October 24, 2022
Kevin Rono

Where Satisfaction Meets Luxury | The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg

Simple, timeless, and undeniably luxurious, the 2014 Volkswagen Touareg is one of the most overlooked mid-sized SUVs in the market despite its great performance. A joint venture by the auto geniuses at both Audi and Porsche, when we take a closer look at this car, all we see is a very affordable version of the world-famous Cayenne. The main reason for the Touareg’s low uptake in the local Kenyan market can be attributed to the common reservations many local car owners have in regards to the maintenance of most German brand vehicles. However, the entry of car care solutions such as Carhoot has made it extremely easier and more affordable for more people to own and maintain such vehicles.

In 2014 the VW team made a few notable additions to the Touareg. Although some may classify these changes as minimal, we believe that these alterations were smart and impactful in keeping the car up to date with its modern look and feel, without having to take part in a full redesign. The Touareg X Special Edition marked the model’s 10th birthday anniversary, while the R-Line added a sporty option to this midsize SUV. The Executive and Hybrid options both received an exclusive top-view parking camera system, and the Executive nabs LED taillights as part of their upgrade. Finally, the majority of the current models now have keyless entry and ignition and a hands-free, foot-activated power liftgate.

“The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg TDI is the automotive equivalent of a little black dress. Every woman has one—they’re simple, timeless, and useful in a number of different situations. The Touareg has embodied these characteristics since its inception.”

Danielle Villeneuve

The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg Model Range

Sport

Riding high with 18-inch wheels, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, foglights, roof rails, heated exterior mirrors, a power liftgate, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats (with manual lumbar adjustment), heated front seats, leatherette (premium vinyl) upholstery, Bluetooth phone, and audio connectivity and an eight-speaker sound system with touchscreen control, a six-CD changer, satellite radio, and iPod integration.

The Sport’s comes with an optional Navigation package that is standard with the TDI engine, a navigation system as well as keyless entry/ignition, a rearview camera, and a hands-free power liftgate that you can open by waving your foot under the rear bumper.

Lux

The Lux comes with all the Sport with Navigation’s tools and goes higher with 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, power-folding exterior mirrors, leather upholstery, front-seat power lumbar adjustment, driver memory functions, and power rear-seat releases in the cargo area.

X Special Edition

Based on the Lux with the TDI engine, the X Special Edition features exclusive paint, unique 19-inch wheels, LED taillights, and upgraded leather upholstery and interior trim.

R Line

Compared to the Lux, the R-Line loses the hands-free liftgate, but otherwise starts with the V6 Lux’s features and adds 20-inch wheels, a sports body kit, a sport-tuned suspension, and LED taillights.

Executive

The Executive has all of the V6 Lux’s features, including the hands-free liftgate, and adds distinctive 20-inch wheels of its own, LED taillights, rear parking sensors, a top-view parking display with four cameras, a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a premium 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system.

Hybrid

Although the Hybrid is the most expensive Touareg, it downgrades to 19-inch wheels and the standard audio system (versus the Dynaudio setup). Otherwise, the Hybrid is equipped similarly to the Executive, and it also adds a power-adjustable steering column and passenger-seat memory settings.

Fun To Drive & Jaw-Dropping Road Performance

Responsive Steering

Compared to any other brand within the same price range, Touareg is clearly the vehicle to beat! There’s a magical sense of purpose in the way this car handles the road. We aren’t one’s to size shame cars, but as SUVs go…the Touareg’s frame is as close to perfect as it gets. Not too big and nowhere close to being too small, surpassing the almost impossible threshold of making any SUV enjoyable and fun to drive. When you get behind the wheel of a Touareg, nobody will blame you if you forget that you are actually driving an SUV! The feature that makes all this possible is the amazing steering, that in all rights should be given multiple awards. It’s highly responsive and free from the annoying foreign weight that is common in almost every other SUV. Driving on highways, the impressive confidence exuded by the Touareg’s stable and silent drive is hard to ignore and makes the car even more lovable!

