2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI


Volkswagen Touareg diesel
After a 400-mile test of the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI, our fuel economy was 21.7 mpg.

Volkswagen offered a diesel engine on its 2004-2008 Touareg midsize SUV, but it was probably the least practical diesel on the market. Its $68,340 price tag didn’t win over many customers and a huge 310-horsepower 4.9-liter V10 TDI didn’t translate into a fuel economy win, either; CG’s 2008 Touareg TDI averaged 17.9 mpg during our 580-mile test.
 
Fast forward to model-year 2009 and Touareg’s new, more economical 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. Shared with Audi’s Q7 SUV, the 3.0-liter TDI also makes 221 horsepower and should achieve a similar fuel economy rating, though the EPA has yet to release its official figures. In Consumer Guide testing, the Touareg TDI averaged 21.7 mpg over 400 miles of city and highway driving.

Aside from losing four cylinders, the 2009 Touareg TDI also shed about $25,000 and starts at $42,800. Its gasoline-powered V6 counterpart bases at $39,300.

Click here to read our review of the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI.