumper they’ve made. I’m a Jeep guy now, so this was very cool to watch. Thanks!

[@SSMJ]

I guess it's good to y'all don't try to pick good lines, it does make everything seem a lot harder 😁 My stock (lift height wise) Wrangler Unlimited went up and down the rock wall on the right of Land Rover in the video at 5:10. It had no lift and stock Wrangler SR-As, with a good line didn't even touch, on the way up or the way down. If you check out my trail review of the ironclads on Trails Offroad you'll see that I'm not bsing. I realize the point of the video is showing off how great of an off roader the VW Touareg is, and I'm not knocking it, it actually seems like a wonderfully interesting vehicle that I'm now looking at on Craigslist, I'm trying to make the point that it wouldn't hurt your vehicles if everyone chose slightly more solid lines on even more aggressive obstacles. The vehicles that you're showing off are way more capable then they seem most of the time! I think you guys need to do them the Justice of the good spotter, or a little more planning! Like always though, I love you guys' videos, keep on truckin!

[@dadventuretv2538]

I remember when those Touaregs came out thinking, damn, VW just made a legit offroader. It is essentially a unibody LR4 with the HD package. Just goes to show you how, unless you are actually rock bashing or going hardcore, locking rear and center diffs with low range and decent ground clearance will get you a lot of places. Although I would add some at least AT tires to the Touareg if I were going to go offroad with it. Also goes to show just how overbuilt so many rigs are for what they do. Old school solid axles, coil springs etc are still way easier to fix if they break, so if going way off grid is your thing I’d probably recommend old school. But for most of us weekend warriors whose rig is also our daily, the new rigs that do it more by way of electronics are more than capable- I love my LR4 and it has taken everything I’ve thrown at it for over 3 years- and they are so much better on road which still where the vast majority of the rig’s time will be spent.

[@swansondigital3180]

I had a 2010 Touareg TDI (3.0) with the air suspension and some cooper AT3s on 17" wheels. It was a great off roader and could cruise on gravel or washboard roads better then just about anything I've ever ridden in. It also has equal approach and departure angles so if you don't scrape on the way up you won't on the way down! I took that thing on a lot of roads where the only other vehicles I'd see were ATVs and wranglers. Plenty of odd looks! Also nice on road, could tow and got good mileage! And thanks to the diesel scandal I basically owned it for 5 years at no cost after the buyback!!

[@JesusRodriguez-tm8go]

You could option a full size spare tire mounted on the hatchback on the vw

[@dzelpwr]

In Europe, sure. Don't see too many of them equipped as such in the U.S.

[@JesusRodriguez-tm8go]

@@dzelpwr you don't see that many equipped that way in Spain either, but you see some.

[@dzelpwr]

@@JesusRodriguez-tm8go, I'm not sure I've ever seen one in the U.S. equipped that way, but I've had other people swear up and down they've seen them repeatedly. *shrug* pc: the spare might inflate close enough to full size, but it's not very tough nor does it have decent tread to help get you back home if you're doing off-roading. A proper full size conventional spare that matches the tires you have on the vehicle would be a much better thing to have for any kind of off roading.

[@thesmallguy6613]

In South Africa a full size spare is pretty standard... it’s on a swing arm that opens to the side for access to the hatch.

[@motiszm]

@@dzelpwr I own a touareg in the US and one day saw another one with the spare on the hatch.... up until then I didn't know it was an option! Looked it up and it's ridiculously expensive to do a rear spare mount conversion with factory parts lol.

[@twintornadoestravel1119]

Love my '04 4.2L VW! Love watching you work yours out on the trail!

[@C_R_O_M________]

Your Touareg also has 4.56s from factory which helps a lot. I don’t know what the Land Rover has. My V10 has 3.27:1 (a lot more torque though). I’d take the Touareg vs the Land Rover for the simple variable that reads “drivability” in normal conditions. You blast away in the highway (the LR isn’t very good there) like a raised station wagon with independent suspension and you can go to places where the LR can. Win-win.

