 I have owned several SUVs, Honda CR-V, Jeep Liberty, Nissan Murano and the Touareg is the best SUV I have owned so far.  The 3.6L engine works fine even if we wish it had just a little more power and the 6 speed automatic is a charm. The back is roomier than the Jeep Grand Cherooke.  When I purchased this vehicle, I was also considering the Honda Pilot, Jeep GC, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X3. I finally opted for the touareg because it's fun to drive, the 4WD is phenomenal in snow and the back window is straight so you don't loose 50% of the trunk space with the back window that is at a 45 degreee angle.