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For a big car with big features the Volkswagen Touareg made a big impression with me and I can see why it is such a popular car in its class.
It also comes with a very tempting price tag at the moment so it's no wonder motoring correspondents have been raving about the car and urging rivals to watch out!
Starting at just BD13,900 this sleek and stylish SUV from Volkswagen will surely tempt buyers looking for a vehicle for all terrains and the testing times one encounters daily on the kingdom's highways.
The V6 engine drives like a dream and the smooth and sure response from the steering wheel matched anything I'd taken on or off the roads of Bahrain in recent months ... and some of those have come with a price tag of at least triple the magnitude. The Touareg has long since shrugged off its workhorse image and now combines the new VW family face with a sculpted body and vastly improved quality.
The driving position is spot-on and gives the car a sporty, car-like feel, while there is ample head and leg room in the rear, said Auto Weekly and I also have to agree with some of the expert opinion expressed on line from the Consumer Guide, for example, which reported that the gauges, dashboard, and console look contemporary and upscale and the Kelley Blue Book guide suggested its tall, wide stance gives the impression that it's ready to take on the toughest trails.
Abdulhameed Baqi, Behbehani Brothers' sale consultant, showed me around three models in the Sitra showroom and for a couple of thousand dinars more the package includes walnut wood panelled interiors and lush leather seating, sun blinds, add a couple more and the features include a state-of-the-art navigation system and camera to help with reversing and the model at BD20,500 offers all the luxury a driver could possibly want with keyless entry, seats that can be electronically adjusted and two rather snazzy-looking chrome exhausts amongst the tempting package.
The all-singing, all dancing Touareg I test-drove, however, had a surprisingly sensitive swift electronic rear door opening system.
However, I'm sure this was something you would get used to and for added convenience it does come with a very neat little Jeep-style split window allowing cases and bags to be dropped into the boot in tight spaces.
But the crme-de-la-crme is the special air-conditioning feature - which the whole range offers. It's a simple touch of genius, especially for those living in Bahrain.
At the weekend readers will recall the heat was stifling. It was a hot one. I had to nip into a mall to pick up a photo frame. The only space available to park was outside in the sunshine. When I returned to the car did I sizzle in the sunshine? No, I was as cool as a cucumber because at the touch of a button the AC carried on working for more than 10 minutes with the engine switched off, allowing me to pop out and shop without getting a sweat on. Isn't that cool? Yes! For more details call 17459977.
