Volkswagen is looking to compete in the high-end SUV market with a freshened Touareg that includes a boatload of safety and convenience technologies.

Volkswagen of America had been rolling along toward some ambitious sales targets when a decided shift away from cars to crossovers and sport utility vehicles robbed it of its forward momentum and put more pressure on its own SUVs, such as the Touareg.

While facing competition from SUVs such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes-Benz ML and Acura MDX, which have been overhauled in the last couple of years, VW still believes the Touareg can still hold its own.

For 2015, the Touareg gets facelift, an optional driver assistance package and a refreshed interior with new convenience features. The Touareg also retains its sturdy vehicle dynamics, which deliver solid ride and handling under a variety of driving conditions thanks to well-tuned suspension, brakes and steering.

The driver assistance package, which is optional on gasoline and diesel-powered versions of the Touareg and standard on the hybrid, includes Adaptive Cruise Control, which uses radar sensors to maintain a set following distance to the vehicle in front of the SUV. The system can bring the Touareg to a complete stop and has a range of just over 200 yards with a field of view of 40 degrees.

VW hopes to expands its presence in the SUV and CUV markets in the coming years.

The Lane Assist lane departure warning system is also camera-based and if there is a danger of the car changing lanes without the turn signal being engaged, the system helps alert the driver by vibrating the steering wheel and by depicting the lane markings that the car has crossed on the multifunction display in the instrument panel.

The 2015 Touareg is also equipped with Side Assist, which utilizes radar sensors at the rear on the Touareg to scan the approaching traffic. LEDs in the side mirrors inform the driver of a vehicle in the blind spot or approaching at a higher rate of speed. The LEDs in the side mirrors flash brightly to alert the driver to potential hazards.

VW has also given the Touareg a fresh face that also enhances the vehicle’s aerodynamics.

The new exterior design elements include a four-bar chrome grille, which is linked to the redesigned headlights that now sit flush with base of the grille. Standard on all models, the headlight clusters feature Bi-Xenon high headlights, Adaptive Front lighting and an updated LED Daytime Running Light design.

In the rear, LED taillights are now standard, reflecting a modified tailgate design with a “Tornado Line” that runs across the entire width. In keeping with current trends toward more bright work, the rear bumper features chrome accents that wrap completely around the vehicle.

Volkswagen is also adding new wheel choice, including an 18-inch wheel with 10-spoke design, while the 19-inch Salvador and 20-inch Montauk, which feature variants of a doubled five-spoke wheel.

The updated Touareg interior.

On the inside, new features include LED overhead lighting, and new chrome trim and wood accents as well as an 8-inch touchscreen capable of displaying maps and directions in high-definition 3D graphics.

One new option being offered on the “Executive” trim, one of four offered by VOA, is the Area View 360-degree exterior camera system, which uses cameras rear hatch, the door mirrors and grille onto the touchscreen in the center console.

The powertrain, eight-speed transmission and all-wheel-drive system and panoramic roof are all carried over from the previous versions of the Touareg.

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The engine variants include a V6 gasoline that delivers 280 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 266 pound-feet of torque and gets 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

Diesel models are powered by a 3.0-liter, turbocharged V6 and direct-injection TDI engine produces 240 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 406 lb-ft of torque at just 2,000 rpm. The EPA-estimated fuel economy for the TDI model is 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway and when the fuel-tanks is filled up has a cruising range of 765 miles.

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The Touareg Hybrid combines a 3.0-liter, 333-hp supercharged V6 engine to a 47-hp electric motor, delivering a total system output of 380 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque when running simultaneously.

Both systems are capable of operating independently of one another as well. The electric motor gets its energy from the nickel metal-hydride battery pack that lies beneath the Touareg’s luggage compartment, a 288-volt unit consisting of 240 individual cells. The Hybrid can also cruise at speeds up to 31 mph on pure electric power alone.

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The hybrid has EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

When it reaches showrooms next month prices for the 2014 Touareg will start at $48,745, plus an $845 transportation charge, which is applied to all models, for the V6 and $52,245 for the TDI Clean Diesel model.

Prices for the mid-range Lux edition will start at $53,170, while prices for the Executive version start at $58,700 for the V6 and $62,200 for the TDI model. Prices for the hybrid start at $66,995, which includes the driver assistance package.