Volkswagen Touareg Review

A flagship SUV since the early 2000s, the Volkswagen Touareg is pitched against the BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. While rivals try to tempt you with the ultimate practicality of seven seats and clever folding mechanisms (the VW Touareg only has five seats), others make claims of being the sportiest-driving car in the class. The Touareg’s party piece, however, is rather different: it’s all about the tech.

That tech in question centres around the infotainment screen. Volkswagen's 15.0-inch Discover Pro Max digital display is now standard across the range along with another 12.0-inch screen behind the steering wheel. It's all very glitzy but that doesn't come at the expense of user-friendliness – it's very responsive and easy to get your head around.

There’s technology elsewhere, too. The car shares the same underpinnings as exotic machinery such as the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus, and clever optional upgrades such as air suspension, four-wheel steering and active body roll mitigation are offered, even if some of them are very pricey indeed.

But in its standard form, the Volkswagen Touareg is still a very capable thing to drive. It has an athletic edge (but not as overtly sporting as a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5) and offers reasonable comfort (although it’s not as cosseting as an Audi Q7 or Mercedes GLE). That’s some pretty esteemed company to be in, and before you go thinking that Volkswagen’s offering could be a cheap option, don’t. The Touareg has enough zeros in its price to match any of them.

The engine line-up has been expanded in 2023, although we reckon the old-fashioned 3.0-litre diesel offered in the Black Edition will still be a strong choice for many Touareg buyers – especially if you plan to make the most of its 3500kg towing capacity. For those who live in a city centre or have a short commute, one of the two plug-in hybrid models will be a slightly more future-proof option.

Prices of a new Volkswagen Touareg start from just over £71,000, while the most desirable models are nearly £83,000. The smart money goes on a used Volkswagen Touareg, though – you can pick up a three-year-old example for half the price of a new one, and you won't be missing out on a great deal.

If you like the idea of driving a posh SUV that doesn't have an Audi, Mercedes or BMW badge, the Volkswagen Touareg is a great choice. The lack of a seven-seat option does limit its market slightly, but it's still a very comfortable and versatile SUV. Its expanded engine line-up broadens its appeal, too.

We'd avoid the basic early models – those without the 15-inch touchscreens are looking a little dated inside now; you're missing one of the Touareg's best features by not having it. That aside, there's little reason not to go save money by hunting out a used Touareg – the updates made in 2023 are pretty inconsequential.

In terms of engine, buy the one which suits your needs the best. The diesels are great for those who cover a lot of miles or are looking to tow a caravan, though as of spring 2025, the diesel is only available in Black Edition trim, so you’re stuck with that spec. The plug-in hybrids are better suited to those who need a car for short journeys or driving around town. Then there's the petrol, which is ideal for anyone who likes to visit the petrol station regularly.

The Volkswagen Touareg range currently starts at £72,655, which underlines how far removed this car now is from any idea of being a bargain luxury SUV.

That starting point already places it firmly into premium territory, and once you move further up the line-up or start exploring higher-output plug-in hybrid versions, the numbers climb into territory where an Audi Q7, BMW X5 or Mercedes GLE become very real alternatives.

The BMW X5 is one of the clearest alternatives. It feels more overtly premium and brings a stronger badge, while also offering a broader choice of derivatives. The Volkswagen counters with a more understated character and a similarly polished long-distance feel.

The Audi Q7 is another key rival, especially if you want seven seats. It’s roomier for passengers overall and has the premium image some buyers will naturally gravitate towards, but the Touareg feels a little less bulky and is the better fit if you only ever need five seats.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is perhaps the most comfort-led of the obvious German alternatives, while the Volvo XC90 is a family favourite because of its seven-seat practicality and calm, classy image. If driving enjoyment matters more, the Porsche Cayenne is the sharper choice.e.

Space is one of the Touareg’s strongest cards. Up front, there is loads of room, the driving position is excellent, and the big windows help it feel airy rather than oppressive. In the back, adults get plenty of headroom and legroom, and the rear bench is wide enough to cope with three across more comfortably than many rivals manage.

The Touareg’s lack of a third row will be a deal-breaker for some buyers, but it does at least mean the boot is very large. Standard Touareg models offer up to 810 litres, which is excellent for a luxury SUV of this type, while the plug-in hybrid Touareg R drops to 665 litres because of the battery packaging.

Against key rivals, that still stacks up well. It gives the Touareg a clear advantage over some more style-led alternatives and helps justify the five-seat-only layout. If you do not need seven seats, the Volkswagen’s boot is one of the most useful in the class

The Volkswagen Touareg measures 4,902mm long, 1,984mm wide and 1,693mm high. That makes it a large SUV by any normal standard, but it is still a little tidier in footprint than some of the biggest seven-seat alternatives.

That balance works in its favour. It feels substantial and commanding, but not quite as cumbersome as some of the largest luxury SUVs in this part of the market.

The infotainment system you get in the Volkswagen Touareg varies according to how old your car is and which trim grade you choose, and it greatly affects how cutting-edge your car feels.

