It's been four years since Volkswagen's first-ever Sports Utility Vehicle was launched and 300,000 have been built. Yet, it remains a relative rarity on local roads.

This might have something to do with its erstwhile styling which was rather uninspiring compared to flashier-looking rivals from BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo among others.

Times have changed and more significantly, so has the way Volkswagen sells its cars in Singapore. Perhaps local buyers will come to accept the German marque as a credible luxury car brand.

Helping VW to this end will be the Touareg which has been updated and improved in both the way it looks and drives. For starters, a large chrome grille now dominates the Touareg?s front end that ups the 'bling' quotient no end.

New, shapelier headlamps flank the grille, visually aligning it with Volkwagen's newer models such as the Passat, up-coming Eos and Touran.

Around the back, the Touareg is distinguished by darkened tail lamps and a redesigned tailgate that is offered with remote operation and a reversing camera mounted just above the rear license plate.

Driving it

If it's Subaru's rally-bred, turbocharged, go-faster body kit heritage you're looking for, you won't find it in the Tribeca. Instead, the refined and relaxed nature of this car is better suited for school runs and trips to the golf course.

Power comes from a normally-aspirated 245bhp 3.0-litre flat six that it shares with the range-topping Outback, another crossover model. Auto anoraks can also take pleasure in the fact that Porsche is the only other carmaker that uses horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engines, so in that sense, the Tribeca's in good company.

The similarity however, ends when it comes to driving dynamics. The 297Nm of torque that the Tribeca produces arrives fashionably late at 4,200rpm which means that you'll need a heavy right foot to get it going.

Fortunately, the Tribeca is also fitted with a five-speed automatic gearbox that has a manual override function. This lets you choose the right gear for keeping the revs up, ideal when preparing for overtaking manoeuvres.

Considering its 1,935kg kerb weight, and size, the Tribeca is a decent handler. Chuck it into a corner and this Subaru will faithfully track your inputs, helped in no small way by its all-wheel drive system. There's a hint of understeer as you enter a turn, but power through gently and you can feel the nose tucking back into your intended line. There is some body roll of course, but not so much for your passengers to feel like they're on the movie set of Poseidon.

INSIDE IT

The Touareg has always had one the best appointed cabins of any SUV and the latest version is no different. There are only small revisions of note. This essentially comes down to a new instrument display and a tailgate that opens and closes at the touch of a button.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

If the Touareg is to be a success in Singapore, it has two formidable rivals to address, the Lexus RX 350 and the Volvo XC 90 as these represent some of the best-selling SUVs in the market.

Although the Touareg pricing has yet to be announced, it needs to be priced somewhere between the $156,888 to $177,888 range of the RX 350 and the $186, 000 to $199,000 asking price of the XC 90 2.5T and 3.2 respectively.

If Volkswagen were to bring in the 4.2-litre V8 model, it might even serve as a credible alternative to the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and the BMW X5.

CONCLUSION

The trouble is, the features that will give the Touareg an edge over its rivals are likely to be expensive options like ACC, keyless access and the electrically-operable tailgate.

Let hope VW's bean counters can work the same sort of magic as the Touareg?s engineers.

Mercedes-Benz ML350 (A) $227,888 with COE
The new ML is a giant leap forward from its predecessor, especially in terms of driver appeal. The car makes for a well-built and accomplished rival to the Touareg that really should be selling in bigger numbers than it currently is

Volvo XC90 3.2 (A) $199,000 with COE
The XC90 is a compelling choice as it offers two more seats than the five-seat Touareg. A significant consideration for the school run. The VW's the one to go for though if you?re serious about off-roading though.

Volkswagen Toureg V6 FSI 3.2 (A):

ENGINE TYPE 3,597cc, 24V V6
MAX POWER 6,200rpm
MAX TORQUE 360Nm at 2,500rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic
TOP SPEED 218km/h
0-100 KM/H 8.6 seconds
PRICE To be announced
WARRANTY To be announced
CONTACT Volkswagen Group Singapore
TELEPHONE 6474-8288

PLUSES Better styling. Impressive off-road ability
MINUSES Not many will bother to put it to the test
VERDICT The Touareg's improvements are more obvious on paved roads which bodes well for luxury SUV customers