Volkswagen Touareg 2003

Volkswagen Touareg 2003 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Volkswagen Touareg here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• How can I identify an R-Line package for the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg?

  The 2011 R-Line package for the Touareg included plenty of extra kit, so identifying one shouldn’t be a problem. Those extras started with a body kit with a deeper front spoiler, side skirts and a rear roof spoiler. The R-Line package also extended to 20-inch alloy wheels.

  Inside, look for stainless-steel kick panels inside each door, a different steering wheel, lots of leather, aluminium gear-selector and pedals and a 12-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat.

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• Where can I find the GCM weight rating for the 2015 Volkswagen Touareg?

  This is actually more difficult than it ought to be as VW Australia doesn’t seem to publish a Gross Combination Mass (GCM) figure for the Touareg. Neither is the GCM something you can confidently calculate by adding the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) to the maximum towing mass (in the Touareg’s case, 3500kg). That’s because in many cases, a vehicle is not able to tow its maximum towed load while fully loaded itself. These limits are all calculated by the vehicle’s manufacturer and are seriously non-negotiable. It’s a bit of a trap for some owners who hitch up a big caravan or boat, only to discover that they then have very little payload remaining in the vehicle.

  In any case, here are the relevant GCM figures for the 2015 Touareg: 150TDI – 6390kg; 180TDI – 6415kg; V8 – 6510kg.

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• What is the Gross Vehicle Mass of the 2013 Volkswagen Touareg?

  The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of your vehicle is 2890kg. That is, the total mass of the vehicle and its payload (including passengers) must not exceed this figure. The Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is the absolute weight limit for the vehicle, it’s payload and whatever it’s towing.

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• What do you recommend for towing a horse trailer and large draft-horse?

  None of the vehicles you’ve listed are exactly low-maintenance units. They all have complex all-wheel-drive drivelines (which will be appreciated when towing a heavy trailer across a wet showground) and they use the latest common-rail diesel technology which is fairly intolerant of poor servicing.

  As for a power tailgate on a ute, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. But some of the wagon versions of these vehicles can be optioned with powered tailgates. The catch there is that these vehicles use coil sprung rear axles (as opposed to the leaf-sprung ute versions) so they’re not as adept at towing. The Toyota Fortuner, for instance can’t match the HiLux’s 3.5-tonne limit and makes do with 2800kg; not enough for your requirements. The Ford Everest (based on the Ranger) is a little better at 3000kg, but still trails the Ranger’s 3500kg towing capacity and is right on your self-imposed minimum.

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