$60,565 may not be a kingly sum for a luxury hybrid CUV like the Lexus RX 450h.
Mercedes Benz and BMW could easily price a luxury hybrid SUV or CUV at $60,565, but when Volkswagen does it the the jaw drops and the gut wonders if your average joe is willing to pay Sixty large for the people’s car.
We had the chance to test drive the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid in Florence earlier this year (see video below) and came away impressed by the craftsmanship and luxury appointments in the second generation Touareg.
There’s no doubt that VW has raised the bar on luxury when it comes to the new Touareg. The issue of course is that VW hasn’t raised the bar on the VW brand here in the U.S. In other words, VW is still the people’s car and not necessarily the rich people’s car.
While most Americans aren’t especially status minded they do want to express success with their cars. Thes issue of course is that driving a 60K SUV from the same car maker as your neighbor’s college kids sub 20K Jetta doesn’t say, “I’ve made it.”
Plus the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid’s 20 miles per gallon city, 25 mpg highway doesn’t match the only other current hybrid CUV…the Lexus RX 450h.
In fact the Lexus RX 450h is rated at least 5 mpg higher on in the city and on the highway.
The problem?
The Lexus MRSP’s at $43,235.
$60,565 staring….we think that’s going to be hard sell for VW in these tough economic times and that’s a shame because the new VW Toureg is a very good car.
Follow on twitter @TFLcar or watch latest car
review videos on YouTube.
