Volkswagen takes new Touareg through its paces in the Arctic
Set to be properly unveiled mid-year, the next generation Volkswagen Touareg has been going through final cold weather testing near the Arctic Circle.
Mar 2, 2023
The new Touareg will feature engineering updates in its chassis as well as a new Innovision Cockpit. It will also adopt Volkswagen’s IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlights and LED light strip, as has been added to other models in the range.
This year, Volkswagen says the success story of the million-selling Touareg is set to continue with a comprehensive technical and visual update of the premium SUV.
The rear and front of the 2023 Touareg will showcase a redesign, while the chassis has been further developed and will impress with its combination of comfort and performance.
Before the world premiere mid-year, Volkswagen is now providing a first preview of the update for its top model.
The camouflaged new Touareg is still completing its final test miles in Swedish Lapland. Although the design modifications are still hidden under an oversized QR code wrap, the pictures of the disguised prototype already provide a concrete preview of the first technical details. At the front, for example, it is possible to see the newly developed IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlights and the elements of an also new LED light strip integrated between them.
HD stands for High Definition, a very high resolution. What is meant is a sea of extremely bright points of light – generated by a total of 38,400 micro-LEDs. They turn night into day and ensure significantly more brightness on the road, but without dazzling oncoming traffic. Over 19,000 micro-LEDs are distributed over the new headlights on each side of the vehicle.
The matrix system projects an interactive carpet of light into the lane of the luxury SUV. This so-called "lane light" makes driving at night more comfortable and makes it easier to drive through narrow motorway construction sites in the dark, as the carpet of light optimally illuminates the lane. The new Touareg will also feature an illuminated logo at the rear.
Volkswagen has further developed the chassis of the all-wheel drive Touareg. Among other things, a roof load sensor is now used, which is networked with the chassis electronics. The advantage: increased agility when the roof is not loaded. If, on the other hand, a roof box is installed, the sensor recognises this and passes this information on to assistance systems such as the ESC. This increases the driving stability of the Touareg.
The standard steel spring running gear and the optional two-chamber air suspension running gear have also been given a new setup to achieve an even larger bandwidth between maximum comfort and optimum performance.
Inside the cabin, the new Touareg will be equipped with an "Innovision Cockpit" which is operated via the central touchscreen, the multifunction steering wheel and analogue elements such as the volume control in the center console.
The "Innovision Cockpit" of the new Touareg offers, among other things, lane-precise navigation and high-resolution HD map data. Voice control has also been further developed. The app integration via smartphone and "App Connect" (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto) can now also be done wirelessly.
The high-quality level of the Touareg was further improved by evaluating customer feedback: the armrests and the centre console panels are softer - a plus in comfort. Volkswagen says that all of these updates in combination ensures the 2023 Touareg will remain a well-balanced SUV all-rounder that masters long distances as well as everyday life.
