2010 Volkswagen Touareg

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• Exterior
• Interior
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Interior - What the Auto Press Says

For the most part, the automotive press is pleased with the Touareg 2's insides. The cabin trim is good to the eye and touch, cargo space is convenient and spacious, and seating is roomy and supportive. But to most, Volkswagen's decision to abstain from offering third-row seating for its midsize SUV is a glaring omission -- most of the autos in its class offer seating for at least seven passengers.

• "Opening a Touareg door makes a good first impression, as the door itself conveys that feeling of pinpoint-balanced heft and quality and the cabin only reinforces the notion. ... Materials appear first-rate as does assembly; even after days of trail twisting and pavement pounding we heard no squeaks, rattles or whistles." -- New Car Test Drive
• "Based on its quality of materials and level of comfort the interior of the Touareg 2's interior easily rivals the best in the luxury SUV class. Where it can't compete, however, is in seating capacity." -- Kelley Blue Book

Seating

Reviewers find the Touareg 2's seating comfortable, but mostly harp on the absence of third-row seating -- even as an option.

• "Our Touareg had the available leather upholstery and 12-way adjustable heated front bucket seats. Front room is generous. Likewise the 60/40 split folding rear seat that fits three comfortably." -- Motor Week
• "The 2009 Touareg 2 still skimps on space both for passengers and cargo, a serious negative. While many other midsize or large SUVs offer a third-row seat, the VW makes do without one, limiting passenger capacity to only five." -- Edmunds
• "There has been no attempt to shoehorn a third-row bench seat into the rear compartment, and all VW product planners should receive medals for their restraint." -- Automobile Magazine
• "Seats are harder than the norm for luxury vehicles, not uncomfortable at all." -- AutoMedia.com

Interior Features

The Touareg 2's interior features are high on quantity and quality. Standard fare includes leatherette seating, dual-zone climate control, a trip computer, and an in-dash CD player with MP3 connectivity. Higher trims get a premium 10-speaker studio with a trunk-mounted six-disc CD changer.

• "The gauges, dashboard, and console look contemporary and upscale, but the proliferation of buttons and controls requires a preflight briefing. Even then, some audio and climate system functions seem needlessly fussy. The climate system is a bit too low for easy driver use or view. The navigation system takes lots of study to master and governs too many audio functions, but its Global Positioning Satellite feature is useful off-road." -- Consumer Guide
• "The 2009 Touareg 2 boasts an upscale, elegant cabin. Most surfaces are soft-touch, and hard surfaces (lower dash, console, doors) feel smooth and substantial. Last year's outdated nav system has been replaced with a hard-drive-based unit. Build quality is excellent, too, while standard and optional equipment make for a genuine luxury vehicle." -- Edmunds
• "Step inside ... and you are treated to a richly-appointed cabin of leather, wood and chrome trim." -- Kelley Blue Book

Cargo

The 2010 Touareg 2's 31 cubic feet of available cargo space inspires debate. While the majority praises the space as generous, a vocal minority say the SUV's dimensions are worse than others in the compact SUV class.

• "The cargo bay is handsomely finished. It is tall and wide rather than long, but it is spacious enough. The load floor is pretty high, though. The rear seatbacks lay flat, but not before an annoying ritual of flipping the lower cushions and removing the headrests. There's quite a bit of small-item storage space, but few of the cubbies are handy for quickly stashing items such as cell phone." -- Consumer Guide
• "Luggage space, on the other hand, is quite good, thanks to a large, useful, squared-off rear cargo area." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "You can easily lay a full-sized suitcase down and have room for another one lengthwise before hitting the hatch; a well-designed shade draws out and hooks in to cover the contents of the hatch very thoroughly, allowing nary a peak." -- A Car Place
• "Cargo capacity is 31 cubic feet with the rear seats up and a mere 71 cubic feet when they're folded. A humble Honda CR-V beats that." -- Edmunds