[@Nirvanist16]

Can you guys compare VW with Lexus GX 470 same year made? They are both luxurious and both have an air suspension

[@Crashryding]

Alexandr Panteleev you want to compare a spec’d up LandCruiser Prado 120-150 model against a Tuareg?? Look up 150 series Prado off-road on KZbin.......nonce

[@erichnieuwoudt371]

In other regions one could get a rear tire carrier, my 2007 model is fitted with one. Also, I am running 265-65R17 Achilles mud tires on mine which makes a huge difference, extra side wall gives you even more clearance so one doesn't need to go Xtra height as often. I come from a modified WJ Grand Cherokee and the Treg is pretty close in comparison, it does however go about trails in a completely different manner.

[@dadsafrantic]

nice. i have an 08 with 265-70r17 falken wildpeak at3 tires. v6 base model. everywhere i go off road people just stare. the tc is just about perfect.

[@q80aziz]

I would choose the Touareg in that comparison . However, fast forward a bit and the ( Discovery) LR 3/ 4 wins hands down particularly in off road situations with either the 4.0 V6 or the 5.0 V8 .

[@alir9854]

Don't forget about Cayenne in the 1st gen. It was the same capable. True off-road Porsche!!! :)

[@rodcros]

My '04 Cayenne S has all of the Tuareg's equipment except the air suspension. It goes off-road reasonably well, but it's too stiff, heavy and wide for applications around my property where my narrower and more flexible '02 Toyota Tacoma 2.7 L 4X4 is the usual choice. The Tacoma is also vastly superior in deep snow to the Cayenne, though on a winter highway, equipped with winter tires, the Cayenne rules.

[@nissanpatrol8950]

Ali R it is also a vw Audi group car

[@indahooddererste]

@@nissanpatrol8950 not back then even though they produced both in the same factory in slovakia. they both had major shares on each other but few years later vw purchased porsche. The funfact Dr. Piech the son of Ferdindand Porsche was the ceo of VW.

[@lazarushernandez5827]

@@indahooddererste There was some weird history between VW and Porsche in the 2000s, You are correct in saying the VW purchased Porsche, but a while earlier, Porsche was actually trying to purchase VW (or at least take controlling interest). The cars were twins, but Porsche tuned theirs more for on road performance while the VW had more off-road capability.

[@dimitriwaardenburg4631]

Awesome video guys great work! I never could believe the off road capability of a touareg until i followed your new series ;) i love that SUV but here in Québec, mechanics hate working on VW and cost way to much to repair it...

[@gnashdog290]

I sold VWs in the day, the Toureg could climb a 45 degree grade all day long. and replacing breaks was soooo much cheaper too.

[@billjackson5349]

I have a V10 and I drive to Denver and Ft Collins to visit friends frequently if you would like to take a look at one.

[@savagetuner2404]

Bill Jackson are you part of the armed forces?

[@billjackson5349]

@@savagetuner2404 retired

[@savagetuner2404]

Bill Jackson god bless you sir. Thank you so much for your service

[@billjackson5349]

@@savagetuner2404 Thanks man.

[@markformanek3689]

I have a 2004 VW Touareg 4.2 with Rear diff / KO2 18 inch and 2000 Disco 2 2inch lift/ARB rear diff locker & Ashcroft CDL with KO2. Love both cars. VW daily driver and VERY capable off road. While the VW is the dark horse for off-roading capability I feel my D2 still out performs the VW with overall traction in mud and babyhead boulder fields/washouts. VW is waaaayyy more comfortable for long trips and has more leg room. I should have done a video long time ago but TFLCar beat me to it. Fantastic job!!

[@pownd01]

Eager to see more from that Touareg been considering buying one for the longest this is pushing me over the edge lol !

