7. VW Touareg
Style, quality, refinement and off road ability come together in the VW Touareg. This is one of the most efficient choices on the 4x4 market, with the entry-level diesel promising 41.0mpg fuel consumption. That’s even better than the expensive Hybrid Touareg, which manages only 34.2mpg.
All models feature an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox for smooth, comfortable progress, and have a towing capacity of 3,500kg, while buyers planning to use their car off road should consider the Escape version. This has higher ground clearance and underbody protection; although all models are four-wheel drive, the rest of the range is set up more for road use.
Interior quality is faultless across the range, and all Touaregs get plenty of kit, including leather, climate control and a DAB radio. Parking sensors make it easy to cope with the large dimensions, while nine airbags and a raft of electronic driver aids take care of safety.
There’s lots of space, too, and you can increase the boot size from 580 litres to the maximum 1,642 litres simply by pressing a button in the load bay. Variable service intervals and fixed-price deals make maintenance bills easy to swallow.
