2021 BMW X5 vs 2022 Volkswagen Touareg

What's the difference?

There is no doubt that BMW seriously stepped up its game with the fourth-generation X5, raising its levels of luxury and technology, all the way to that of the flagship 7 Series.

The X5’s mix of imposing looks and relatively well sorted dynamics is complemented by the xDrive30d’s brilliant engine and transmission.

It’s no surprise, then, that the X5 continues to be its best in xDrive30d form. There really is no need to consider any other variant.

The Touareg is a plush, comfortable SUV which is very nice to drive and, in R-Line guise, it has a welcome bit of saucy sportiness about it.

Let’s be honest: this is not a hard-core off-roading wagon, but to expect it to be such a vehicle is to miss the point entirely. 

The Touareg is more than capable of tackling the large SUV market’s own version of dirt-driving adventures and it does it with aplomb and it does it while the driver and passengers enjoy supreme comfort.

Few SUVs are as imposing as the X5 xDrive30d. Simply put, it commands attention on the road, or even from across the road. Or a mile away.

The sense of commanding presence starts at the front, where the first signs of its sports body kit are. As impressive as the trio of large air intakes is, it’s the engorged version of BMW’s signature kidney grille that gets people talking. It’s simply appropriately sized for a vehicle this big, if you ask me.

The adaptive LED headlights integrate hexagon-style daytime running lights, which look the business, while the LED foglights below also help to light the way.

Around the side, the X5 xDrive30d is also pretty slick, with our test vehicle’s optional bi-colour 22-inch alloy wheels ($3900) filling its wheelarches nicely, with blue brake callipers tucked behind. The ‘air curtains’ also look sporty alongside the high-gloss Shadow Line trim.

At the rear, the X5’s three-dimensional LED tail-lights look superb, combining with the flat tailgate to deliver a strong impression. Then there’s the chunky bumper, with dual exhaust tailpipes and a diffuser insert. Not bad at all.

Step inside the X5 xDrive30d and you’d be excused for thinking that you’re in the wrong BMW. Yes, it could very well be a body-double for the 7 Series luxury sedan. In fact, in many ways, it’s just as luxurious as BMW's flagship model.

Granted our test vehicle had optional Walknappa leather upholstery covering its upper dashboard and door shoulders ($2100) , but even without that it is still a seriously premium affair.

Vernasca leather upholstery is the X5 xDrive30d’s standard choice for seats, armrests and door inserts, while soft-touch materials are pretty much found everywhere else. Yep, even on the door bins.

The ambience is further heightened by the Anthracite headliner and ambient lighting, which makes things feel even sportier.

Speaking of which, while it might be a large SUV, the X5 xDrive30d still has a genuinely sporty side, as exhibited by its chunky steering wheel, supportive front seats and grippy sports pedals. They all make it feel that bit more special.

The X5 also has cutting-edge technology, highlighted by the pair of sharp 12.3-inch displays; one being the central touchscreen, the other a digital instrument cluster.

Both are powered by the now-familiar BMW OS 7.0 multimedia system, which was a stark departure from its predecessor in terms of layout and functionality. But that’s no bad thing, as it still raises the stakes, especially with its always-on voice control.

Users will also be stoked by this set-up’s seamless support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with the former connecting with ease upon re-entry, although it does consistently dropout if the iPhone involved is placed in the cubby directly beneath the dash...

That said, the instrument cluster is fully digital, having abandoned the physical rings of its forbear, but it looks dim and still lacks the breadth of functionality that some rivals offer.

And let’s not forget the brilliant windshield-projected head-up display, which is large and crisp, giving you few reasons to look away from the road ahead.

This large SUV is 4878mm long (with a 2899mm wheelbase), 1984mm wide, 1686mm high and has an official kerb weight of 2169kg.

There are nice touches inside and out and surely features like chrome roof rails, highlights and exhaust tips will bring at least a slight sly smile to even the most jaded SUV admirer’s face.

This is a sleek, stylish and so very premium-looking and feeling vehicle that it makes a lowly peasant like me feel more than a little bit uncomfortable.

Measuring 4922mm long (with a 2975mm wheelbase), 2004mm wide and 1745mm, the X5 xDrive30d is a large SUV in every sense of the term, so it’s no surprise that it does practicality very well.

The boot’s cargo capacity is generous, at 650L, but it can be expanded to a very helpful 1870L with the 40/20/40 split-fold rear bench stowed – an action that can be taken via the boot’s manual-release latches.

The split power-operated tailgate ensures that access to the wide and flat rear storage area couldn’t be any easier. And there are four tie-down points and a 12V power outlet on hand.

There are plenty of genuine in-cabin storage options, too, with both the glovebox and central bin on the larger side, while the front door bins can carry a stunning four regular bottles. And don’t worry; their rear counterparts can take three apiece.

Better yet, two cupholders are located at the front of the centre console, while the second row’s fold-down armrest has a pair of pop-out cupholders as well as a shallow tray with a lid.

