Summary
The Volkswagen Touareg is a large SUV, which is the largest model in the VW family. It sits above the Tayron, which is a seven-seat SUV compare3d to the Touareg’s five seats, but the Touareg is a heavier-duty model with better off-roading capability.
The current model is the third generation, which was launched in 2018. Like previous Touaregs, it shares much of its componentry with the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne – and all are built on the same production line in Slovakia.
A higher-performance plug-in hybrid model called the Touareg R was launched in early 2020, which is not covered here.
The Volkswagen Touareg has received mixed reviews from the UK media, varying from average to very good and with contrasting opinions regarding the car’s comfort and value for money.
Volkswagen has announced that the current Touareg will be the last one, and that it will end production for UK sales in 2027. It intends to leave the Tayron as its largest SUV model from this point onwards.
As of October 2025, the Volkswagen Touareg holds a New Car Expert Rating of E, with a score of 52%. Its best scores are only average, with C grades for its safety rating and media reviews. However, its CO2 emissions and reliability record are poor, while its running costs are very high and Volkswagen’s new car warranty offering is one of the worst in the UK new car market.
Key specifications
Body style: Large SUV/crossover
Engines: diesel, plug-in hybrid
Price: From £71,700 on-road
Launched: Summer 2018
Last updated: Summer 2023
End of production: 2027
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“Offering plenty of performance, comfort and refined luxury, the Volkswagen Touareg is a premium SUV choice.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
Read full review
Auto Express
Alastair Crooks, Paul Adam
“The Volkswagen Touareg is a large premium SUV with a spacious cabin, a practical boot and a bang-up-to-date infotainment system, but it still doesn’t feel as posh inside as some alternatives.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
Read full review
Carwow
More reviews
The Car Expert
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic SEL Tech
“The Volkswagen Touareg might represent somewhat of an old guard of SUVs, but it’s still a wonderfully well-rounded choice in the segment. It’s comfortable, practical and well-styled while also being exceptionally well-appointed inside.”
Author: Jack Evans
Read review
Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The third-generation Volkswagen Touareg is quiet and smooth on the road, and comes with an impressively powerful engine and lots of advanced technology. A modern look and roomy cabin should make it popular with business and family buyers alike, even if it lacks the option of seven seats.”
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
“Minor changes from the 2023 facelift kept the Volkswagen Touareg in the game, but it’s struggling to keep pace with newer plug-in rivals. The cabin remains spacious and well built, and it’s still a superb long-distance cruiser with a healthy towing capacity. However, the base model’s ride can feel brittle on steel springs, and the plug-in hybrid versions now look dated compared to rivals boasting much longer EV ranges and lower tax bills.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones, Keith Adams
Read review
Car Keys
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic R-Line Tech
Score: 9 / 10
“This third generation of the Volkswagen Touareg is a very capable car and despite its chassis siblings being particularly excellent, the Volkswagen holds its own – even if the Audi Q7 is only marginally more expensive.”
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen Touareg has a superb interior and lots of convenience and safety-boosting technology, but it’s not a thrilling drivers’ car.” (Ben Custard)
Read review
Company Car Today
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic R-Line Tech
“The new Volkswagen Touareg is rightly described as the pinnacle by VW, and it drives nicely, looks great and is packed with technology at the higher trim levels. But it’s also not cheap, and efficiency is an issue as it sits in the maximum BIK band.”
Read review
Evo
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic R-Line
Score: 6 / 10
“The Volkswagen Touareg isn’t for the fashion-conscious SUV buyer, and what its new V6 petrol engine offers in refinement and pace, it loses in thirst.”
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Despite its gargantuan size, the Volkswagen Touareg feels surprisingly light-footed at slow speeds – the optional four-wheel steering giving it the same turning circle as a VW Golf. This means it’s easy to guide this large SUV into a parking bay or driveway.”
