Volkswagen Touareg Review & Prices

The Volkswagen Touareg is a large SUV that’s easy to appreciate but hard to recommend. It has the space, comfort and towing ability you want from a big SUV, but you might think there’s a typo in the price tag as it costs just as much as seriously talented alternatives from much posher brands - and for that price, you’re entitled to expect something special.

It’s like shopping from the top-end range at Waitrose - it costs as much as Harrods food hall, but you’re still effectively in a supermarket. It probably still tastes good, but you can spot the budget ingredients.

That’s the Touareg’s problem - it goes up against cars such as the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes GLE and Volvo XC90. Though the Volkswagen belongs on the same shopping list, its quieter image doesn’t do enough when you put the rather downmarket interior next to the best luxury SUVs.

The Touareg’s design is relatively tidy and restrained. The broad grille is handsome, though the illuminated Volkswagen badge at the rear is an odd flourish on a car which majors on flying under the radar. It’s just a bit tacky, and overall a Porsche Cayenne undeniably has more style appeal.

Inside, it’s a similar story. Though the Touareg’s huge 15.0-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch instrument panel were massively high-tech when the car launched in 2018, they no longer give the car an obvious technical advantage - and the interface feels a little basic, similar to that on Volkswagen’s much cheaper cars.

Look beyond the plush upper surfaces, too, and many of the plastics feel disappointingly ordinary. Iitems like the column stalks or drive mode selector don’t have the solid, reassuring feel you’d want from a posh SUV.

There’s a good amount of space, though. Tall adults can stretch out in the front or the rear, and the back doors are big enough to make fitting child seats a doddle. The wide cabin gives plenty of room for three, while storage for small items and general clutter is good. There’s no option for a third row of seats, though, so the Q7, GLE, X5 and XC90 all have the advantage here.

The diesel models get a huge 810-litre boot, which is seriously useful - it’s big, with no lip to hoick items over. Plug-in hybrid models cede a little luggage space to the batteries, but it’s a good space nonetheless.

There’s no point going for the plug-in hybrid model, though - it has a rubbish electric-only range of about 30 miles and is thirsty the rest of the time. If you need a PHEV company car, the smaller Volkswagen Tiguan or Tayron are far superior - or, the long-range GLE or Cayenne make for better alternatives. The diesel is better - it’s very efficient on long journeys (though thirsty round town) and has a reassuring amount of muscular grunt.

That makes it a particularly good tow car, helped by the standard air suspension. The Touareg is at its best on long journeys, though - the gearbox feels hesitant around town, and there are few ways to disguise the car’s massive bulk.

Through bends the Touareg stays composed without encouraging you to drive for the sake of it. It’s a pleasant cruiser, but a BMW X5 offers more enjoyment and a more convincing sense that your money has bought something premium.

Verdict

The Touareg is comfortable, spacious and a capable tow car, but those strengths don’t excuse its price. The cabin lacks the quality and specialness expected at this level, while five seats limit its family appeal. If you can find one at a very substantial discount, it’s a better bet, but you still get a more convincing overall package from a truly premium alternative.

As a result, you’re going to want to head over to Carwow’s Volkswagen Touareg deals page to see how much you could save, see our latest Volkswagen Touareg lease deals, or browse the latest used Touareg stock available from our network of trusted dealers. You can also check out other used Volkswagen models and if you want to sell your car online, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Touareg range starts at around £70,000, which is not too far off the cost of a BMW X5 or Audi Q7 - though granted, all three models are being phased out. There’s no direct replacement for the Touareg, while the new Q7 and X5 are rather more expensive.

A Volvo XC90 comes in just under £70k, as does a Land Rover Defender 110 - which makes the Touareg, and its decidedly middle-manager badge, hard to justify.

At least standard equipment is generous. Every model has four-wheel drive and air suspension, with 21-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights and a panoramic sunroof. Inside, you get heated, ventilated and electrically adjustable seats, that 15.0-inch infotainment screen, leather upholstery, a full suite of safety aids and even a standard towbar on the Final Edition model.

If you want an engine other than the diesel, you will be buying from stock only - but we wouldn’t recommend seeking out the plug-in hybrid specifically as it’s not worth the extra money.

Comfortable and quiet, but the Touareg’s hesitant gearbox dulls the shine a bit

In town

The Touareg’s sheer size was always going to be a bit challenging for driving in town, but while standard surround-view cameras and good visibility help matters, it’s a shame you can’t get four-wheel steering any more to aid in navigating tight car parks or mini-roundabouts.

The air suspension does an excellent job at taking the edge off big bumps and potholed roads, but the automatic gearbox isn’t so relaxing. It’s quite hesitant, so you’ll be tempted to stand on the accelerator to make a quick getaway - at which point the car lurches forwards.

On the motorway

This is where the Touareg makes its strongest case. The 286hp V6 diesel has plenty of muscle for joining fast traffic or carrying a full load, and it settles into the background once you’re cruising. Wind and road noise are well contained, too.

The air suspension gives it the easygoing feel of a big luxury car, and the seats are comfortable enough to make a long trip seem less of a chore. Adaptive cruise control helps take some of the workload out of busy motorway journeys.

For towing, the diesel can pull a braked trailer weighing up to 3,500kg, subject to the car’s other weight limits - and it’s capable of it, too, easily taking control of a heavy trailer. That’s a strong reason to consider it if you regularly tow a large caravan or horsebox.

On a twisty road

The Touareg stays composed through bends, with accurate steering and well-controlled body lean for something this large. Uneven surfaces don’t knock it off course or send passengers bouncing around, particularly with the air suspension in a comfortable setting.

