The second coming of the very popular and virtually unpronounceable Volkswagen Touareg (“Too-a-regg”) now comes in Hybrid form, which actually makes more sense than hybridizing a compact car that already gets better gas mileage than its larger automotive counterparts. And though its 20/24 city/highway mileage numbers don’t truly impress (the Touareg TDI gets better fuel numbers), the Touareg Hybrid delivers something even more pleasing.
What you get, other than an SUV named after an obscure nomadic tribe in Saharan Africa, is a German-built SUV with a supercharged 3.0 liter V-6 mated to a 47 horsepower electric motor — a marriage that provides the beast a healthy 380 horses via VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel-drive setup. It’s the same engine that’s in the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, and the 428 lb-ft of torque means that while valiantly attempting environmental consciousness, the Touareg Hybrid sheds hybrid sluggishness for a 0-60 time of 5.9 seconds. The interior similarly belies its marginally environmental leanings. It’s as good as VW gets, shy of the next generation Phaeton.
Additional contribution by Amos Kwon
Buy Now: $61,110