On pre-2023 models, the more basic trims (SE, SEL and R-Line) got a perfectly serviceable system with a large 9.2-inch colour touchscreen, and it brought together all the regular functionality you’d expect. DAB radio, Bluetooth, 3D navigation, MP3 playback, SMS handling, voice control and Apple Carplay/Android Auto were all provided. There’s also some functionality you might not expect, too, such as various connected services, gesture control and the ability to operate the infotainment remotely through your smartphone. 

Select a higher-grade trim (SEL Tech, R-Line Tech and Black Edition), however – or one sold since 2023 – and you get the magnificently named Innovision system. This provides you with a fully configurable 12-inch digital instrument screen behind the steering wheel, and combines it with an enormous 15-inch touchscreen all presented in one combined unit. It looks very swish and very high-tech, and it completely transforms the feel of the cabin.

It also adds some extra infotainment functionality, too, such as hybrid radio (which combines broadcast radio and the internet for the best sound quality) and navigation that can anticipate your destination. The software that controls both systems is very similar, and it works quite well, with logical menus, fast reactions and sharp, clear graphics.

The Touareg’s cabin materials are good enough to justify its place in the luxury-SUV conversation, even if they are not always class-leading. The 2023 update helped lift the perceived quality, and there’s now enough richness in the trim, screens and switchgear to make the Touareg feel properly expensive.

It stops just shy of the very plushest BMW, Mercedes or Range Rover interiors, but it no longer feels underdone for the money. The overall impression is clean, substantial and quietly premium rather than flamboyant.

The current Touareg range spans the 286PS 3.0-litre V6 diesel and the plug-in hybrid Touareg R eHybrid, which rises to 462PS. Volkswagen quotes a range spread of 286PS to 462PS and 0-62mph times from 6.4 seconds to 5.2 seconds across the current UK line-up.

That means even the diesel is properly brisk, while the Touareg R is genuinely fast. In practice, though, the diesel’s effortless torque and relaxed delivery feel more in keeping with the car’s character than the R’s extra muscle does.

The plug-in hybrid versions make more sense if you can make full use of the electric side of the powertrain. If you can’t, they become harder to justify than the straight diesel.

More affordable versions of the Volkswagen Touareg have a passive suspension as standard. The low-speed ride is a bit firm, meaning a few jitters and jolts when plodding through town, but not to a degree that’ll annoy you, and things do even out at speed. But while most buyers will be satisfied by this suspension setup, it’s not all that special, either.

The air suspension is much more like it, though. This is now standard on Black Edition and R models (you could get it as an option on earlier Touaregs, or standard on the Black Edition). If you can find a car with it fitted, it’s well worth having. With five selectable driving modes focusing on comfort at one end of the scale to sportiness at the other, it delivers a far more polished ride.

Whichever suspension your car has, the Touareg handles pretty neatly, with bags of grip and traction from the standard four-wheel-drive system and good control over body roll in bends. The steering is good, too, with a reassuring amount of weight and feel through the wheel. 

Four-wheel steering – which turns the rear wheels in the opposite direction to the fronts at low speeds to tighten up the turning circle, and in the same direction at high speed to aid stability – was another option buyers of new cars could choose, and it’s very effective. You wouldn’t so much describe the Touareg as fun – it’s a bit too big and heavy for that – but it’s very capable.

Other sources of exterior noise are also really well contained. You’ll hear very little in the way of wind noise, even at high motorway speeds, and despite the fat tyres, road noise is also really well subdued. The suspension goes about its work quietly, too, making this a very quiet car overall. It's certainly up there with other posh SUVs such as the BMW X5 in that respect. 

The Volkswagen Touareg holds a five-star Euro NCAP rating, although it’s old enough that the safety body now considers it expired due to its ever-changing testing criteria.

In any case, you get a strong roster of standard safety equipment. Adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane support, traffic-sign recognition and parking sensors all feature in the standard safety kit list, while newer cars also benefit from stronger standard camera and parking support than earlier versions did.

For buyers doing higher motorway mileages, the diesel is the most convincing all-rounder. The older official figure of 34.4mpg is still a useful guide to the sort of return you might expect in sensible use, though real-world results will depend heavily on journey type and specification.

The plug-in hybrids can look very efficient on paper, but only if they are charged regularly and used in the right sort of driving pattern. Ignore the charging cable and the case for them weakens quickly.

The Volkswagen Touareg comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which is broadly normal for this class rather than especially generous.

Volkswagen offers fixed or flexible servicing plans, and in a complex, expensive SUV like this, it’s worth understanding which regime applies and what ongoing maintenance will cost before you commit.

Insurance is not going to be cheap in a car like this, and the Touareg sits at the expensive end of the scale as you would expect for a large, powerful luxury SUV, ranging from groups 42 up to 50, the highest of all.

From the second year onwards, the current standard VED rate for petrol, diesel and hybrid cars is £200 a year. Cars with a list price above £40,000 also pay the Expensive Car Supplement for five years from the second licence, taking the annual bill to £640 during that period.

That matters here because every current Volkswagen Touareg sits comfortably above the £40,000 threshold, so all new versions are caught by the higher annual charge.