The latter joins the small driver's side cubby and the two trays at the rear of the centre console as the most random storage spaces on hand, while map pockets are attached to the front seat backrests, which integrate USB-C ports.

Speaking of the front seats, sitting behind them, it becomes apparent how much space there is inside the X5 xDrive30d, with oodles of legroom available behind our 184cm driving position. We also have about an inch of headroom, even with the panoramic sunroof fitted.

What’s really impressive is how well the second row accommodates three adults abreast. There’s enough room on offer that a fully grown trio could go on a long journey with few complaints, partly thanks to the almost non-existent transmission tunnel.

Child seats are also easy to fit, thanks to the three top-tether and two ISOFIX anchorage points, as well as the generous aperture of the rear doors.

Connectivity-wise, there’s a wireless smartphone charger, a USB-A port and a 12V power outlet ahead of the aforementioned front cupholders, while a USB-C port is found in the central bin. Rear occupants also get a 12V power outlet below their central air vents.

If you’re considering a Touareg as your next SUV, there’s a good chance that you’re already pretty familiar with all that’s on offer inside, but I’ll give you the drum: this interior manages to succeed at being a nice mix of luxurious and practical. 

While there are leather and soft-touch surfaces seemingly everywhere, there are also plenty of storage spaces, cup-holders, bottle-holders, USB charge points (front and second row), 12-volt power outlets (front and cargo area), temp and air-vent controls (front and second row), bag hooks (on backs of front seats and in cargo area), cargo tie down hooks/rings (cargo area) and a raft of other features that are well suited to real life.

All seats are supportive and comfortable. 

The driver and front passenger seats are power-adjustable and heated and ventilated.

The rear seats are a 40/20/40 split configuration and the row can slide and recliners two separate sections. It has a fold-down centre arm-rest with cupholders.

There is 1800 litres of cargo area volume with the second row folded; 810 litres with it in place.

The VW Touareg 210TDI R-Line is a four-door, five-seat AWD wagon with an MSRP of $112,690, excluding on-road costs.

Our test vehicle had Antimonial silver metallic paint at an extra cost of $2200, as well as a Volkswagen Genuine Part towbar, which costs an extra $1110, plus $495 for fitment labour. Those features push the as-tested price of this vehicle to $116,495.

As expected on a vehicle with such a price-tag, the standard features list is a bloated one and includes a 15.0-inch touch-screen multi-media system (with Apple Car Play and Android Auto), a 12.3-inch instrument cluster display, massage functions (!) on the power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, power second-row seats, 20-inch alloy wheels…as well as leather everywhere, of course, and plenty more where all of that came from.

Options include Metallic Paint ($2100), Metallic Paint Premium ($2400), Pearl Effect Paint ($2100), a powered panoramic sunroof (glass, $3000), and a Sound and Comfort Package priced at $6500.

As its name suggests, the X5 xDrive30d is motivated by the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder engine used in other BMW models, and that’s a very good thing, because it’s one of my favourites.

In this form, it produces 195kW of power at 4000rpm and a very useful 620Nm of torque from 2000-2500rpm – perfect outputs for a large SUV.

Meanwhile, an eight-speed ZF torque-converter automatic transmission (with paddle-shifters) – another favourite – and BMW’s fully variable xDrive system are responsible for sending drive to all four wheels.

As a result, the 2110kg X5 xDrive30d can sprint from standstill to 100km/h in a hot-hatch-like 6.5 seconds, on the way to its top speed of 230km/h.

This diesel Touareg has a 3.0L turbocharged V6 engine – producing 210kW at 4000rpm and 600Nm at 1750 rpm – and it has an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

It has VW’s 4Motion AWD and a variety of driving modes including eco, comfort, normal sport, individual, off-road (auto and expert), and snow, which adjust vehicle characteristics, such as engine performance, throttle response, and damping and steering, to suit your selection.

The X5 xDrive30d’s fuel consumption on the combined cycle test (ADR 81/02) is 7.2L/100km, while its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are 189g/km. Both claims are strong for a large SUV.

In the real world, we averaged 7.9L/100km over 270km of driving that was slightly skewed towards highways over city roads, which is a very solid result for a vehicle of this size.

For reference, the X5 xDrive30d has a large, 80-litre fuel tank.

It has an official fuel-consumption figure of 6.8L/100km on a combined cycle, but on test we recorded 11.7L/100km, measured at the pump.

It’s worth noting here that we did do some low-speed AWDing along a very washed-out track. 

This Touareg has a 90-litre fuel tank so, going by that as-tested fuel-consumption figure, you can reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 719km from a full tank, but that’s factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 50km.

It has a 24-litre Adblue tank.

When it comes to ride and handling, it would be easy to argue that the X5 xDrive30d’s combination is class-leading.

While its suspension (double-wishbone front and multi-link rear axles with adaptive dampers) has a sports tune, it stills rides comfortably, wafting over uneven surfaces with ease and quickly regaining composure over bumps. It all feels suitably luxurious.

However, the optional bi-colour 22-inch alloy wheels ($3900) fitted to our test vehicle often catch sharper edges and spoil the ride over poorer surfaces, so you should probably stick to the standard 20-inch rims.

