jim0607

No problem, I tow a 2900lb tent trailer regularly and the 2.0T tows like a champ! The low end torque gets you moving and it has no problem maintaining speed up mountain passes.

kleinbus

Define "mountain passes" as I have to be on manual and keep rpm's up to 4-5k while climbing up I-70W towards the Eisenhower tunnel at 12000 feet on Colorado Rockies.

jim0607

I climb nothing close to 12000ft. I live in washington so I travel over Steven pass frequently (6000ft) is the maximum elevation. The car tends to settle in around 3000RPMs going up steep grades at 70mph.

jim0607

No its the same for the 3.2 & 2.0T (4400lbs).

tosten

Stevens pass essentially starts from sea level too, at least from from the west. Although I think the top is only a bit over 4000 feet along highway 2.

CrustyNoodle

Hey Kleinbus, that naturally aspirated engine must really feel it at 12,000 feet! The 2.0TFSI should be a little less sensitive to altitude than the NA engine.

My 3.0TDI is nothing short of a tug boat but I'm yet to really test it out with anything that stresses it. I opted for the 3.0TDI for both it's towing performance (occasionally need to pull a car carrier) and it's outright performance (0-100km/h in 6.5sec).
I'm quite sure the 3.0TDI Touareg will suit your needs and wants very well indeed.

kleinbus

Crusty you are right and combined with miles long steep climb where 18-wheelers use their low range, I can see the difference.

At lower altitudes all I need shift down one gear and 3.2L keeps going but up there I have to keep it manually 2 or 3 gears down for uphill power and on other side for engine brake power so I don't need to stand on the brakes itself.

I would really like to try 2.0 T with its 8 speed and low end grunt to pull my trailer to see how it goes the Rockies. I bet with its turbo, higher torque and better gearing it should be pretty good.

Anyways, I take TDI over gasser any time as I got spoiled with TDI torque and good mileage back home in Europe. I actually bought my first gasser when I moved to States and pretty quickly found myself getting annoyed by the constant down shifting gassers do with lack of low end torgue.

I have been snooping around the Touareg forums and the new T3 without the transfercase gets really good mileage for its size and guys towing heavier than I still gets better mileage than I. I don't need H/L tranfercase so new TDI Touareg seems to be answer.

Marley's Ghost

I've not had an opportunity to really test mine yet, but as I live at over 5,000 ft. And occasionally drive tomthe coast through the Sierra Madres, I'm looking forward to seeing how my TDI performs. My first diesel!