Read review
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic
“The Volkswagen Touareg comes with all-wheel steering to make it feel more agile around town, while trick active roll compensation means it remains remarkably composed in bends. It’s not as fun to drive as the Porsche Cayenne, obviously, but you could easily forget you’re driving a two-tonne SUV.”
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Motoring Research
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“When you consider the company it keeps, the Volkswagen Touareg is a bit of a bargain.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.4 / 10
“Impressively luxurious full-size SUV majors on comfort and tech”
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The Sun
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic R-Line
“Dashing new VW Touareg finally catches the eye after 16 years of ‘ordinary’”
Read review
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic
“In the company of the Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Audi Q7, you might think the Volkswagen Touareg would wilt — but instead it pretty much rules the roost.”
Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic R-Line Tech
Score: 8 / 10
“If you’re not too picky about the badge on the front, the Volkswagen will do very nicely. It may have triggered a fit of boredom in Jeremy Clarkson, but it’s still a very nice car.”
Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre petrol automatic SEL
Score: 6 / 10
“The Volkswagen Touareg was already immensely spacious and decent value; with this new engine, it’s genuinely fast, and sounds rather pleasing into the bargain. But that isn’t quite enough to make it feel special enough to tempt you away from its more expensive rivals.”
Read review
Model reviewed: 3.0-litre diesel automatic R-Line Tech
Score: 8 / 10
“Volkswagen set out to make the Touareg its most sophisticated and technically advanced car yet, and has delivered. Smooth and powerful to drive, luxuriously refined and with a standout interior, the Touareg has a wow factor that could see it stealing sales from more upmarket rivals.”
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
““VW’s flagship SUV is a strong all-rounder and hugely capable both on- and off-road, but it’s no cheaper than its premium badged rivals.”
Read review
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 6 / 10
“Definitely worth considering though, if you want a big, high-quality SUV and want to slip past largely unnoticed.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: September 2018
Date expired: January 2025
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 89%
Child protection: 86%
Vulnerable road users: 72%
Safety assist: 81%
Notes on safety rating
The Volkswagen Touareg was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2018 and awarded a five-star rating. However, this rating expired in January 2025 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.
Although the rating has now expired, the score is still useful if you are comparing a used Touareg to vehicles of similar age – whose ratings will have probably also expired.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of October 2025, the Volkswagen Touareg has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
If and when the Touareg is tested by Green NCAP, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Fuel consumption | Average | Score |
| Petrol models | 26 mpg | E |
| Diesel models | 34 mpg | D |
| CO₂ output | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Petrol models | 251 g/km | E | ||
| Diesel models | 215 g/km | D | ||
| Plug-in hybrid models | 51 g/km | A |
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| Plug-in hybrid models | 32 miles | E |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 44 | E |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £342 | D |
| Year 2 | £846 | D |
| Year 3 | £1,397 | D |
| Year 4 | £1,721 | E |
| Year 5 | £2,243 | D |
| Overall | £6,549 | D |
The Volkswagen Touareg is a relatively expensive car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Fuel economy is disappointing for both petrol (now discontinued) and diesel models, though the latter will carry you a few extra miles per gallon. We don’t yet have independently verified fuel consumption for the plug-in hybrid models.
Insurance premiums are around the market average, while servicing and maintenance costs should be relatively affordable, though slightly on the expensive side.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
Total claims: 197
Average repair cost: £808.72
Last updated: April 2025
Reliability score
All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims
The Volkswagen Touareg has a poor reliability score of 36%, according to exclusive extended warranty data provided to The Car Expert by our partner MotorEasy. This score covers both the current-generation model and previous (pre-2018) models).
The most commonly reported problems to date have been engine-related, which are also the most expensive with an average repair bill of more than £1,400. Also common are electrical system problems, although these are much cheaper to fix with an average bill of just £300.
