Latest news with #VolkswagenTouareg
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
REVIEW: Volkswagen Touareg R-Line is brilliant, but destined to struggle at the price point
The Touareg R-Line has a punchy TDI engine, cushy air suspension and luxurious cabin. Image: Jason Woosey A genuine contender in the luxury SUV space, the Volkswagen Touareg has been around for 23 years, and is now in its third generation. In the latter half of 2024, Volkswagen SA introduced the facelifted version of this third-gen model, first released internationally in 2018, and it brings a more luxurious and tech-savvy cabin. But with pricing pegged at R1,491,300 for the Elegance variant and R1,799,200 for the flagship R-Line that we recently had on test, it is somewhat expensive, going toe-to-toe with a glut of premium-brand SUVs. For what it's worth, you can pick up a new BMW X5 3.0D M-Sport for R1,828,000 or a Mercedes GLE 300d AMG Line for R1,931,800, while the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne models, which the VW shares its platform with, start at R1,958,000 and R2,049,000 respectively. Granted, the VeeDub undercuts its main rivals then, but not by a huge margin. The facelifted model doesn't look too different from its predecessor at first glance, but it has gained a number of model-specific design changes at the front end, highlighted by snazzy new high-definition Matrix LED headlights, featuring interactive LEDs that can mask the area facing oncoming traffic. Round back it gains new LED taillight clusters with dynamic turn signals, and the lights are now connected by a horizontal strip. Interior and functionality Inside there's a new dual-screen cockpit as well as improved materials and a 30-colour ambient lighting system with adjustable colour settings across three zones. The new trims and materials complement an already classy interior that can hold its own among most of its luxurious rivals, while the high-definition screens, featuring modern and crisp graphics, lend a more modern and high-tech feel. The redesigned cockpit boasts large dual screens. Image: Supplied On the downside, this 'clean' new design has eliminated most of the physical controls on the dashboard and functions like the climate control must now be operated via the screen. That being said, there are permanent shortcuts to the climate functions and overall the central screen is fairly user-friendly. The haptic touch-slider controls on the steering wheel do feel a tad finicky, though. Volkswagen has also improved the voice control system and the USB-C ports now have a charging capacity of 45 watts. Standard equipment includes electrically adjustable leather seats, but you will have to pay extra for niceties like the Travel Assist Package, which adds semi-automated driving capability, as well as the Area View Camera and Night Vision system. The Touareg is a large vehicle, with an overall length of 4,878mm and a 2,904mm wheelbase. This is enough to ensure spacious seating for five occupants as well as a huge boot, which boasts a capacity of 810 litres. What's it like to drive the new Touareg? As before, power comes from the Volkswagen Group's silky-smooth 3.0-litre TDI turbodiesel motor, paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. With 190kW and 600Nm on command, it provides punchy, effortless performance that's unlikely to leave many owners wanting more. But most impressive is the fuel economy. Volkswagen claims a combined average of 7.8 litres per 100km but our car's long-term trip computer showed an average of 7.5 l/100km over 2,000km. However, my week-long test drive saw a figure of 9.9 l/100km as much of the driving was on urban routes, but that is still commendable under the circumstances. The Touareg boasts a clean design, but fails to stand out in the segment. Image: Jason Woosey With a 90 litre fuel tank, including reserve, the Touareg boasts a theoretical range of over 1,100km between refuels. Out on the road, the well-insulated Touareg is really quiet, and the air suspension system, which is standard on the R-Line, dishes up a cushy ride quality despite the fitment of 21-inch alloy wheels. The latter are an option, with 20' rims featuring as standard. The Touareg R-Line also comes with rear-wheel steering, which assists with low-speed manoeuvring as well as high-speed handling, but all round it's more of a comfortable than sporty drive. Like its BMW X5 rival, there is no low-range gearing for off-road excursions, but with 4Motion all-wheel drive and a ground clearance of 215mm, the Touareg is perfectly fine for milder off-road excursions. VERDICT The Volkswagen Touareg is brilliant in almost every respect, from its luxurious interior to its refined road manners and gutsy but economical diesel engine. But with a mainstream badge on its bonnet and a price that pitches it close to a glut of premium SUV products, the underrated Touareg is likely to remain a relatively rare sight on our roads. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel IOL
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cyclist, 16, seriously hurt as car fails to stop
