Whenever I get to test a big 4x4 I'm acutely conscious of the fact that I look like a school run mum. Other drivers give me disdaining glares as if I am personally responsible for the failure of the Kyoto Protocol as I transport the kids to school. The truth is that my kids are long out of school and that I'm just trying the Touareg for size but the perceived animosity I could most certainly do without. That aside, there's little about the Touareg that gives cause for complaint. The looks are certainly a whole lot more palatable than its distant cousin, the Porsche Cayenne. The sight of the Porsche's gurning mug looked likely to give my elderly neighbour a coronary but the Touareg raised no comment. The 2.5-litre turbodiesel version that I tried may have been the entry-level model but with manageable economy and a fair turn of pace it most definitely suited my needs.

The philosophy behind the Touareg was to offer three vehicles in one with an eye on the lucrative US market. In a category dominated by the Mercedes M-class, the BMW X5 and the Range Rover, the Touareg needed to be something special. So what's it like? In a word, big. At 170cm high it's not lacking in road presence. The range-topping V10 TDI sits a couple of centimetres higher still on its air suspension, the other models relying on more conventional steel springs. Unless, that is, you want to hit the options list. The current car is a good deal better looking, adopting the latest Volkswagen family face with the bold grille and also adding some rather sleek headlamp units that are fluted along the bottom edge. This means new front wings and bumper assemblies to make everything fit, so this hasn't been a low budget exercise. Revised door mirrors also feature as do new lower profile rear light clusters, with a beefier spoiler and exhaust pipes also evident if you know what you're looking for. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class-leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. Standard equipment includes electronic climate control, a multifunction computer, ten-speaker CD system, walnut trim, heated and folding door mirrors and a huge airbag count. The standard models wear a slightly overwhelmed set of 17-inch alloy wheels but the V10 TDI is where things again go off the chart. This adds Continuous Damping Control Air Suspension, bi-Xenon lights, remote engine start, memory for your seat belt height, steering column, mirrors and seats and a stereo system with no fewer than eleven speakers. It can be recognised from the outside by its 19-inch wheels, a chrome air intake and front fog lights. And a little badge on the back. Beyond that, there's the range-topping R50 version.

On the road, the Touareg can't quite back up Volkswagen's top brass' claim to be better than a BMW X5. It comes close and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a touch keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there's that bit more side to side 'wobbly head syndrome' that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. Sales figures show the 2.5-litre TDI to be the most popular model in the entire Touareg line up and it returns some excellent figures. Although it's not quite got the mumbo of a 3.0-litre BMW X5 diesel, it's a good deal cheaper and feels a more modern package. It will accelerate to 60mph in 12.2 seconds and run on to a top speed of 114mph on the standard steel spring suspension. Plump for the optional air suspension and top speed falls to 111mph. A combined fuel economy figure of 28.8mpg is fair return for such a huge vehicle. It's off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. There's also ABSPlus, a system which can cut braking distances by as much as 20 per cent on muddy surfaces. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The diesel's torque comes as a welcome bonus here.

The Touareg may not offer the pinnacle of off and on road competence but it comes agreeably close. As long as you can manage the physical bulk, the Touareg 2.5TDI shapes up very nicely as family transportation with plenty of room, manageable running costs and excellent safety. It's one of the least crass of the luxury 4x4s too which means that it's far less likely to attract the attention of a vandal's key than, say, a BMW X5 or a Range Rover. I enjoyed this car a good deal more than I was expecting to and splashing through the mud on a friend's farm was enormous fun. Even his son was happy when I paid him to clean it!