About a year ago, we told you about the 2011 VW Touareg hybrid SUV. At that time, this green SUV had not hit showrooms but its brother, the Touareg TDI was already out on the streets. Now the hybrid is cruising around, getting fairly good fuel economy, and getting great reviews for power.
To ensure plenty of power, Volkswagen has paired a 3.0-liter V6 with an electric motor that gets 46 horsepower and a nickel-metal hydride battery. Its total power, (with both motors) comes to 380 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque. Who knew VW could make such a powerful hybrid? VW has stated that the Touareg hybrid can go from 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds, making it one of the fastest autos to come from Volkswagen.
The Touareg also happens to be the only hybrid out from VW currently. There are rumors that a Jetta hybrid is in their future so maybe this is their test hybrid. The EPA reports that the Touareg hybrid gets 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. These are great numbers considering that this SUV can still tow up to 7,700 lbs. The downside is that the Touareg TDI can also pull the same weight and gets around 28 mpg on the highway. Although, the TDI does not boast the same power as its hybrid brother.
Since you still get great fuel economy and tremendous power the hybrid version of the Touareg may be the right choice. After all, the hybrid has just as much luxury as any other model. It comes with a media system similar to Ford’s MyTouch, complete with navigation and stats about the SUVs fuel usage and emissions. The front and back seats are individually heated, recline, and provide manual sun shades. Cargo room with all the seats is at 32 cubic feet. This hybrid is as luxurious as they come but not as cheap as they come. The 2011 VW Touareg hybrid starts at $60,565.
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