A 16-year-old cyclist has been seriously hurt in a collision with a vehicle that failed to stop. West Yorkshire Police said the boy suffered "potentially life-changing" leg injuries in the incident on Peep Green Road, Liversedge, between 09:05 and 09:13 BST on Friday. The boy was riding home on an electrically assisted bicycle when he was involved in the collision "with at least one vehicle that left the scene", the force said. He was found by passers-by and taken to hospital by ambulance. Officers said it was believed that one of the vehicles involved was a white Volkswagen Touareg or Tiguan, which sustained damage to a wing mirror. The force is keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or who might have relevant dashcam or CCTV footage. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Man arrested after driver killed in wall crash Speeding driver who killed girl, 9, is jailed West Yorkshire Police
BBC News
04-05-2025
- BBC News
Cyclist, 16, seriously hurt as car fails to stop in Liversedge
A 16-year-old cyclist has been seriously hurt in a collision with a vehicle that failed to Yorkshire Police said the boy suffered "potentially life-changing" leg injuries in the incident on Peep Green Road, Liversedge, between 09:05 and 09:13 BST on boy was riding home on an electrically assisted bicycle when he was involved in the collision "with at least one vehicle that left the scene", the force said. He was found by passers-by and taken to hospital by said it was believed that one of the vehicles involved was a white Volkswagen Touareg or Tiguan, which sustained damage to a wing mirror. The force is keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or who might have relevant dashcam or CCTV footage. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
NZ Herald
23-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Beckenridge mystery: Man retracts allegation cousin ‘helped' missing pair in ‘complete turnaround' in court
Today, both men gave evidence in the Christchurch District Court before Coroner Marcus Elliot. In March 2015, Beckenridge, a Swedish-born helicopter pilot, broke a court order by collecting his 11-year-old stepson, Mike Zhao-Beckenridge, from his Invercargill school. A week later, Beckenridge's 4WD Volkswagen Touareg went off a cliff near Curio Bay, in Southland. When police recovered the vehicle there were no bodies, Beckenridge and Mike have been missing since. Mike's mother, Fiona Lu, is convinced her son is alive and Beckenridge, her former partner, staged the pair's deaths. She claims he did this after she moved Mike from Beckenridge's Queenstown home to Invercargill with her new partner, Peter Russell. In 2023, Coroner Marcus Elliot held an inquest into the pair's disappearance. After new evidence came to light in June 2024, Coroner Elliot called for a new hearing to assess the information. What Oliver Watson told police That new information came from Oliver Watson. He contacted police, alleging that after media reported the car had gone off the cliff, he spoke to his cousin Paul on the phone. He claimed Paul told him he 'sheltered' the pair and said: 'We helped them out and they are alive'. The court heard why Oliver did not come forward earlier. 'Oliver Watson held on to this information for over eight years before reporting to police,' Senior Constable Kenneth Patterson said. 'The explanation given for the delay being that he thought the Beckenridges would be found prior to the hearing, and he reported the information, fearing an incorrect finding was going to be reached.' Oliver told police he thought it 'odd' that Paul disclosed the information because they 'were not close'. 'After that, after he got off the phone, he told his wife what Paul has said,' Patterson said. 'Paul Watson cannot recall speaking to Oliver on the phone, but accepts he may have. 'Stephanie Watson recalls (her husband) Oliver speaking on the phone with Paul around this time and after the call ended, telling her the Beckenridges were alive.' Paul's brother John told police that Oliver Watson was 'addicted to drugs'. He said Oliver had 'a fixation with Paul's farm, believing he had some entitlement to it'. Paul told police he had never met or spoken to Beckenridge. He said Oliver's allegation was 'untrue.' Oliver Watson retracts allegations In court this morning, Oliver retracted his allegations in what Crown prosecutor Deidre Elsmore described as 'a complete turnaround'. 'At no time did he mention that the Beckenridges were alive,' he said of the phone call with his cousin in 2015. 'No... he never mentioned that... he did not say they were alive.' He said Paul stated 'don't worry, they're alright' but 'at no time did he say he helped them'. He agreed with Elsmore that the statement from Paul — a man of deep faith — might have been 'comforting' rather than an admission. 'I did think of that later... it could be interpreted that way... that could mean they are now with the Lord.' He said police took his statement at his home, and 'the whole thing turned into a social event'. He signed the statement after looking over it, but 'didn't notice' he had been recorded alleging Paul had 'helped'. He said that was 'an anomaly' and also blamed it on the police officer's handwriting. He went on to also sign a typed version of the statement. Advertise with NZME. 'Very poor on my part,' he said. 'Paul never said that... simple as that.' 