What’s missing is much encouragement to enjoy yourself. Selecting Sport mode makes it feel a little more alert, but it doesn’t give it the agility of a BMW X5 or the appeal of a Porsche Cayenne. The more powerful Touareg R is quicker, but extra acceleration doesn’t resolve the standard car’s value problem.

Four-wheel drive helps it put its power down on slippery surfaces, and the Touareg is capable enough for muddy tracks and towing across wet grass. A Land Rover Discovery or Defender 110 remains the more convincing choice for serious off-road use.

Generous passenger space and a huge boot, but there’s no seven-seat option

There’s plenty of head, leg and shoulder room, along with enough seat and steering wheel adjustment for most people to get comfortable. The seat can be set relatively low for a large SUV, so the driving position feels more familiar than the lofty perch in a Range Rover, and you can adjust the bolsters, base length and even get a massage on top models.

The door bins are big enough for large bottles or a flask, and there’s a covered tray ahead of the gear selector which contains the wireless phone charging pad - out of sight but within easy reach. The main glovebox and space beneath the centre armrest are less generous than you might expect, although a second small compartment beside the steering wheel helps.

Space in the back seats

The Touareg has plenty of room in the rear for tall adults, even with the panoramic glass roof. There’s space to stretch your feet out beneath the front seats, and two passengers can really stretch out. Plus, the wide cabin means there’s enough shoulder room for three to sit abreast, though the raised centre seat and transmission tunnel do limit comfort.

Wide rear door openings and accessible ISOFIX fittings make installing child seats straightforward. The bigger limitation is that the Touareg has only five seats. You can’t add a third row, so an Audi Q7 or Volvo XC90 offers flexibility that the VW simply can’t match.

Boot space

The diesel Touareg has a massive 810-litre boot, which is bigger than its seven-seater alternatives with their third rows folded - for comparison, the Audi Q7 has 722 litres and the Volvo XC90 680 litres. There’s a bit more space in the Land Rover Discovery and Defender 110, but both of those are much boxier than the Touareg.

The VW’s wide opening and lack of a load lip make it easy to load heavy suitcases up. You can also lower the rear seats from handy levers in the boot area, as well as drop the air suspension for a lower loading height - great for allowing an older dog to jump in without too much effort.

The large screens and swooping dashboard look nice, but the Touareg’s fiddly controls and so-so material quality fall short of the price tag

The Volkswagen Touareg’s interior makes a pretty good first impression. The huge 15.0-inch touchscreen and 12.3-inch digital driver’s display are set into the dashboard rather than mounted proud like in so many alternatives, which gives the whole affair a bit of a classier look.

Outwardly, there’s lots of leather and posh decorative trim to remind you this is Volkswagen’s flagship SUV - but look more closely and it’s not consistent enough. The column stalks and central buttons feel rather cheap, and there are hard, scratchy plastics lower down on the dash where in a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne you find properly finished surfaces. The Touareg is comfortable, but that’s not the same as being luxurious.

The touchscreen is clear and responsive, though does occasionally catch some glare from the sun. It runs a similar interface to cars such as the Volkswagen ID3 and Golf, which means the big, colourful icons are easy to use - if a little juvenile-looking. And the lack of physical climate controls is a pain on the move.

At least the wireless smartphone connectivity works seamlessly, and the wireless phone charging pad is in the perfect spot ahead of the gear lever and under a rolling cover - it’s within easy reach, but out of sight so it doesn’t tempt you on the move.

The sole engine available now is a 286hp, 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine which feels pretty old-school in among hybrid, plug-in and electric alternatives. The official fuel economy of just over 33mpg is pretty old-school too, though the advantage of being a diesel is reflected in the real world.

On a long motorway run, the Touareg returned a highly impressive 43mpg - considering the car’s size and weight, that’s really good, and better than you’ll achieve from any hybrid this size without plugging it in. Economy is poor around town, though, where repeatedly getting all that weight moving takes its toll. It makes much more sense for regular long-distance trips than a diet of short urban journeys.

Fuel isn’t the only expense to consider. Large tyres and servicing add to the running costs, while the diesel attracts the maximum 37% company-car benefit-in-kind rate in 2026/27.

First-year road tax is pretty pricey due to the high emissions. From the second year, the standard rate is bolstered by the expensive car supplement due to the Touareg’s high price, and is payable until the car is six years old.

Volkswagen Touareg Euro NCAP score (2018): 5/5

Adult occupant: 89%
Child occupant: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 72%
Safety assist: 81%

The Touareg performed well when it was tested by Euro NCAP - however that was way back in 2018, and the result has expired, making it less comparable with alternatives.

Safety equipment is generous, with all the usual active features, plus standard surround-view cameras and automatic parking on the Black Edition and Final Edition models. You also get VW’s excellent matrix LED headlights, which really do a great job of illuminating the road at night.

Plus, there’s an easy shortcut to turn off the more annoying beeps and bongs, which is excellent.

The Touareg has been around since 2018, but its age alone isn’t a guarantee of trouble-free ownership. In the 2026 Driver Power manufacturer survey, Volkswagen finished 26th out of 30 brands, which isn’t a fantastic result.

There have been a few recalls, too - certain 2023 models had concerns over the attachment of a front side airbag, while plug-in hybrids built between August 2023 and September 2024 were recalled due to a potential fire risk. Check these have been carried out if you’re buying a used Touareg.

The new-car warranty lasts three years: unlimited mileage for the first two, with a 60,000-mile limit in year three. That’s modest cover for an expensive, complicated SUV, though it’s pretty ordinary - BMW and Mercedes offer the same duration but unlimited miles, and for a left-field choice the Lexus RX has up to ten years of cover when serviced at a main dealer.