Handling-wise, the X5 xDrive30d does naturally lean into corners during spirited driving when in its Comfort drive mode.

That being said, overall body control is relatively strong for a large SUV, and the Sport drive mode does go some way towards tightening things up, but the fact is, it’s always going to be hard to defy physics.

Meanwhile, the X5 xDrive30d’s electric power steering is not only speed-sensitive, but its weight is adjustable via the aforementioned drive modes.

In Comfort, this set up is well-weighted, with just the right amount of heft, however, change it to Sport and it becomes heavier, which might not be to everyone’s taste. Either way, it’s relatively direct and offers solid levels of feedback.

That said, the X5 xDrive30d’s sheer size is reflected by its 12.6m turning circle, which makes low-speed manoeuvres in tight spaces more challenging. The optional rear-wheel steering ($2250) can help with that, although it wasn’t fitted to our test vehicle.

In terms of straight-line performance, the X5 xDrive30d has a thick wad of maximum torque available early in the rev range, which means its engine’s pulling power is effortless all the way through to the mid-range, even if it can be a little spiky initially.

While peak power is relatively strong, you rarely need to approach the top end to make use of it, because this engine is all about those Newton-metres of torque.

Acceleration is therefore spritely, with the X5 hunkering down and charging off the line with intent when full throttle is applied.

A lot of this is performance is thanks to the transmission’s intuitive calibration and general responsiveness to spontaneous inputs.

Gear changes are quick and smooth, although on occasion they can be a little jerky when decelerating from low speeds to a standstill.

The five drive modes – Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, Adaptive and Individual – allow the driver to alter engine and transmission settings while on the move, with Sport adding a noticeable edge, but Comfort is what you'll be using 99 per cent of the time.

The transmission’s Sport mode can be summoned at any time, with a flick of the gear selector leading to higher shift points that are complementary to spirited driving.

Very comfortable. 

For starters, as driver you have the ability in the Touareg cabin to set up your preferred position with almost-pinpoint accuracy via the 18-way powered seat (with memory) and the tilt- and telescopic-adjustable steering wheel/column. The steering wheel is even bloody heated!

The 3.0L V6 is a punchy unit and the Touareg manages to harness its 210kW/600Nm via the eight-speed auto with mostly considered control.

This is a reasonably dynamic vehicle – for a large SUV – and it manages to maintain a commanding stance on-road and on the move, while feeling nimble enough around town and on bush tracks – more about that later – to deftly avoid any criticisms about being a clumsy drive. 

It has a turning circle of 11.19m.

Acceleration is mostly okay from a standing start and while overtaking on the open road, although persistent turbo lag in those scenarios is off-putting. 

Cycle through the driving modes (eco, comfort, normal, sport, individual, off-road (auto and expert), and snow) – via a dial near the auto shifter – to further determine your sweet spot in terms of steer-ability, throttle response, engine performance, damping and steering, among other characteristics, to match your selection.

Speaking of steering, its all-wheel steering is pretty sharp as is and, as mentioned, the auto is generally on-point, but for an even more direct driving experience switch to manual mode and have fun with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Adjustable air suspension with electronic adaptive damping control lends a welcome flexibility to ride and handling, which is generally well sorted. The rotary dial control to adjust the air suspension is to the left of the drive mode dial. 

If you notice an all-wheel drive system actually working then that’s probably not a good sign and if you notice the Touareg’s 4Motion kicking in then you’re more sober than I am: it’s a seamless application, capable of sending up to 70 percent of drive torque to the front axle, or up to 80 percent to the rear axle, depending on driving conditions. It is quietly effective during daily driving and seemingly masterful in traction-compromised circumstances of which we have had many due to recent heavy rainfalls; I’m talking about rain-slicked blacktop through to muddy gravel tracks – again, more about that soon. 

The Touareg’s tyres – Pirelli P Zero (285/45 R20) – are well suited to driving on sealed surfaces and well-maintained and dry gravel and dirt roads, but they’re far from ideal for anything more challenging than that.

It has a "weight and space saving inflatable spare wheel”.

The Touareg has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating as a result of testing in 2018.

It has eight airbags (driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger side, rear side, curtain – front and rear), three child seat top tether anchorage points on the rear seat-back, and ISOFIX child seat anchorage points on the outer rear seats.

Safety tech includes AEB, lane assist, park assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, area view camera, front cross traffic assist, as well as hill descent control and more.

As with all BMW models, the X5 xDrive30d comes with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is two years behind the premium standard set by Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Genesis. It also gets three years of roadside assistance. 

The X5 xDrive30d’s service intervals are every 12 months of 15,000km, whichever comes first. Five-year/80,000km capped-price servicing plans start from $2250, or an average of $450 per visit, which is more than reasonable.

The Touareg has a five year / unlimited kilometre warranty and that includes one year of 24-hour roadside assistance.

This variant requires a service every 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first.

Assured Service Pricing applies to the first five standard scheduled services with listed prices of $539, $886, $539, $1306, and $539.