Likes
- Fantastic driving experience.
- Excellent levels of fit and finish.
- Spacious interior.
- Great towing ability.
Used Volkswagen Touareg review
2011 - 2018
Dislikes
- Poorly maintained or uncared for examples can be unreliable.
- Interior does not stand up to years of mistreatment.
- Long list of potential (and common) faults.
- Various electrical gremlins.
Stuff you should know
The Touareg SUV was and remains the flagship of the Volkswagen range, long the German carmaker’s largest and priciest mainstream offering. Its first ‘7L’ generation launched globally in 2002, offering everything five-cylinder diesels and petrol V12s and oiler V10s, out to stake VW’s claim of offering a genuinely premium vehicle in a stable considered locally more as ‘semi premium’.
It was really the second generation, the ‘7P’, that settled down into the mature and serious luxury family hauler range we know today, lobbing, after some delay, in mid-2011 as a conventional six-cylinder line-up.
Sharing its technical DNA with Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne, and built in the same Slovakian factory, it has the right genes for Volkswagen’s premium-grade pitch and in its fittest option-loaded form, bringing a correspondingly premium price tag. And looks a whole lot better than the pudgy first gen, too.
However, unlike its seven-seat Audi brethren the Touareg is strictly a five-seater.
Initially, four versions were offered: a base 150TDI for $63k and a choice of either high-power diesel V6 TDI or petrol V6 FSI at $78k, all featuring eight-speed automatics and constant all-wheel drive. Six-pot engines of choice were two 3.0L oiler tunes of 150kW/400Nm (150TDI) and 176kW/550Nm (V6 TDI), while the naturally aspirated 3.6L petrol made 206kW/360Nm (V6 FSI).
The tree-topper was the V6 TDI 4XMotion that, at $83k, neatly undercut low-grade Porsche and Audi alternatives while offering more off-road and touring savvy kits such as dual-range four-wheel drive, diff locking and a larger (100L) fuel tank than the ‘regular’ Touareg variants.
But options were pricey. Start ticking boxes such as a 20-inch wheels, Comfort pack, Sport interior, Dynaudio sound, nice paint and a glass roof and your nicely tweaked 4XMotion sailed north of six figures. Shrewd used buyers will sniff out the well-optioned examples for maximum bang for buck.
From early 2013 (in MY13), an R-Line version was added, bringing a stonking 4.2L twin-turbo diesel V8 good for 250kW and a huge 800Nm, a sweet combination of 5.8sec 0-100km/h performance with sub-10-litre combined consumption. Fully loaded with kit and sat on 21-inch wheels and air suspension – offered optionally on lower grades – the new king of the Touareg hill wanted for $113k.
Nine airbags are par for the gen II course and the tilt and slide rear seating is real boon for five-seater with heaps of family friendly comfort and roominess, including 580 litres of bootspace. And with 3500kg of braked towing, the Touareg is quite a capable trailer hauler in the healthier diesel specs.
The range was face-lifted in 2015 with mild styling changes and fiddle to the variant features sets. By now the slow-selling petrol FSI version had been turfed from the local line-up.
In 2017, a sporty Wolfsburg Edition lobbed at around $89k for what was ostensibly a $3500 upcharge above the mid-spec V6 TDI oiler on which it’s based. The real sleeper of its generation, though, is the Adventure that, for a tenner under $80k, was cheaper than that V6 TDI on which it’s based, yet brings height-adjustable air suspension, smaller 19-inch wheels, a 100L tank and leather trim, for what’s a price-savvy and cushy urban and highway cruiser.
In the twilight of the lifecycle, Volkswagen also offered Element and Monochrome editions, with extra gear and a two- ($71k) and six-grand upcharge ($75k) respectively over the entry 150TDI they were based off, to help move the slow-selling Touareg not nearly as hot property is the brand’s Tiguan mid-sized SUV.
Gen II was replaced by an all-new third-generation ‘CR’ Touareg that launched locally in mid 2019.
What goes wrong
- There have been reports of rust surrounding the rear doors.
- Be sure to open the rear doors and look for bubbling under the paint on the curved inside edge that sits on the door rubbers.
- The Touareg can suffer severely from water retention. For example, the sunroof drains can block. The doors can hold water, however this is easily fixed by removing the bottom grommet. If this isn’t done and the doors hold water, all sort of problems can occur. The air conditioning condensate pipe can block.
- The bulkhead drains can block with leaves over time but to resolve this, it should take approx 30 minutes to remove the wheel arch linings, pull the rubber drain bungs and clean the drains out on each side.
- It should be noted that if this blockage is not cleared, water can get in through the pollen filter on the passenger bulkhead and run under the carpet where it can seriously damage ECUs and electronics. Therefore it is critical make sure you lift and check the underside of the carpet to see if it’s dry. If not, remove the pollen filter and see if it is also wet. If anything is wet, it’s a very bad sign.