[@Predator27007]

I've owned both, plus various Disco RRs. My Toerag had all the offroad gizmos...centre and rear axle locks, plus sway bar decoupling. So... Almost impossible in UK to find, second hand with air suspension and the other bits as most owners here just wanted fancy interiors and fake carbon trim, leather etc. On fully extended suspension mode, limited to 20mph or so, the ride was terrible but ground clearance good. Traction was good, but you can see from this video that articulation is poor, and rarely are four wheels on the ground. Better in std off road height but not a match for solid axles and coils. RR L322 was better as the suspension allowed cross linking of air supply to allow reasonable articulation. I found interior trim quality was poor compared to sister vehicle Porsche Cayenne. V10 diesel thirsty but strong with all gear-driven cams, pumps etc. Latest Toerag has gone softer, but Mk 2 with 4.2 V8 diesel decent, but with same lack of suspension travel. On uneven ground it is like being on a seesaw. New Discos, Defender all going independent suspension and tested on the Nurburgring, so expect less sensible, more road biased nonsense, aided by electronics. It will be hard or impossible to modify such trucks, which is a shame. But then. I am old fashioned and want an off road car to be solid, simple.....as RR P38, Landcruiser 80 etc were...not just a jacked up limousine. But still comfortable, capable and 'adjustable'. Give this Disco II some locking/LS diffs and it will be more satisfying than the Toerage ALL day long.

[@slowboat6021]

Also at speed on dirt roads the VW is amazing, Very stable and easy to drive.

[@saturndesigns2339]

I guess the T is the best off-roader now

[@jerrodcorey25]

That Toureg is a BEAST OFF-ROAD ! ! PERIOD. THE END

[@mountainhobo]

When it's not in the shop being repaired.

[@savagetuner2404]

mountainhobo haha good one buddy but it doesn’t have the v10. This is more reliable than a Toyota Camry

[@mountainhobo]

(1) I am not your buddy. (2) VW is crap and only mechanics love it. (3) If you think Touareg is more reliable than a Toyota Camry, you need to up your health insurance because mental asylums are expensive.

[@MrJcjet]

@Peder Hansen it's not hype. People actually keep track of these things. The VW is an order of magnitude more likely to break down per mile. There's a reason you'll never see one in Australia or Africa. They're horrendously unreliable.

[@mountainhobo]

" it`s mostly internet hype" -- ROFL.

[@Liberty_Offroad]

Tommy, starting to really enjoy your presentation style. Great job!

[@ralphcasados8862]

The Touareg were awesome designs from VW very stable units not built for hard offroading but will get the job done. My friend had one and it went where ever my Jeep did except for large drops that hung up - I was very empressed.

[@krane15]

Considering the Land Rover was struggling more than a few times it looked pretty hard to me

[@wannd]

I have had Two Touaregs: an V8 FSI and a Hybrid.... they are very reliable considered they amount of tech inside. IMO I will trust my Touareg more than a landrover. But is sad that there are less after market equipment for Touareg than LR.

[@richardi.pigott7373]

I own a 2004 Land Rover Discovery II & love it!!! Planning to buy a Defender making two Rovers for me!

[@GATORADDAM]

I wanna know where you get that crazy version of "You should be mine" for background music. I also think that you might just be the best commentator of the entire crew including your father. You have the facts and don't stumble telling them.

[@aronbennett4760]

I've always loved the T1 Touareg. I knew that they were cool, but I've never seen them off-road. I think that the Tough T series is awesome. Keep up the good work folks...

[@yuridaman]

Not so much how good the Vw is but how the Lr isn't set up right. If you are gonna set it up for off road, you are gonna give it diff locks. Not just a lift kit and big tyres to look cool.

[@maxfacts1]

Torsen Differentials are GREAT, no sensors no computers no using the brakes to vector torque needed. Torsen Rules the On Road, Off Road, Rally Racing, Circuit Racing, Track Racing, and Drag Racing World. Audi Torsen Quatro DOMINATED Racing so much that its competition cried and cried until the rules were changed and Quatro was banned.

