The Touareg was awarded the maximum five starts for adult occupant safety in Euro NCAP crash tests and every car has dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags, Isofix child-seat mounting points, ABS and electronic stability control as standard. A deadlock and an alarm system takes care of security, while a keyless entry and start system is optional.

New safety features for 2007 include Front Scan – a form of adaptive cruise control that can slow the car down to a complete stop if an obstacle is sensed in front. Side Scan alerts the driver to another vehicle occupying the blindspot alongside the car before changing lanes on the motorway.

The rear seats have a 60/40 split, but can’t slide or be removed, which hampers family practicality. Cubbies include a large air-conditioned glovebox, cupholders and various storage bins. Extra storage is available in the spare wheel compartment, if you choose to have the spare mounted on the tailgate (this is a cost option). The boot offers a total of 555 litres of storage space and up to 1,570 litres (up to roof height) with the rear seats folded down.