Driven: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel
All it took was one drive of the new Touareg TDI to bump our relatively uneducated opinion of diesel vehicles from ‘I think they’re ok’ to ‘Wow, I would buy one of these!’ When most people think of diesel cars, images of rusty old beaters spewing dark clouds of smelly emissions pop into their heads, and sure, this was the state of diesel ten or twenty years ago, but today’s oil-burning cars and light trucks are much cleaner, and quieter, than you’d ever imagine. Europeans have welcomed the diesel-engined transportation with open arms, and while we get some sold in North America, the acceptance is not remotely as high. The majority of diesel offerings in North America today have a luxury badge attached to their nose, with the exception of Volkswagen (and soon, Mazda). Volkswagen, with their premium German roots makes a good case for being classified in the same group, especially when the vehicle is spec’d out at the top level. Our tester was a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Execline TDI Clean Diesel finished in Deep Black Pearl with Saddle Brown Vienna Leather Interior.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Execline TDI Clean Diesel.
Competition
In the land of the midsize luxury SUV, the Lexus RX reigns supreme, outselling the sixth place Touareg by a margin of almost 4 to 1. In between these two you’ll find the Lincoln MKX, Acura MDX, BMW X5, and Mercedes M-Class (based on 2011 YTD sales). Sixth place might not seem like a great place to be, but consider that the Touareg clawed its way up there from a twelfth place finish at the end of last year. Supplanting six other contenders such as the Porsche Cayenne, Infiniti FX, and Range Rover Sport is no easy task, but with its recent redesign, the Touareg is climbing the charts.
: $39994.0 
