Volkswagen Touareg vs Audi Q7 vs BMW X5: here's our winner.

The Volkswagen Touareg is an unfairly overlooked luxury SUV, but how does it compare to premium SUV competitors in the form of the BMW X5 and the Audi Q7?

The Grand Vitara is now Suzuki’s flagship product within the local market, offering those needing a larger vehicle with an option from the Suzuki stable. Today we are comparing the Grand Vitara with two rivals in the form of the Toyota Corolla Cross and the Volkswagen Taigo, but which one would we choose? Our trio today are similar in terms of price and what they offer.

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Powertrain and performance

Powering the Grand Vitara, in flagship guise, is a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 48-volt mild hybrid set-up. Power and torque are rated at 76kW and 137Nm, sent through all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox. It will consume fuel at a claimed rate of 5.6 L/100km, and a 0-100km/h is not quoted.

Standard equipment

The flagship Grand Vitara comes with LED headlights/ fog lamps, a six-way electrically adjustable seat for the driver, ambient interior lighting, a panoramic roof, a wireless smartphone charger,  artificial leather seats, a colour screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, a digitised instrument cluster, climate control,  adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot assist, 18.0-inch alloy wheels, 6 Airbags, ISOFIX, keyless entry and start, front and rear PDC, and a reverse camera.

Safety

The Grand Vitara received a 4-star safety rating from Global NCAP in 2022.

Practicality

The Grand Vitara boasts a 310-litre boot, seating for five occupants and 210mm of ground clearance.

Price and value proposition

At R529 900, the Grand Vitara offers good value versus crucial rivals.

The competition

Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR

Powertrain and performance

Powering the Corolla Cross is a 1.8-litre petrol engine with a small amount of electrical assistance that produces a total system output of 90kW and 163Nm sent through the front wheels via a CVT. Fuel consumption is claimed at 4.3 L/100km, and the 0-100km/h time is not quoted.

Standard equipment

The XR comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights/ fog lights, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, a colour touchscreen infotainment system, climate control, keyless entry/start, leather seats, seven airbags, electrically adjustable driver’s seat as well as front and rear PDC with a reverse camera.

Safety

The Corolla Cross was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, achieving a 5-Star rating.

Practicality

The Cross features seating for five, a 440-litre boot and 161mm of ground clearance, and is the largest vehicle in this comparison.

Price and value proposition

At R516 900, the XR offers excellent value.

Opel Mokka

Powertrain and performance

Powering the Mokka is a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that produces 96kW and 230Nm sent through the front wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Fuel consumption is claimed at 7.8 L/100km, and a 0-100km/h of 7.8 seconds is provided.

Standard equipment

In R-Line specification, the Taigo gets 17-inch wheels, six airbags, climate control, a digitised instrument cluster, a touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, four USB ports,  cloth-covered sport seats, LED headlights and daytime running lights, as well as front and rear PDC.

Safety

The Taigo was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, achieving a 5-Star rating.

Practicality

The Taigo boasts five seats, 440-litres of boot space and a ground clearance of 168mm, making it the second most practical vehicle in the test.

Price and value proposition

At R528 500 for the R-Line model, the Taigo appears expensive when looking at its specification.

Facts and figures:

* Manufacturer’s claimed figures.

Pricing was all-inclusive at the time of writing but may change without prior notice.

Verdict

Looking at the figures as an overall package, we find the locally-produced Toyota Corolla Cross as the best proposition among the trio assembled here; however, it is essential to note that the Grand Vitara is positioned against the Toyota Urban Cruiser since the latter is based on the Suzuki. The reason the Suzuki was compared to the Corolla Cross here was purely based on pricing.

Keyword: Volkswagen Touareg vs Audi Q7 vs BMW X5: here's our winner.