Given the below-average reliability score and potentially expensive bills, make sure any extended warranty cover you purchase for a Volkswagen Touareg covers all of these potential problem areas.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the Volkswagen Touareg
| Overall rating | E | 15% |
| New car warranty duration | 3 years |
| New car warranty mileage | 60,000 miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 0 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 0 miles |
Volkswagen’s new car warranty is pretty much the bare minimum offered by car manufacturers in the UK, and worse than some rival brands in a similar price bracket as the Touareg. The duration is three years, with a limit of 60,000 miles, which is pretty basic. Some rivals offer up to seven years of cover.
In addition to the standard new car warranty, the Touareg plug-in hybrid version has an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used Volkswagen Touareg
- If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ Volkswagen Touareg from an official Volkswagen dealership, you will get a minimum 12-month warranty included.
- If you are buying a used Volkswagen Touareg from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
- If you are buying a used Volkswagen Touareg from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy any used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Volkswagen Touareg
Date: December 2023
Recall number: R/2023/356
Model types: All
Build dates: 08/2023 to 10/2023
Number of vehicles affected: 89
Defect: The side airbag fitted in the seat (front left) may not have been correctly secured onto the seat frame.
Remedy: Inspect the side airbag unit and, where necessary, remove and correctly reinstall the side airbag.
Date: October 2021
Recall number: R/2021/391
Model types: All
Build dates: 01/2019
Number of vehicles affected: 209
Defect: If the rear lid is opened and manually pushed up too far, the electric spindle drive can suddenly separate and expand.
Remedy: The drive unit(s) for the rear lid are to be checked and, if within the affected range, replaced.
Date: June 2021
Recall number: R/2021/391
Model types: All
Build dates: 09/2020 to 11/2020
Number of vehicles affected: 87
Defect: Nuts of deviating material quality were fitted in the bolted connection of the right and left transverse link on the bottom of the multi-link rear axle.
Remedy: The nuts of the right and left transverse link on the bottom of the multi-link rear axle will be replaced.
Date: May 2020
Recall number: R/2020/132
Model types: All
Build dates: 09/2019 to 11/2019
Number of vehicles affected: 255
Defect: A welded connection of the gearbox oil pipe can cause a leak of gear oil.
Remedy: Check whether the gearbox oil pipe is within the affected production period. If this is the case the pipe is replaced.
Date: March 2020
Recall number: R/2020/079
Model types: All
Build dates: 04/2018 to 01/2019
Number of vehicles affected: 22
Defect: The bolted connection between the steering shaft and the steering rack may not have been tightened to the correct torque.
Remedy: The bolted connection of the intermediate steering shaft has to be replaced.
Date: February 2019
Recall number: R/2019/064
Model types: All
Build dates: 12/2018
Number of vehicles affected: 10
Defect: A casting process error may affect the rigidity of the front shock absorber fork.
Remedy: Replace the affected shock absorber forks.
Date: November 2018
Recall number: R/2018/334
Model types: All
Build dates: 08/2018 to 10/2018
Number of vehicles affected: 110
Defect: The seat belt buckle holder of the right rear seat may not meet specification.
Remedy: Check and replace seat belt buckle assembly.
As of September 2024 (our most recent data point), there have been seven DVSA vehicle safety recalls on the Volkswagen Touareg to address different issues.
Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Volkswagen dealer.
If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used Touareg, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Volkswagen Touareg has received
2021
- Auto Trader New Car Awards – Best Car for Towing
2019
- Parkers New Car Awards – Best Tow Car
- Tow Car Awards – Best Tow Car over 1,700kg
2018
- Parkers New Car Awards – Best Tow Car
- Tow Car Awards – Best Tow Car over 1,700kg
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Volkswagen Touareg, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Audi Q7 | BMW X5 | BYD Seal U | Chery Tiggo 9 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | Land Rover Discovery | Lexus RX L | Maserati Levante | Mazda CX-80 | Mercedes-Benz GLE | Porsche Cayenne | Range Rover Sport | Toyota Land Cruiser | Volvo XC90
Buy a Volkswagen Touareg
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Volkswagen Touareg, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car
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Lease a Volkswagen Touareg
If you’re looking to lease a new Volkswagen Touareg, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal
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Subscribe to a Volkswagen Touareg
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