[@dzelpwr]

Yeah, but the Touareg isn't torsen. It has an actual transfer case...

[@dzelpwr]

I see in my notifications a reply, but I don't see the reply here anymore... Torsen is a real center differential, it's a gear type limited slip effectively. And it is mechanical and works quite well, although in a zero traction situation for the front axle it might not send any power to the rear. When there's zero traction for one axle, it still ends up acting like an open differential. The Touareg uses a computer-controlled transfer case. There's a motor that applies clutch packs and in normal mode, it goes from 60-something percent power to the rear and back to 100% rear on and off. You also have the option, once in low, to lock the clutch plate full time for a 50/50 power split. And that brings me to the next important point. The transfer case has a planetary gearset that an electric motor slides a selector collar to engage and disengage whenever one selects the low gear for extra gear reduction. A torsen system doesn't have that. A pretty important distinction, especially for serious off roading. The motor that applies clutch plates to vary the power split front to rear is pretty common for automatic 4WD/AWD systems and it's definitely a very difference concept than torsen. Torsen is a more integrated and much, much lighter weight design. Later Touaregs I believe do use a setup much more like torsen (and they managed to drop 200 lbs of weight thanks to the switch), but these early ones have the transfer case with low gear reduction instead, which helps make them a very excellent off roader, hence why TFL chose it.

[@maxfacts1]

@@dzelpwr In my reply 2 gen Treg did use Toresen hope you can read it my reposted reply now. BTW: Hummer used a very off-road capable AWD system Torsen.

[@ponderinggeek7861]

Please do a Touareg vs. Land Cruiser with you and Roman.... 🙏

[@MrJcjet]

This! And do some 50mph whoops! Can the toureg suspension handle heat?

[@timmusick9875]

Brilliant video, as a happy Touareg owner I enjoyed that detailed analysis.

[@717UT]

The only real knock against the VW, which I think he mentioned, is all the tech makes it what it is and I would be worried beating up a little and having a more expensive failure over time. Coil springs and solid axles, while rudimentary are very simple and tough. I would feel more comfortable in a vehicle with that configuration as far as ruggedness is concerned but it doesn't diminish how amazing the VW did and would do with off-road tires

[@colinkensley]

The touareg can be ordered with the full size spare on the rear

[@ronsoyka2555]

Not surprised at all that the T have better safety eqpt. VWs are made for the autobahn, and typically have better restraints, brakes, and steering than American or Asian cars in same class. My 2002.5 Passat had 8 airbags and better ALB than my 07 Sport Trac. American ALB hit your foot like bricks while the VW was a smooth vibration underfoot. oh, and that Passat handled 1 FOOT of snow without losing traction! Traction control in a 2WD was shockingly good! When I was looking and ended up buying my Sport Trac (which I love with V8 and computer-aided traction controls), I initially went looking for a Toureg with the 3.0L turbo diesel on the used car market. There were NONE. Had the VW dealer look throughout US for one. Only if I wanted to go to NY, LA, or Miami could I find one. You know people love their car if they arent on the use car market! Keep up the fine work, Tommy!

[@ronaldreed7698]

I love the Tourareg, I'd absolutely need the air suspension. I've been looking and very few have the extra switch by the shifter ( air suspension switch)

[@Bishop0178]

and the setting for the back diff lock

[@jesssegura5469]

Wow!! Never thought the VDub. Was that kinda ride... Good job! Thx. Tommy👍

[@AdamLeask]

As much of a Land Rover fan as I am, the Touareg was simply so impressive in standard form up this trail. With a few minor upgrades, it'd be a killer in the off-road world!

[@BATworkshop]

when in low range the touareg will start in second gear but you can manually shift in into first gear which will make low speed maneuvers much more precise

[@dzelpwr]

Fan. Tastic. This just made my day. Need to go put some real tires on mine and hit the trails!

