Being average is not good enough; at some point in time, it may have been but nowadays, it certainly won't get you passed the auditions for American Idol. The car business is pretty much the same; if you can't impress Simon Cowell, you're staying home or in this case, you're not leaving the showroom floor.
At its peak, the SUV segment was loaded with players available in all shapes and sizes, mediocre to excellent, and as I look through those that remain today in 2010, it is clear that only the strong have survived. Among those that are still around, we find the VW Touareg. Honestly, if I had been handed a crystal ball six years ago sporting an image of the 2010 Touareg along with rendering of the upcoming revamped 2011, I would not have believed it. You see, the 2004-05 Touareg was, in no uncertain terms, a bad truck.
Volkswagen
Why did it survive then? You ask. Simple: Look at it. Not only is it handsome but it carries a sympathetic and upscale grin that everyone, not just a mother, can love. Beyond that, factor in a drive that had no rivals, be it on or off road, or damn near close to that, and you have yourself a highly desirable product.
There is something about Volkswagens that people keep coming back for. One of our last 2010 Golf test drives was punctuated with a few bugs but that, I say, is part of the experience. You can buy a Corolla if you want (I have just recently recommended the car for a co-worker) but I also strongly suggested Vdubs (a GTI and a Passat CC) to two other people that I regularly cross in the hallways of Auto123.com. It has to do with who you are and what you need to get out of your car.
It looks like a Volkswagen
If you stare at the thing (not the Thing...), you will surely notice body-lines and curves that are not unfamiliar to the Volkswagen family. Granted, the fascia is pure Volkswagen-Audi but if you concentrate on the rear fenders, hatch and bumper line, there's just something smooth and rounded about it that reminds me of VW's past.
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| My tested Comfortline with all options retails for $56,950. |
At its peak, the SUV segment was loaded with players available in all shapes and sizes, mediocre to excellent, and as I look through those that remain today in 2010, it is clear that only the strong have survived. Among those that are still around, we find the VW Touareg. Honestly, if I had been handed a crystal ball six years ago sporting an image of the 2010 Touareg along with rendering of the upcoming revamped 2011, I would not have believed it. You see, the 2004-05 Touareg was, in no uncertain terms, a bad truck.
Volkswagen
Why did it survive then? You ask. Simple: Look at it. Not only is it handsome but it carries a sympathetic and upscale grin that everyone, not just a mother, can love. Beyond that, factor in a drive that had no rivals, be it on or off road, or damn near close to that, and you have yourself a highly desirable product.
There is something about Volkswagens that people keep coming back for. One of our last 2010 Golf test drives was punctuated with a few bugs but that, I say, is part of the experience. You can buy a Corolla if you want (I have just recently recommended the car for a co-worker) but I also strongly suggested Vdubs (a GTI and a Passat CC) to two other people that I regularly cross in the hallways of Auto123.com. It has to do with who you are and what you need to get out of your car.
It looks like a Volkswagen
If you stare at the thing (not the Thing...), you will surely notice body-lines and curves that are not unfamiliar to the Volkswagen family. Granted, the fascia is pure Volkswagen-Audi but if you concentrate on the rear fenders, hatch and bumper line, there's just something smooth and rounded about it that reminds me of VW's past.
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| With great big wheels, sexy at that, the very German vehicle stands tall and proud. |