October 30, 2003

Motor Trend names Volkswagen Touareg 2004 Sport Utility of the Year

Annaheim, California - Motor Trend magazine has selected the Volkswagen Touareg as Motor Trend's 2004 Sport Utility of the Year.

"We are delighted to recognize the quality, performance, and value of the Volkswagen Touareg with our Sport Utility of the Year award," said Kevin Smith, editor-in-chief of Motor Trend. "We're proud of the significance the Motor Trend awards have in the automotive community and we value the faith our readers and the general public place in our judgment. This year, that judgment reveals the Touareg to be the leader in the highly diverse field of sport utilities."

Motor Trend's editorial staff selected this year's winner from a field of 13 vehicles, after comprehensive testing and evaluation. Eligible vehicles were new or substantially redesigned sport utility vehicles scheduled to be on sale by January 1, 2004. Contenders included: BMW X3, Buick Rainier, Cadillac SRX, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, GMC Envoy XUV, Infiniti FX35/45, Lexus RX 330, Mitsubishi Endeavor, Nissan Murano, Nissan Pathfinder Armada, Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg.

"The Volkswagen Touareg impressed our editorial staff with its combination of refinement and sheer capability," said Smith. "It effectively addresses the needs and desires of a large segment of consumers looking for high-flexibility family transportation. We at Motor Trend feel the Touareg substantially raises the standard in this market segment this year."

The editorial staff of Motor Trend evaluates eligible vehicles based on three key categories: Significance, Superiority, and Value. Significance refers to impact on the market and looks for mastery and innovation in engineering, technology, design, safety and packaging, as well as envisioned sales forecasts for that model line. Superiority levels the playing field and looks for class-leading levels of performance, style, and value within its specific competitive set -- not among all new vehicles. Finally, the all-important Value question asks, "What does this vehicle deliver in relation to what the consumer has to pay to purchase and own it?"

The complete report on the Motor Trend 2004 Sport Utility of the Year testing and selection will be published in the December issue (on newsstands November 4, 2003).

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