[@dzelpwr]

Also, as for the air bag count, the curtain air bags are just one large bag per side. They don't have individual bags from the A and B pillar, it's one large bag, ignitor starting at the back of the vehicle and the bag drops from the headliner as one large unit spanning from the C pillar to A pillar. So, redoing the count... one in the wheel, one in front of the passenger in the dash, two curtain air bags (one per side, but the two bags cover 4 seats/occupants) and a bag that deploys from the side of each front seat. 6 total, which was standard VW fare from model year 2000 and up.

[@717UT]

The crazy thing is, on camera the terrain doesn't look that bad but I know personally that rough stuff is more challenging than it looks with small lifts and more moderate tires. But I feel this proves you don't need as much as people think you do and one of the most important things that is underestimated is traction control aids. Whether it's manual locking difs, or simple traction control, having things locked up to limit slipping and enable crawling is key. Then you are only limited by tires but the VW proved you can go a long way. Personally, when it comes to tires, I err on the side of caution, MTs or bust.

[@MrPeach18]

im british and id never buy a range rover ,land rover or anything british off road.i have a 3.2 touareg and love it to bits.totally understated and basically the dogs bollocks

[@skywalker2852]

I've shopped for both of these vehicles in the past, but never bought - I think I feared the reliability/repair costs on both. Still, love seeing them together here! FYI: for airbag count, side airbags are usually a single (large) "curtain" airbag per side, not separate ones at each pillar... the exception is some 3-row vehicles will have a separate curtain on each side for that row; also some vehicles will have seat mounted side airbags in addition to the curtains (I believe these are on the front seats of your Touareg).

[@letterpool]

That range rover looks nice! PS: Get some mild offroad tires on that VW ... maybe something mild with out big side lugs to save fenders like the All Terrain K02? edited: Spelling

[@dawggonevidz9140]

VW Touareg and the Kia Sorento 04 to 09) are the two most underrated offroad capable SUVs on the market. I've had both into places where "real" offroaders are just stunned to see me. HAving had both, I'd have to say the Touareg is the nicer car to daily drive and the Sorento is just a little bit better offroad. If I had to pick one it would be the VW.

[@okigojuryu]

Tommy: "Oversized tires" Me: notices the size is 265/75R16 Also me: *Laughs in 315/75R16*

[@catchme_ifyoucan8317]

i have the same touareg i off road it almost every weekend in hollister hills nobody even dares go trough where the touareg goes its an absolute monster

[@stephenoverstreet9898]

I had an ‘01 Disco 2 with AT tires and a steel bumper, and I now have a stock ‘15 Audi Q7 TDI (which shares platforms with the VW). In street form, no question I’d take the VW. For me the thing which made me finally give up on the Disco was the constant cooling system leaks and problems, and at the end a head gasket leak. I did love it for off-road applications though. I think this would be a tough call if it was just for off-roading. But if it was to be my daily also, I’d pick the VW and never look back.

[@ilikerealflight]

6 unskippable adds for an 17 min video showing the benefits of a true rear locker over traction control

[@rvrnnr987]

There is no reason not to lock the center diff the moment you are off-road. It helps to save your tires, and keeps the trails from getting torn up by wheel spin.

[@Jae20818]

Ben Bailey thank you! Most people don’t know or don’t care

[@towmater2276]

Best off-road vehicle I ever had was a 1982 LaCar it had tons of ground clearance, weighed nothing so the skinny tires would cut right through mud. It fit on dirt bike trails. Could go places no other street legal automobile could. It had a fold back roof that was a lot of fun!

[@Little.R]

The TFL team never ceases to amaze me with their incompetence offroad. Y'all got more wheel slip than a drift event lmao.

[@grgmak]

Great stuff! I am sure the VW can tackle the most difficult terrain. The real issue with SUVs and off road is not capability, but reliability. You cannot count on the suspensions for longevity. And all automatic SUVs from those years had up to 6sp transmission. The Touareg had low gears, but almost every other one didn't. And with only electronic diff the gearbox can die pretty fast if you off-road often.

