Volkswagen family heritage is clearly evident in the Touareg, from the face of lights and split-frame grille that mirrors Eos and Passat to the large chrome circular logos. For all intents and purposes the body panels remain unchanged, only the trim, lamps and larger rear spoiler atop the hatch have been redone in the interests of fresh appearance and better function for 2008.

The 112-inch wheelbase permits good occupant space and an overall length of less than 16 feet keeps the wheels near the corners. This creates both a muscular stance, with the glass areas rising out of strong shoulders, and maintains the approach and departure angles and clearance necessary for real 4WD use. Unlike virtually every other 4WD SUV and pickup, the Touareg's approach and departure angles are identical, meaning that regardless of which direction you encounter an obstacle, if the leading edge clears it so will the following edge. Large wheelwells do not have fender flares, instead using gracefully curved sheetmetal to house the large wheels and tires.

Touareg is essentially void of superfluous trim. The strip along the lower doors minimizes paint damage, a chrome strip protects the top of the rear bumper, and the signal mirrors transmit intentions to vehicles alongside. Finally, taillights are easy to see and cleanly integrated to avoid being subject to damage on tight trails or crowded market lots.

The entire structure is quite stiff. With a Touareg balanced on just two opposite corner wheels, the hood, hatch, and doors can all be opened and closed with no more than normal effort, an unusual feat. Even the glass section of the hatch, which opens separately and self-latches into the main hatch when it is lifted, is accessible.

While the Touareg 2, Porsche Cayenne, and Audi Q7 share some development background, differences are so significant they can hardly be labeled competitors. Indeed, the Q7, which uses the same gasoline engines and transmission as an FSI Touareg, shares less than 15 percent of its parts with Touareg.