First Drive: 2024 Volkswagen Touareg R-Line - "Dune Runner"

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) decided to bring in something special earlier this year with the launch of the new 2024 Volkswagen Touareg R-Line.

The third-generation flagship SUV made its return to the local market after being away for more than a decade. To make things even more special, it's locally assembled at the Hicom plant in Pekan, Pahang - a first outside of Europe.

With an asking price of RM469,990 (OTR excluding insurance), it's quite a few steps north in numbers compared to the other VPCM offerings. This shows that they're committed and confident in the Touareg's abilities to bring in a whole new set of clientele to the brand.

To showcase what the new Touareg is capable of, we were invited to a media test drive to Kuantan, Pahang, to see for ourselves what this sub-RM500k SUV can really do in different driving conditions, both on and off the road.

Things started off fairly easy with a drive through the morning rush hour traffic and in this scenario, the Touareg delivered as you would expect an expensive SUV to perform - comfortable and easy to manoeuvre in and out of congestion.

As soon as we got onto the highway, its 3.0-litre TSI V6 engine came to life with 340PS and 450Nm of torque on tap and we basically 'flew'. We felt the power, but what's even more interesting was the fact that the Touareg seemed to get more comfortable the faster we went.

It's safe to say that whatever they did when building the eight-speed automatic transmission and its 4Motion all-wheel-drive system, they did it with absolute flying colours.

If we really push it, the Touareg can easily hit 0-100km/h in six seconds before arriving at its top speed of 250km/h. In all honesty, we didn't push it to its limits (because we're law-abiding citizens) but we didn't really need to because we knew it could hit those numbers with ease judging by how it performed with us behind the wheel.

At most, we were probably hitting 50% of its full capacity and we were already impressed with how well it performed. In other words, the new VW Touareg is indeed 'OP' in terms of firepower.

The interior can be said to be similar to House Atreides from Dune (before the whole thing with the Emperor) - powerful, well-organised, respected by many, and envied by more. Being inside the cabin, you can see that VW has invested a lot of time and effort in designing the interior space to not just be luxurious and modern, but also comfortable.

Its 12.3-inch digital driver display is big but not too distracting, its 15-inch central touchscreen is easy to work on (though you might need to get used to adjusting the AC while driving), and the audio is just superb with its 13-speaker + subwoofer combo.

With that being said, all the buttons and functions positioned on the centre console might require some time to get used to, but now that we've had some time to think about it, how and where they were placed made sense in terms of how you would usually drive and those moments were you need to go through the roads less travelled.

Positioned up high, the front seats were spacious with heating and cooling functions to suit your individual needs and if that's not enough, they've even thrown in a four-zone climate control for even more comfort while you're on the road with other occupants both front and rear.

In other words, the equipment within the interior of the Touareg is what and how you would expect from an SUV that will set you back just under the RM500,000 mark. Cue the 'Obama-face' meme, here.

On our way to our final stop of the day, the drive took us through a 'mild but not so mild' off-road terrain near Sungai Lembing. This was like taking Paul Atreides from planet Caladan to living with the Fremen in the dunes of planet Arrakis, but with a lot more water and humidity. Through muddy terrain and tiny rivers, it was no drama for the Touareg in the best possible way.

Even if you're new to driving on slightly rougher terrains, it's a walk in the park with the VW Touareg thanks to selectable driving modes, self-levelling air suspension with adjustable ride height (can be lowered up to 40mm or raised up to 70mm), and the ability to wade through water up to 550mm.

The Touareg's ability to handle these terrains with ease is what sets it apart from its main competitors. Despite its understated facade, it's a beast that can do it all. For even rougher terrains, all you need is a more suitable set of tyres to go with its 20-inch Braga alloy wheels and you're set.

We can also go on and on about its safety features, but one of its main highlights that we were most impressed with was its IQ-Light HD LED headlights with over 38,000 micro LEDs to illuminate the way.

Despite being one of the most advanced lighting systems in the automotive sector, the Touareg kicks it up a notch by including Night Vision. Using an infrared sensor in the front camera, you have the ability to detect thermal signatures from humans or animals up to 130 metres away.

Driving through the back roads in the dead of night with little to no light, it's a massive help to steer clear of any unwanted incidents with our forest furry friends. The video feed on the driver display might be a bit small for some, but it's far from being a gimmick.

To conclude, the 2024 Volkswagen Touareg R-Line should be at the top of your list if you're looking for something that can fly under the radar without sacrificing any power, comfort, luxury, and off-road driving prowess.

You would get slightly more 'flash' and 'bling' with its other competitors in the segment, but if it's individuality and 'fly under the radar' stealth that you're after, you will never go wrong with this new Touareg. Our advice? Get it in Grenadilla Black, it'll make the rear end even more menacing with its LED light strip and illuminated logo.

To watch the 2024 Volkswagen Touareg in action, you can catch our short videos posted on our Facebook or TikTok, whichever you prefer. Don't forget to follow, like, and share with your family and friends!