With either engine, the Volkswagen Touareg has its own set of distinct driving characteristics, yet both feel of-a-piece solidly built and engineered to a point where all the moving parts seem light and balanced, with that rigid platform and luxury features responsible for the weight. One must remember this is a three-ton 4WD able to traverse far more than the typical owner's nerves will permit, and it will not change directions nor stop like a sports car half its weight. VW organizes adventures in Moab to show customers exactly what a Touareg will do. We've attended some of those adventures and came away impressed with its capability.

With short gearing in the six-speed automatic transmission, the gasoline VR6 engine's 280 horsepower moves the 5,100-pound Touareg better than you'd expect. Torque is rated at 265 pound-feet from 2500 to 5000 rpm, delivering sufficient midrange power for daily tasks and keeping up if not leading the pack. Towing the maximum rated load over 7,000 pounds or driving at high altitudes will use all it can deliver, which it will do without complaint. The narrow-angle V engine looks and feels more like an inline six-cylinder engine, smooth and stress-free to redline. EPA fuel economy estimates are 14 mpg city/19 mpg highway.

The six-speed automatic knows this isn't a big engine and where the power lies, and it quickly shifts to the appropriate gear. Sport mode quickens shift response for more enthusiastic driving styles. Under normal circumstances in Auto mode the 4XMotion four-wheel-drive system (which differs from the 4Motion used in all-wheel-drive VW cars) is transparent to the driver; you select alternate modes seeking specific changes in traction in gearing according to terrain, such as engaging low-range for slow-speed rock crawling or very steep hills. Both uphill starts and severe descents can be helped with electronic systems, as only experienced four-wheelers could do any better.

Electronic aids include antilock brakes that will form sort of a chock in front of the tires on soft surfaces. This means shorter stopping distances on gravel roads, mud, snow, sand. This is a great feature because standard ABS greatly lengthens stopping distances on gravel roads. The electronic stability control system is tied into a rollover sensor, side curtain airbags and steering systems, so they can all work as a team.

Volkswagen says the standard suspension is tuned for comfort, but don't mistake that for anything soft or wallowy. Since it rolls on 17-inch wheels and tires designed for all surfaces, the comfort spec is logical, and endows the V6's with a gentler ride than some bigger-rimmed competitors. It responds accurately to driver input, though not as quickly as vehicles like the BMW X5 which haven't the off-road prowess, and the quick steering will execute a U-turn in less space than many mid-sized sedans, an important trait in urban areas and tight off-highway trails. The 17-inch tire spec is best if you frequent poor and potholed roads as the tires will absorb most of the impact, or if you do a lot of winter mountain or icy road travel because the 17-inch tires are snow-chain compatible.

Ordering the Luxury Package upgrades the Touareg to 19-inch wheels and low-profile tires, giving crisper response to turn and brake commands and a moderate increase in maximum cornering grip. As with virtually every other wheeled device, you'll pay a price in ride softness with the 19-inch wheels and notice things like lane divider dots; and it will be a bit louder because of a stiffer sidewall and a hair more road noise. None of these issues is severe, and a Touareg remains as quiet inside as any other genuine 4WD. Drivers who prefer something softer and have no interest in off-road capability might be better served by a Lexus RX, a far less adventurous vehicle.

An air suspension system is optional for diesel Touaregs. This system replaces the steel coil spring at each corner with an air spring, and adds Continuous Damping Control (CDC), which puts a computer in charge of the shock absorbers which in turn control the air springs. Many luxury marques, including Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi employ similar systems. Three damping settings are offered on CDC: Comfort, Sport, and Auto. They do exactly as you'd think, giving a soft ride on Comfort, a firmer more responsive ride on Sport, or leave it on Auto and let the system immediately match condition to need. And since the system adjusts faster than you can turn the switch, Auto is ideal for virtually any driving.

The other primary advantage of the air suspension is adjustable height, a 5.5-inch difference in six settings, four of which the driver controls. The suspension automatically lowers the Touareg one inch at 87 mph for better stability and aerodynamics, and another 0.4-inch at 118 mph. The Standard mode sets the ground clearance at 8.7 inches, 0.4 more than the standard suspension. The Load setting kneels the car as low as possible (6.3 inches clearance), good for shorter or less-ambulatory passengers, heavy cargo lifting, and parking garages with low ceilings. The Off-Road setting, good to 43 mph, adds an inch of clearance (about 9.7 inches), and Xtra level raises the Touareg as high as it will go, to 11.8 inches clearance. Xtra is rated for 12 mph, though in reality you'd use it only at 2-3 mph or less since it limits any suspension travel and makes the Touareg bob like a low-rider. The higher modes increase the water fording depth as well as approach, departure and breakover angles critical in off-road travel where a degree or an inch can often make the difference.

A TDI with 17-inch wheels, and locking rear differential and air suspension options is arguably the best trail Touareg configuration: excellent torque and driving range, compliant tires with better rim protection and lots of suspension travel. It's a good bang for the buck in that regard as the only luxury utilities that come close in off-road performance cost more.

The TDI diesel is a 3.0-liter V6, closely related to an engine that serves in multiple VW's and Audis overseas. It produces 225 horsepower at 3500-4000 rpm, and 406 pound-feet of torque at 1750-2250, which means it should actually out-perform the gasoline V6 in many lower-speed situations. Since the TDI always starts in first gear (some automatics start in second to save fuel) boost comes up quickly and the TDI is off cleanly, reaching 60 mph in 8.5 seconds. This is more than enough for any travel up to its electronically limited top speed of 130 mph, and unmatched given the Touareg's 4WD ability and EPA ratings of 17/25. Over a winding, up-and-down course that included equal miles interstate cruising and urban plodding our trip computer showed 24.9 mpg; with the 26.4 gallon fuel tank we were still waiting for the fuel gauge to move.

The TDI provides a relaxed drive. Where the VR6 might downshift twice to merge from a transition ramp or pass slower traffic, the TDI just hunkers down and goes, the wave of torque carrying the way. At 75 mph the engine is turning about 2300 rpm, so at any highway speed you will have that full 407 lb-ft of torque available.

But the best things about the TDI are the non-issues. It's so clean the tailpipes are still steel-colored after use, has much lower C02 emissions, and uses much of the same technology that garnered VW's Jetta TDI the Green Car of the Year award. It makes a different sound outside but not more noise, and inside your passengers will never know. With a 450-mile cruising range in the city, finding fuel is never a problem (better than 1 in 6 fuel stations have it), it starts very quickly in the cold (the cold-start system reaches 1800 degrees inside the engine within two seconds) and it requires no changes to driving or ownership habits.