Toyota Fortuner vs VW Touareg

A reader recently asked me to compare these two cars since he was eyeing buying either after getting my input. Well, what can I say? Facts are facts and no amount of mental and metaphysical gymnastics are going to change them. As I titled one of my films: “It is what it is”.

I saw a “Volkswagen Touareg 3000cc” and immediately thought, “Good heavens, there goes another”. Another what? Another hopeful with a Teutonic glint in his eye and a handful of cabbage trying to distance himself from the seemingly cheapskate Japanese crowd, but unbeknownst to him, what lies ahead is a steep and very expensive learning curve on the factors affecting depreciation of a German car). Let us start breaking your heart, shall we?

Maintenance

Well, the Touareg is a German car that rides on air suspension and relies on two batteries for its electrical needs. One of these batteries is underneath the driver’s seat, which is electrically operated. You can see where this is going; accessing the second battery is a 48-hour task, most likely done by a garage whose labour charges are time-based, irrespective of the task at hand.

The 2700cc engine in the Fortuner is the Toyota 2TR-FE, an unbreakable chunk of metal if there ever was one. Parts are easily available and are everywhere. The vehicle has a simple, almost featureless interior, manually adjusted seats and only battery. All this is riding on steel coil springs. I do not need to elaborate any further, do I?

Performance

The Touareg is faster, and handles much better. I would have backed this up with numbers, but those numbers are fairly irrelevant, the Touareg will outrun the Fortuner anytime, anywhere.

Fuel consumption

When you refer to a 3000cc Touareg, my assumption is that it is a diesel-powered unit, but then again, it could be the supercharged petrol one in which case, there is no point comparing it to the Fortuner since these are two different leagues of luxury and performance. If it is the diesel Touareg, then it wins automatically. If it is the petrol one, then this will come down to how you drive the vehicle. A 300hp supercharged V6 can bring out some bad habits, you know.

Reliability

Please see “maintenance” above, then visit any random internet forum and ask about the reliability of Volkswagens. Once you are done laughing at all the jokes surrounding VWs and Check Engine lights, ask about the reliability of Toyotas. Once you are done watching the same videos of Hiluxes undergoing unspeakable acts being performed on them and still firing up afterwards, then ask about Touaregs. In case you had already committed to a Touareg before this correspondence was published, it may take a while for the tears on your neck to dry up.

I get that you want to avoid disrespect. The Touareg will attract the aforementioned Volkswagen jokes, but these will not be as bad as petrol station attendants assuming you are a paid chauffeur driving a county government car.

For that 400km monthly sojourn upcountry, the Touareg is objectively better; it is more powerful, smoother, more comfortable, handles better, rides better, has superior creature comforts and conveniences and the Toyota does not even come close in terms of overall experience. However, once the dashboard starts lighting up, those tears I mentioned earlier? They will be premium in nature.

Verdict

When you refer to a 3000cc Touareg, my assumption is that it is a diesel-powered unit, but then again, it could be the supercharged petrol one in which case, there is no point comparing it to the Fortuner since these are two different leagues of luxury and performance. If it is the diesel Touareg, then it wins automatically. If it is the petrol one, then this will come down to how you drive the vehicle.