Before we start this comparison, let's be clear about one thing: very few buyers are interested in high-end SUVs in Ireland right now. The numbers say it all: in 2007, 5,079 premium SUVs were sold here, featuring 624 Land Cruisers and 261 Touaregs. Last year (2010), the sobering figures say 638, 39 and 3 respectively.
Now that's been said, how do the relatively new Land Cruiser and Touareg stack up against each other?
We don't think the price will be the deciding factor here, though the 3.0 TDI Touareg is a few grand cheaper than the D-4D 190 (3.0) Toyota in long wheelbase guise - that's starting prices of €67,995 and €71,995 respectively.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but we reckon the Touareg wins that contest hands down. Although the new model is broadly similar in profile to its predecessor, its sharp nose gives it real road presence - and not in the "dear God what is that monstrosity behind" kind of way. The Land Cruiser is blander to look at, but it has 60 years of evolution and millions of customers to appease.
The story's the same inside. VW has significantly enhanced the Touareg's interior, moving it even closer to that of a luxury car than before. There's buckets of space and a sense of high quality befitting the price tag. The switchgear and all-round tactility smacks of something with a premium badge on the nose.
In contrast, the Land Cruiser is a bit ordinary. There's just as much space and it's beautifully put together, but it feels more like an SUV where the Touareg is undeniably a luxury car first and foremost.
That pretty much sums up the two cars. The Land Cruiser, while comfortable enough, is much more workmanlike than the VW. There's a non-nonsense vibe to it that will appeal to (well-heeled) tradesmen and business users. It also boasts an enviable reputation for rock solid reliability, and hence residuals are strong. Being so new to the market, the VW Touareg hasn't fared so well in terms of resale values.
Both cars sit in Band F, which costs €1,050 per year in tax. The Touareg's official combined consumption figure is 7.4 litres/100km, and we managed 9.9 litres/100km in about 700 kilometres of mixed driving. The heavier Land Cruiser's combined consumption figure is 8.1 litres/100km.
Sensibility aside, the Volkswagen is much more like a car to drive. Our cornering shots clearly demonstrate the differences. Paddy drove each car through the same corner at the same speed. As you can see, the Toyota leans heavily, where the Touareg does not. The latter is far more composed on the road and it's nicer to drive.
Resale values aside, I'd have the Touareg. I like how it looks; I think it has a great interior; and it's a really good long distance cruiser. Paddy reckons he'd have the Toyota because, as he described it, you just know it'll be exactly the same in 10 years time. Will Irish motorists be back buying big SUVs by then?
Click here to read Paddy's full review of the Volkswagen Touareg pictured.