- There are reports that the auto lights or wipers fail to work due to problems with the sensor at the top of the windscreen.
- The doors can fail to lock and unlock easily due to various electrical gremlins.
- There are reports of the electric mirrors failing again due to electrical gremlins.
- Inside, the heated seats are known to have issues, more specifically the heating pads are known to fail prematurely and will need replacing if they do.
- There are some reports of the infotainment systems rebooting randomly as well as wiping all preset radio stations, in most cases a software update should resolve this problem.
- Listen to the air conditioning as there are reports of clicking noises but to fix this may mean removing the dashboard to replace the heater flap servo motor. This is an inexpensive part but the amount of labour to access it may become very expensive.
- Mechanically, the early Touareg examples are the most unreliable but they did improve in the later year models.
- Engine wise the vast majority of Touareg in Australia (95% in fact) are the V6 diesels so it is these we’ll be focussing on.
- Probably the most common problem is leaking injector seals. The cost to repair these varies depending on the severity of the problem but the best case scenario to fix a singular injector, if all goes according to plan, will cost approx $400.
- But, when things get complicated, and you need to replace an injector it
- There have been reports of rust surrounding the rear doors.
- Be sure to open the rear doors and look for bubbling under the paint on the curved inside edge that sits on the door rubbers.
- The Touareg can suffer severely from water retention. For example, the sunroof drains can block. The doors can hold water, however this is easily fixed by removing the bottom grommet. If this isn’t done and the doors hold water, all sort of problems can occur. The air conditioning condensate pipe can block.
- The bulkhead drains can block with leaves over time but to resolve this, it should take approx 30 minutes to remove the wheel arch linings, pull the rubber drain bungs and clean the drains out on each side.
- It should be noted that if this blockage is not cleared, water can get in through the pollen filter on the passenger bulkhead and run under the carpet where it can seriously damage ECUs and electronics. Therefore it is critical make sure you lift and check the underside of the carpet to see if it’s dry. If not, remove the pollen filter and see if it is also wet. If anything is wet, it’s a very bad sign.
- There are reports that the auto lights or wipers fail to work due to problems with the sensor at the top of the windscreen.
- The doors can fail to lock and unlock easily due to various electrical gremlins.
- There are reports of the electric mirrors failing again due to electrical gremlins.
- Inside, the heated seats are known to have issues, more specifically the heating pads are known to fail prematurely and will need replacing if they do.
- There are some reports of the infotainment systems rebooting randomly as well as wiping all preset radio stations, in most cases a software update should resolve this problem.
- Listen to the air conditioning as there are reports of clicking noises but to fix this may mean removing the dashboard to replace the heater flap servo motor. This is an inexpensive part but the amount of labour to access it may become very expensive.
- Mechanically, the early Touareg examples are the most unreliable but they did improve in the later year models.
- Engine wise the vast majority of Touareg in Australia (95% in fact) are the V6 diesels so it is these we’ll be focussing on.
- Probably the most common problem is leaking injector seals. The cost to repair these varies depending on the severity of the problem but the best case scenario to fix a singular injector, if all goes according to plan, will cost approx $400.
- But, when things get complicated, and you need to replace an injector it can cost up to $1600… Per injector… and remeber, there are six of them.
- We should mention that that price is buying the injector NOT from VW. You can buy the same injectors far cheaper from other suppliers. I should mention this problem is rarely seen in the V8 diesel however if it does occur, you’re obviously looking at eight injectors rather than six.
- Other common & expensive engine problems include timing chain complications which can cost upwards of a few thousand dollars to resolve, a wide range of EGR & DPF problems although the DPF issues aren’t always expensive as on many circumstances, the Touareg has just burnt through the hose that goes to the DPF pressure sensor.
- Mechanically there are various other concerns like the eye wateringly expensive end compressors & evaporators.
- There are plenty of electrical & software gremlins across the range too, and the mechanics and technicians we spoke to when researching mentioned that just about every Touareg they we see for servicing has at least one annoying warning or fault light. Everything from faulty washer bottle level sensors, false tyre pressure monitor alerts, to more serious engine, transmission & cam bus communication faults.
- We are aware that there are a few examples out there that have never had a problems, and their owners may say that it is because they never cheap out on servicing, but unfortunately that’s not necessarily the case because all of these problems can and do occur on well serviced examples too.
- There have been reports of rust surrounding the rear doors.
- Be sure to open the rear doors and look for bubbling under the paint on the curved inside edge that sits on the door rubbers.
- The Touareg can suffer severely from water retention. For example, the sunroof drains can block. The doors can hold water, however this is easily fixed by removing the bottom grommet. If this isn’t done and the doors hold water, all sort of problems can occur. The air conditioning condensate pipe can block.
- The bulkhead drains can block with leaves over time but to resolve this, it should take approx 30 minutes to remove the wheel arch linings, pull the rubber drain bungs and clean the drains out on each side.
