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In the market for a mid-size SUV / Crossover vehicle? Can you hold out just a little while longer? If you can, then you may want to give VW’s second generation Touareg SUV a drive when it hits dealer showrooms later this fall. For diesel fans, this is very good news since the Touareg will be back with a TDI clean diesel variant. Unfortunately, the V10 turbodiesel and it’s stump pulling 553 ft lb of torque won’t be used in second generation, but there’s still enough grunt in the new oil burner to keep torque fans happy.
The 2011 Touareg will be offered with three motor options, beginning with a 3.6 liter V6 (280 horsepower, 265 ft lb of torque) that gets 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. A new hybrid version, available next spring, gives you a supercharged 3.0 liter V6 coupled with an electric motor that yields a combined 380 horsepower and 428 ft lb of torque, while returning an estimated 25 mpg highway. Finally, the aforementioned 3.0 liter turbodiesel will get you 225 horsepower and an impressive 406 ft lb of torque, while netting you 28 mpg highway and 19 mpg city. All motor choices shift through a new eight speed automatic transmission, and all Touareg models come with VW’s 4MOTION all wheel drive system. Finally, all engine options are rated to tow up to 7,700 pounds when equipped with the factory installed tow package.
Several Trim levels are planned, including Sport, Lux, Hybrid and Executive. All include an 8” touchscreen nav and infotainment system, Sirius Satellite Radio, HID headlights, rearview camera, power adjustable and heated front seats and dual zone climate controls. All Touareg models include six airbags, an improved head restraint system, ABS, traction control and electronic stability control. Expect pricing to start at around $41,000 for a 3.6 liter V6 Sport.
There’s good news for fans of VW’s perennial favorite sedan: the 2011 Jetta gives you more style for less money. The 2011 model boasts distinctive new exterior styling and has grown nearly four inches in length compared to the 2010 model. The interior hasn’t changed much since 2010, but that’s not a bad thing since VW routinely receives praise for interior comfort and quality. The best news? The starting price for a base 2.0 liter Jetta will be a miserly $15,995.00.
Buyers in the U.S. will have a choice of four motors, starting with the base 2.0 liter four, which produces 113 horsepower and yields a zero to sixty time of 10.3 seconds with a manual transmission (11.3 seconds with the automatic). Fuel economy for the 2.0 liter motor is rated at 34 mpg for the manual and 32 mpg for the automatic. Top speed, which most Jettas equipped with this motor will never see, is 120 miles per hour.
Next up is the 2.5 liter five cylinder, derived from the V10 used in the Lamborghini Gallardo: it makes 168 horsepower and will hit sixty in 8.0 seconds with the manual gearbox and 8.5 seconds with the automatic. Fuel economy is still reasonable at 33 mpg highway (manual transmission) and 31 mpg highway (automatic). Top speed for the five cylinder is listed as 125 mph.
The motor favored by those who like driving will be the 2.0 liter, four cylinder turbo. Rated at 197 horsepower, the forced induction four will see sixty in 6.7 seconds with the manual transmission or 6.8 seconds with VW’s outstanding DSG gearbox. Fuel economy is surprisingly good (assuming you don’t hit max boost on every shift), and comes in at 33 mpg with the manual and 32 mpg with the DSG transmission. Top speed is rated at 130 mph.
Finally, there’s the TDI motor that diesel fans know and love. The 2.0 liter turbodiesel makes 138 horsepower, good enough to get your Jetta to sixty in just under nine seconds with the manual tranny, or just over nine seconds with the DSG. Fuel economy , as you’d expect from a TDI, is impressive: the DSG version gets 42 mpg highway and the manual gearbox TDI sees 41 mpg. Top speed is 125 miles per hour.
