Volkswagen’s Touareg joins the Fleet World long-term fleet.

Our new long-term test car comes with a generous splurge of optional extras

Volkswagen’s Touareg has carved a handy niche for itself over the years, offering a full-size 4×4 at prices that remain almost reasonable.

Our latest long-term test model perfectly fits this thinking – in lower-power V6 diesel guise and in mid- ranking SEL trim it is priced at just under £48,000 – that’s what Land Rover is now charging for a higher-spec Range Rover Evoque.

And whereas an Evoque has a 2.0- litre diesel engine, our Touareg has a big, torquey 3.0-litre V6 under the bonnet, giving big dollops of power from the very bottom of the rev range – enough to give this two-tonne car strong acceleration. With 4Motion four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox, this Volkswagen offers relaxed performance and real go-anywhere ability (not that many ever venture off-road).

Obviously there are downsides to this, the major one being a 37% Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket, which equates to a company car tax bill of around £580 a month. So far, test mpg is hovering around the high- 20s so, again, economy is not really its forte.

But for user-choosers looking to opt out and take the cash alternative, there are some great personal lease deals currently available – a quick check sees a monthly payment of £550 getting you into an SEL model like this one for a three-year deal. If you’re not doing much mileage and want a lifestyle family car, the Touareg is a tough act to beat.

Our test car has benefited from a generous splurge of optional extras, taking its price tag up to £60,000 – not all are essential additions and we’ll be looking into the worth of the various options in later reports