[@gantulgaganhuyag717]

I have the same model touareg that has been with me for 8 years! It does not have the rear locker or the air suspension BUT i really dont miss them! Servicing german car in Mongolia is not easy out of town (well only one city really) but never let me down!

[@ronaldreed7698]

I've currently have two 4x4's but my new grandkid hauler ( they love to off road and trail ride) will be a Tourareg.

[@MrWindmad]

Impressive! Nice video! I’m no expert but I would say it looks like the Discovery could have used slightly less tire pressure and the Touareg one less height level in the areas where ground clearance was not as much of an issue as articulation (13:16). Great job!

[@skerminkel9971]

Touareg has airbags in the sides of the front seats as well, so another two...

[@johannesfranck1770]

Sker minkel yes but A, B and C Piller airbags are one itˋs a window bag, so in total it had 2 in front, 2 in the front seats and 2 at the side windows.

[@lumpskie]

Truth at 9 minutes. Unnecessarily complex systems would make that VW worthless as a long term wheeling rig. Beyond that, the total lack of articulation means roll over in off camber terrain, especially descents. That being said, it is a nice rig for basic dirt road stuff like you see on this video.

[@snwboard13]

265 65 18 tires will just fit the stock wheels on the Touareg. Love my Dura Trac Goodyear's

[@garyblatt8925]

OMG! What an OUTRAGE!!! Oh wait. sorry the dyslexia kicked in and it really is just a very capable Touareg.

[@RichardVac]

I would like to see the VW passing Cliff Hanger 2.0, left side, but with off road tires

[@gmaster716]

That year touareg were the best..!!.they teamed up with Porsche and Audi for the first gen. I own one ..underrated and never have breakdown issues! Can take light off road with ease or. Fly on the hoghway 130 with ease. 4.2 v8 rocks

[@Travis.H]

You guys should do a video comparing and testing your 2004 Touareg to a 2019 or 2020 Touareg

[@alexamerri2]

We go off roading on jeep trails out in SoCal deserts and mountains often, scouting fun camping sites and what not. I kid you not: a 2013 Volvo XC60 T6 fitted with AT tires, all stock, does pretty much 95% of what custom lifted wranglers, tacos and 4runners do,. On the worst bits it all comes down to a good spotter, but a Volvo has all the other folks on the trail blown away.

[@andrymashka1757]

I own one 2005 Treg. V8 air, no locks, no navy. I could happily sell one to you, if you want to become vw mechanic( also apply to Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, as it basically knock off copies ) Car had 100k when I bought. Month after-fuel pumps went down in a gas tanks $600, now gas gauge is not working. Two months tires went bold- alignment 350 at dealerships because there is no mechanics to deal w air suspension. Tires every 6 months. Stability control light on because of it. Radio died- replaced w aftermarket one. Now I have navi REAR CAMERA! On the long runs torque converter is jerking ( how do you even get there). Break pads light went on( and never went down). Even after break job done completely w pads AND ROTOR DISCS( WHY VW, VW?) crapy plastic allover the car. Given credit for not skweeking but piling and braking into pieces omg.!!! Front seat motor died, how do you get seat out? Lights ARE NIGHTMARE. I don't know where he saw good light out of those selfadjusters, but stupid light bulb $200 A PIECE. Aftermarket Sylvania is flickering and goes of after 3h long trip completely off. My old Ram has better light than treg... Oh and catalytic are out, both at the sema time, because of second air recirculation pump. All these are common and WILL happen to all tregs, sadly no one takes responsibility to be honest carmaker these days... All that in really nice package of looking good and learning a lot, but never again...

[@AUTOTVO]

This Touareg is impressive. And the 4.2 engine is pretty quiet which is really good compared to the 5.0 diesel V10.

