Bought 2011 Touareg 2 weeks ago

My original intention was to buy the Cayenne 4.2 TDI. I have driven all the 2011 Cayenne models and really liked them. Porsche is only offering the Hybrid, which I am not interested in. The 4.2 TDI might take a few years if ever. We have a '09 Porsche 911 Carrera S PDK which is why I was interested in the Cayenne. The Touraeg seemed like the logical answer, since is shares the body and frame of the Cayenne. We live in central California, but had to fly to Salt Lake City to find the metalic Toffee color with the executive option package, with 20" wheels. They had 4 2011's two weeks ago at Strong VW and they were gone in about a week. On the 800 mile trip back we had lots of rain and snow. The car exceeded my expectations as far as handling and comfort were concerned. Very quiet. The car has no problem accelerating to between 80 and 90 while passing a car on a 2 lane road. The average mileage for 2,400 miles with town driving and highway mixed is 25.8 mpg. From Carson city NV to Manteca Ca over hwy 88 was 31.8 mpg.

Great car

I'm waiting on mine. I had to order Executive trim and still have 4 to 6 weeks wait unless one just shows up at the port earlier. The more I read the more impatient I get.
What's your opinion on Dynaudio? I could probably be quite happy with a Lux, but I went with the Executive just for that option (it's not like I need a heated steering wheel in coastal GA). Please tell me it will be worth the wait!

I sat in one of these today and was very impressed by the fit and quality of the interior. And it seems significantly roomier than its predecessor. I don't need awd, and I really, really don't like automatics, so I'm not sure I'm a candidate for one. But it appears to be an impressive vehicle. I was betting it would do better than the EPA 28 on the highway. Sounds like it does.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I was betting it would do better than the EPA 28 on the highway. Sounds like it does.

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On vortex two of the Canadians both reported 34-35 mpg at 60 mph. Slower than I drive, but certainly good numbers.

I drive 75 on the highway, if it would do 30 MPG at that speed it would be very appealing. And even though I don't like automatics the 8-speed is intriguing.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I drive 75 on the highway, if it would do 30 MPG at that speed it would be very appealing. And even though I don't like automatics the 8-speed is intriguing.

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You can complain about auto's all you want, but we will never have a manual Treg here and not even sure they do manuals at all in the new ones. I really want to see real world mpg on them and not the MFI calculations. They tend to be rather optimistic.

Yeti35 said:

You can complain about auto's all you want, but we will never have a manual Treg here and not even sure they do manuals at all in the new ones.

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I know. The available cars with manual transmissions is ever decreasing. And if you want a wagon the list is even shorter.

The Dynaudo works well, except for the location of the DVD player, in the glove box. In the Cayenne has it is in the dash, why they did it that way is probably cost related. The 20" wheels really make the car handle well in twisty mountain roads, and the auto dimming mirrors work well. I needed one quickly to replace my daily driver, which was totaled. I was lucky to find one in Salt Lake City, was worth the trip to pick it up. Out of the 12 on the west coast, none were executive packages, or the metalic toffee color. Yes it is worth the wait, we really like it.

On a level road I think 75 would get you between 28-29. We averaged 25.8 for 2,400 miles with an average speed of about 38 mph, meaning considerable town driving. I wish the trans was the PDK but the all wheel drive system limits both the Cayenne and the Touareg to the 8 speed. I have the PDK 7 speed in my '09 911 Carrera S, and would not ever consider a manual 6 speed after putting 23,000 miles on it in 24 months. Acutally the 8 speed tiptronic works well, and allways seems to be in the proper torque range, I just dislike the loss with the torque converter. If placed in the sport mode the revs stay higher. There is not much turbo lag.

Yeti35 said:

You can complain about auto's all you want, but we will never have a manual Treg here and not even sure they do manuals at all in the new ones. I really want to see real world mpg on them and not the MFI calculations. They tend to be rather optimistic.

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2011 8 speed is not really auto, its DSG with paddle shifters better than manual as it functions and shifts like a manual just without a clutch, there's no torque converter so no delay in shifting, when used in full manual mode it will not shift gears until you do so using the paddles. Auto triptronics are generally electronically controlled and will force a shift on you at certain RPM but DSG manual mode is purely manual. I absolutely love it on my GTI....my 2 cents

atifvw said:

2011 8 speed is not really auto, its DSG with paddle shifters )

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This is wrong. The 8 speed transmission in the T-reg, Audi Q7 TDI, Cayenne, and various other VAG products is not even remotely related to a DSG system. It has a tradition torque converter. You might be confusing the 7spd DSG system, of which only Audi uses in the S4. Porsche has their own variation called the PDK, which is also 7speeds. The VAG DSG is only availble in 6 and 7 speed variations. Not 8speed

Thanks for that info. I checked VW's site after that post because I didn't think the Touareg had a DSG. But they don't really differentiate on their spec pages: Both the GTI and the T-Reg show "automatic."

If you can slap it in D and just step on the accelerator...its an automatic. Some have torque converters, some don't. Some have wet clutches, some have dry clutches. Whether DSG or not...they are all automatics. If all you have to do is move a flappy paddle...its an automatic.

Congratulations on your 2011 Touareg TDI. We love ours, we have 9000 kms on it (4500 towing) and it is great. It is a huge improvement on our '09 Touareg TDI that we traded in.

BTW the tranny is a true automatic designed and built by Aisin in Japan.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I drive 75 on the highway, if it would do 30 MPG at that speed it would be very appealing. And even though I don't like automatics the 8-speed is intriguing.

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I drove from 1 hr south of Sacramento, ca to Portland Or, 22.4 gallons. I was driving 70-75, most of trip. Had ice and snow through Dusmuir, the round trip was 29.8. A round trip to Fresno about 4 hrs averaged 30.0 driving around 70 or 75 where possible. I have made 3 trips up hwy 88 to Lake Tahoe during heavy snowfall, was GREAT. I left early and was able to travel at a good rate, sometimes running on 6" of snow, the 20" tires had great traction. I have been driving suv's in winter conditions for 10 years, my previous car was a '07 Tahoe LTZ 20" wheel, I find the Touareg even more stable. Great car.