Handling & Performance

If you can’t have a sports car, then get yourself a car that is just as fast and handles the road almost the same. The 2014 VW Toureg does just that. It comes in four engine options; these are a 4.2L V8, 340 PS diesel engine, a 3.0L V6, 204 PS Clean Diesel engine, a 3.0L V6, 245 PS Clean Diesel engine, and a 3.0L V6, 333 PS hybrid petrol engine. These are all linked to an 8-speed Automatic Transmission and available only in 4WD. Even at top speeds, this car boasts impressive stability around corners thanks to an automatic self-leveling and height adjustment feature paired with CDC (Continuous Damping Control). It’s Air Suspension system allows drivers to choose between either Normal, Sport, or Comfort settings, depending on the style of drive needed. While in Normal Mode, the suspension is adjusted for on-road driving and the throttle response is dulled down for better fuel economy.

Despite not having low-range gearing, the VW remains reliable in off-road conditions. We recommend making use of the Comfort Mode while tackling uneven or rougher roads as it softens the suspension to dampen any shock. When it comes to power, the Touareg’s V6 engine provides smooth, eager power, but the TDI V6 is the top choice if you are looking for both performance and efficiency, not to mention superior driving range. The Sports Mode takes this up a notch by giving drivers access to precise throttle response and also raises the ground clearance by 30 cm while driving on unpaved roads.

Fuel Efficiency

While in Normal Mode, the suspension is adjusted for on-road driving and the throttle response is dulled down for better fuel economy. The Touareg has a fuel tank capacity of 100L and consumes fuel as follows:

2014 VW Touareg 3.0L 204 PS Diesel fuel consumption: 17.2 km/L
2014VW Touareg 3.0L 245 PS Diesel fuel consumption: 16.7 km/L
2014 VW Touareg 4.2L 340 PS Diesel fuel consumption: 13.1 km/L
2014 VW Touareg 3.0L 333 PS Petrol Hybrid fuel consumption: 14.6 km/L

Safety

The 2014 Volkswagen Touareg comes standard with traction and stability control, antilock disc brakes, hill hold assist front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. A rearview camera is standard on every Touareg with the exception of the V6 Sport model, while an upgraded top-view camera is standard on both the Executive and Hybrid models.

Space, Cargo & Storage

The VW goes against the grain by sticking to only 5 seats. The increased competition in the medium SUV market has forced many brands to add an extra row of seats to “trick” consumers into feeling that they are in a full-sized SUV. However, if we are being honest, the additional third-row seats in most mid-sized SUVs are often hard to fit adults and are best suited for growing families with younger children. It is refreshing to still find a midsize SUV on the market meant for just 5 passengers.

There are several storage compartments in the cabin that are useful for storing items such as smartphones, beverages, goggles, handbags, etc. In the first row, there are 4 cup-holders, door panel storage, a glovebox, and the center box. In the second row, there are 2 cupholders in the armrest compartment, front seat jacket pockets, and door pockets. The Touareg’s boot is quite spacious and can carry sizable luggage making it ideal for travel and road trips. We appreciate the fact that the rear seats can slide forward to create even more space or even fold down completely in a 40/20/40 split format.

Interior

The interior maintains the classic VW feel. Once inside the cabin, you can’t help but notice the elegant balance of leather, soft-touch plastics, and wood trim throughout the vehicle and the simplicity of its controls. Switches and buttons remain where many of Touareg’s competitors have moved to touch screens and haptic controls. This remains a matter of preference as some drivers still find using buttons for some things easier and the quality feel that VW has invested in these features seems to make up for this too. The infotainment system is relatively intuitive and easy to navigate, however, the map could benefit from an aesthetic upgrade. The Dynaudio audio system is a great addition to the higher trim levels, like the Executive. In some cases, a premium sound system is used to cover up some of the road noise, but not in Touareg’s case it adds to the experience!

Easily import the 2014 Touareg via the Carhoot App today and get dedicated assistance with the help of our highly trained Import Agents.