[@spinnetti]

put some tires on and some strut spacers then run in the next lower height setting and you've got quite a beast. Had our T-reg 14 years and I would have done all that, but just no 4-wheeling to be had around here

[@Ballantrae]

Nice comparison Tommy, but to be absolutely fair I think you need to load up the VW with the same amount of recovery gear etc. I suspect its ‘boulevard suspension’ and road tyres would be found wanting very quickly. Cheers from Downunder.

[@mostlybrokenbritishcars3220]

I'm extremely surprised and impressed with the Touareg's offroad ability, I never knew it was quite so capable and had just thought of it as a soft-roader. But oh man, if you thought the Land Rover was unreliable, you're gonna be in for a hell of a shock with the VW. They make the Discovery look like a Land Cruiser reliability wise!

[@artaxerxe1]

Buy the diesel !

[@GMCBURBAN]

Put a proper diff lock in the rear of the landrover and it will perform very very well. I don't like landrovers but anything with a rear locker will do very well. The problem with modern stuff is its great when its all working as it should but when the truck stuff starts to go wrong then you are left with pile of junk, can't beat simple and reliable.

[@ryanstewart7446]

You should mount some top shelf snow tires to the VW for that softer rubber and more groves. Or dirt rally tires would look cool and be pretty tough

[@OverlandTT]

Mt 2004 Cayenne S keeps up off-road with a Quadradrive 2 Grand Cherokee WK and WK2. So this is no surprise the Touareg can match the old discovery 👍

[@shawnrutters]

One request please. Do some research on the Touareg. Engine sizes, avail options etc. I know you are testing a T1 4.8 but there were other avail options. And you keep pointing them out as "weakness" you A. Can get a full locking front diff B. Full size spare tire on swing out exterior rack C. Even bigger engine options D. Full metal skid plates. Compare the T1 R50 or the T1 R60

[@satnitcboy]

Great job - glad I didn't have to go through the hold-your-breath downhill version with you. I'm wondering how much your Touareg series has affected CarBuyer searches ... !

[@bkphil89]

That vw is a beast off road... had no idea they were so capable

[@johanrenencampaniel2270]

In human form land rover =. Buff guy with good techniques VW = nerd with all the knowledge

[@Liberty_Offroad]

I love watching vehicles tackling offroad trails perhaps a little harder than they should.

[@IndependenceAcresHomestead]

FYI, there are only 4 Airbags in the VW. The side curtain extends from A-pillar to C-pillar and is one single unit on each side. Other than that, great video!

[@DarrenCoull]

I'd take the Landy every time - the VW is impressive in it's ability on slow careful situations like these, but try getting through a bog hole, river crossing, etc. Also, if anything broke, most of the Landy could be fixed up with realtive ease by most 'remote' mechanics without need for diagnostic computers. So, what the Landy needs is the engine from the VW, and a rear locker would make a world of difference.

[@japopo5533]

Honestly if you put any other engine in the Land Rover it would make it ten times better

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

My friend have Tuareg like this and now I have to see is his tuareg better than my old school XJ!!! 😁

[@BobLionel]

Those things aren't even close to as good as an XJ. Throw a 4" lift on an XJ and some 33" tires and it'll make that Taureg look like a subaru.

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

@@BobLionel I have 3 inch lift and 31x10.5x15 STT PROs and it goes everywhere! Better or not, old school for me!

[@marklion315]

@@BobLionel you can get the same thing on the VW and it would embarrass the XJ

[@ericklochner8770]

There is a non air suspension version of Touareg as well, and there is lift kits available for it. The V6 TDI version has lots of torque and it is reliable, come to Africa, you will see more Touaregs than Jeeps in the bush, because they actually work.

[@petedavis8701]

Tommy you have just put thousands on the value of older VW Tourags!

[@mountainmanjim6366]

Imagine the Toureg off road system installed on a Jeep, Ford ranger, or other light duty off road rig.. you know.. a vehicle that has 12" of clearance and the off road tech.. JESUS that would be a beast