- It should be noted that if this blockage is not cleared, water can get in through the pollen filter on the passenger bulkhead and run under the carpet where it can seriously damage ECUs and electronics. Therefore it is critical make sure you lift and check the underside of the carpet to see if it’s dry. If not, remove the pollen filter and see if it is also wet. If anything is wet, it’s a very bad sign.
- There are reports that the auto lights or wipers fail to work due to problems with the sensor at the top of the windscreen.
- The doors can fail to lock and unlock easily due to various electrical gremlins.
- There are reports of the electric mirrors failing again due to electrical gremlins.
- Inside, the heated seats are known to have issues, more specifically the heating pads are known to fail prematurely and will need replacing if they do.
- There are some reports of the infotainment systems rebooting randomly as well as wiping all preset radio stations, in most cases a software update should resolve this problem.
- Listen to the air conditioning as there are reports of clicking noises but to fix this may mean removing the dashboard to replace the heater flap servo motor. This is an inexpensive part but the amount of labour to access it may become very expensive.
- Mechanically, the early Touareg examples are the most unreliable but they did improve in the later year models.
- Engine wise the vast majority of Touareg in Australia (95% in fact) are the V6 diesels so it is these we’ll be focussing on.
- Probably the most common problem is leaking injector seals. The cost to repair these varies depending on the severity of the problem but the best case scenario to fix a singular injector, if all goes according to plan, will cost approx $400.
- But, when things get complicated, and you need to replace an injector it can cost up to $1600… Per injector… and remeber, there are six of them.
- We should mention that that price is buying the injector NOT from VW. You can buy the same injectors far cheaper from other suppliers. I should mention this problem is rarely seen in the V8 diesel however if it does occur, you’re obviously looking at eight injectors rather than six.
- Other common & expensive engine problems include timing chain complications which can cost upwards of a few thousand dollars to resolve, a wide range of EGR & DPF problems although the DPF issues aren’t always expensive as on many circumstances, the Touareg has just burnt through the hose that goes to the DPF pressure sensor.
- Mechanically there are various other concerns like the eye wateringly expensive end compressors & evaporators.
- There are plenty of electrical & software gremlins across the range too, and the mechanics and technicians we spoke to when researching mentioned that just about every Touareg they we see for servicing has at least one annoying warning or fault light. Everything from faulty washer bottle level sensors, false tyre pressure monitor alerts, to more serious engine, transmission & cam bus communication faults.
- We are aware that there are a few examples out there that have never had a problems, and their owners may say that it is because they never cheap out on servicing, but unfortunately that’s not necessarily the case because all of these problems can and do occur on well serviced examples too.
Should you buy it?
We so want to say yes because when a Touareg is at its best, they are a genuinely wonderful SUV. However, as they age, the chances of things going horribly wrong are just a bit too high for the normal consumer.
If you’re highly mechanically inclined and relish in the thought of spending the occasional weekend deep underneath a Touareg fixing any number of the many inevitable problems, or the cost and time to repair a Touareg is easily justified, it is a yes from us, buy one.
While something like a Pajero or Prado will most likely be far more reliable, neither of those vehicles provide the levels of plush luxury and cool Euro image that the Touareg offers.
But, if the budget is tight, you have no interest in getting your hands dirty and you don’t list repairing Volkswagen SUVs as one of your favourite hobbies, then sorry but no, you should not buy a Touareg.
We so want to say yes because when a Touareg is at its best, they are a genuinely wonderful SUV. However, as they age, the chances of things going horribly wrong are just a bit too high for the normal consumer.
If you’re highly mechanically inclined and relish in the thought of spending the occasional weekend deep underneath a Touareg fixing any number of the many inevitable problems, or the cost and time to repair a Touareg is easily justified, it is a yes from us, buy one.
While something like a Pajero or Prado will most likely be far more reliable, neither of those vehicles provide the levels of plush luxury and cool Euro image that the Touareg offers.
But, if the budget is tight, you have no interest in getting your hands dirty and you don’t list repairing Volkswagen SUVs as one of your favourite hobbies, then sorry but no, you should not buy a Touareg.
Should you buy it?
We so want to say yes because when a Touareg is at its best, they are a genuinely wonderful SUV. However, as they age, the chances of things going horribly wrong are just a bit too high for the normal consumer.
If you’re highly mechanically inclined and relish in the thought of spending the occasional weekend deep underneath a Touareg fixing any number of the many inevitable problems, or the cost and time to repair a Touareg is easily justified, it is a yes from us, buy one.
While something like a Pajero or Prado will most likely be far more reliable, neither of those vehicles provide the levels of plush luxury and cool Euro image that the Touareg offers.
But, if the budget is tight, you have no interest in getting your hands dirty and you don’t list repairing Volkswagen SUVs as one of your favourite hobbies, then sorry but no, you should not buy a Touareg.
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Please note that pricing information is subject to fluctuations in the automotive market.
Information correct as of May 27, 2024.
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