'It sounds bad, it looks bad. I don't believe I even said that, but there it is.' He also retracted a claim Paul's wife and others in the Curio Bay community had been involved in 'helping' the Beckenridge's. Oliver also admitted he did not know his cousin well, that there had been some animosity between them over ownership of the family farm and that he had been on the methadone programme for 25 years after battling addictions to 'heroin and morphine'. He also retracted a claim that Paul's wife had been involved in 'helping' the Beckenridges. Paul Watson 'forgives' cousin Paul Watson did not want to question his cousin. He did want to address him in person, which Coroner Elliot allowed. 'As a Christian, I totally forgive you for all this... and wish you a very, very good, happy life. That's all I've got to say,' he said. A teary Oliver responded: 'If I put you through stress, I'm so sorry... thank you, Paul.' Paul — a retired farmer and pastor — was still called to give evidence. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. He said Oliver's claims were 'completely untrue'. 'Helping John Beckenridge would make me complicit with this crime, and I would not do that. 'I have never met or seen John Beckenridge in person. I believe this allegation is motivated by Oliver's belief that he had some form of entitlement to my farm property.' Paul told the court Oliver had come up with a 'scheme' to move onto the farm. 'The message became quite threatening and nasty along the lines of 'if you don't do what I'm saying, it won't end well for you',' Paul said. He said the allegation came soon after his last contact with Oliver. 'I do not wish to have any further contact with him,' he said. Rebekah Jordan, counsel assisting the Coroner, yesterday reminded the court why the hearing was being held. It was not an inquest, she said. Rather, it was to 'assist the coroner in determining whether there is jurisdiction to open an inquiry'. 'The main issue is whether it is likely that Mike and John Beckenridge are dead,' she said. Yesterday, an independent engineering expert spoke to the court about whether it would have been possible for Beckenridge's vehicle to have been sent off the cliff with no driver. The hearing is now complete. The Coroner has given parties two weeks to make further submissions before any further decisions are made. To date, police have had 60 suspected sightings of the Beckenridges or their vehicle, some of which have been eliminated or deemed. Information about possible sightings continues to be reported nationally and from Kiwis overseas.
NZ Herald
21-04-2025
- NZ Herald
New evidence in John Beckenridge disappearance case after 10 years
A week later, Beckenridge's 4WD Volkswagen Touareg went off the cliff near Curio Bay, in Southland. But when police recovered the vehicle, there were no signs of any bodies and the two have been missing since. Mike's mother Fiona Lu is convinced her son is alive and that her former partner, Beckenridge, staged the pair's death after she moved Mike from Beckenridge's Queenstown home to Invercargill with her new partner, Peter Russell. As a result, Coroner Elliot was tasked with probing the disappearance and making a ruling on what likely happened to the pair. The inquest was held in 2023. But after new evidence came to light, a three-day hearing was scheduled to assess the information. Coroner Elliot will hear from the man who allegedly reported helping Beckenridge. He will also hear from others about that claim. An engineering expert has also spoken about whether it would have been possible for Beckenridge's vehicle to have been sent off the cliff with no driver. 'Dr John Raine, the independent expert who was asked to address whether the Volkswagen could have been rigged to drive off the cliff top without a driver at the controls, will give evidence today,' she said. 'The second part of the reconvened hearing relates to some new information police received on the 26th of June 2023, after the last submissions were made. 'Police investigated this new information. They provided a report to the coroner in November 2024.' Jordan said shortly after the media reported that a car had gone off a cliff at Curio Bay, the landowner Paul Watson, spoke to his cousin Oliver Watson on the phone. 'Oliver Watson's evidence will be that during the phone call, Paul Watson said: 'we helped them out and they are alive',' she explained. 'Paul Watson will give evidence about his recollection of the search for Mike and John in the Curio Bay area and how he learned about the cliff-top scene on the farmland he leased to his neighbour. 'Paul Watson will also respond to his cousin's evidence that he helped Mike and John to escape. He says this is untrue.' Advertise with NZME. The coroner will also hear from other members of the Watson family about 'dynamics' and the relationship between Oliver and Paul Watson. Jordan reminded the court that this week's proceedings were 'not an inquest'. Rather it was to 'assist the coroner in determining whether there is jurisdiction to open an inquiry'. 'The main issue is whether it is likely that Mike and John Beckenridge are dead,' she said. The hearing continues. To date, police have had 60 suspected sightings of the Beckenridges or their vehicle, some of which have been deemed unlikely or eliminated. Information about possible sightings continues to be reported from within New Zealand and from Kiwis overseas. Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on
