New Volkswagen Touareg 2024 review | batchreviews (James Batchelor)

Volkswagen has given its largest SUV, the Touareg, an update for 2024 to give it a little more sparkle. There are styling tweaks and some clever new tech added.

I've always felt a little sorry for the Touareg as its sister cars from Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Lamborghini have stolen the limelight. It's been a modest success for VW over the years though, and, amazingly, has been with us for 20 years now.

Has the 2024 update improved the recipe and is the Touareg now good enough to stand out in a sea of premium SUV rivals?

Join me as a I explain what's changed and give my verdict.

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If I look a bit familiar then you might have seen me on Carbuyer and Auto Express YouTube channels.

#Volkswagen #car #review

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:24 Touareg history
01:18 Styling
01:49 Interior & Tech
03:01 Back seats
03:10 Boot
03:27 Trailer Assist
03:45 Driving
04:14 Park Assist Pro with remote parking
07:59 Engines
08:31 Diesel power
10:06 Offroad
10:30 Verdict

[YewtBoot]

I'm not at all quiet about driving my diesel Touareg. If others are that uninformed, I'll just smile and drive on.

[deputydd]

For exactly the same reason James doesn't recommend it - I love it. I had the older version. All the comfort and technology of the Audi/Bentley/Porsche cousins but with a more understated image. I moved to a Volvo but may go back to the Touareg.

[stuartcraigon]

Well done VW, manufacturers are taking note of what people actually want and what the government are doing.

[simonc]

Would be a mistake in my view to dismiss or downrate this car on basis of list price comparison with other large premium SUVs because in reality the Touareg tends to be better priced taking into account availability of the VW manufacturer’s deposit contribution currently £5, 000 on a PCP (from which you can withdraw within 14 days after purchase without penalty to in effect buy entirely for cash if you wish) plus dealership discount negotiable in equal amount (if not more) when as far as I know there’s no manufacturer deposit contribution currently on offer on the large premium SUV models from the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Porsche, and as for dealership discount, believe it would be difficult to get any on a GLE or a Cayenne and probably about 5% at most on an X5. Also the Touareg has a better standard spec and the optional extras on the whole are more reasonably priced. Hence the Touareg Black Edition TDI 286 hp that I’ve just bought, fully loaded, has come out at about £20, 000 less than I reckon I’d have paid for an equivalently specced BMW X5 3.0d. And probably it’s at least £25, 000 less expensive than a similarly equipped V6 (base) Cayenne. Moreover it’s only the V6 petrol engine that’s available in the base Cayenne, which for me and doubtless quite a few others needing a car for towing/long distance driving is not as suitable as the more economical, torquey diesel V6, which I think also better suits the character of a large SUV. And with respect to the Volvo XC90, that’s no longer available with any diesel engine, though perhaps that’s no great loss as the one it had was a relatively unrefined 4 cylinder diesel. However, there is of course the Audi Q7 available with the same V6 diesel engine as the Touareg and seems to be priced about the same taking into account similar manufacturer’s deposit contribution/dealership discount appearing to be available on the Q7 currently. But then there are optional extras such as Night Vision that you can get on the Touareg but not on the Q7, and the All Wheel Steering available on the Touareg Black Edition (R-Line) model only comes as standard on the Q7 Vorsprung model - you can’t get it as optional extra on the lower spec Black Edition Q7, just like the Integral Active Steering for the 2024 LCI (facelift) X5 currently only comes as standard on the M60i - not available as a option for any of the M Sport or xDrive models. A further consideration for me in relation to the Q7, is that I don’t need those (rather cramped) third row seats that it comes with as standard - I’d rather have the additional space under the boot floor for a spare wheel (good to have when towing) which isn’t offered as a factory fitted option for the Q7 presumably because with the third row seats, there’s no room for it, whereas it is for the Touareg, complete with tool kit and jack. And the Touareg has some neat features such as double sun visors and extra door seals and the doors extending to cover the sills preventing mud from getting on trousers! All in all a very practical car which off road, albeit not quite up there with Land Rover, still pretty decent and with a respectable wading depth, particularly if you get it with the £570 Off Road Pack that comes with a 90 litre fuel tank. Not to be underestimated!

[relaycampervan]

I just don't like the light bars on VW at the mo, looks very tacky imho..

[simonc]

One more thing, having regard to James’s favourable comments in this review with his Tow Car of the Year judge’s hat on, can we expect the Touareg to be taking part in the over 1700kg category in next year’s Tow Car of the Year Awards, to see how it compares to the Cayenne E-Hybrid that appears to have become something of a fixture in that category in recent years?

[vladdorel]

i dont think that the v6 tsi is mild hybrid....maybe i wrong...

[daviddrew]

Sadly the car I should never have sold but being caught up in Dieselgate in Canada 2017 I made a bad decision. Now I have to watch these reviews knowing that VW in their lack of wisdom no longer make this model available in North America..
Loved my Touareg, loved the Diesel have subsequently not loved my decision to sell .
Maybe I should see if I could import one from Germany ??

[wolvoman]

Absolutely Pelting down, or as others would say '' Down''

[HenryPalfrey]

Very good review, nice car but very expensive, are people still buying diesels.

[davidhayes]

Always rather nice and understated but now quite pricey. Maybe it is worth it but it might make most sense second hand.

[marley]

That’s how they should have done the new 2024 Tiguan, but instead they’ve just stuck an iPad type screen on the dash that’s way too big and looks absolutely awful!! They’ve made a right mess of the new Tiguan 😕

[RocketBadger]

£70K??? You can get a year old Cayenne S for that

[viperme]

Clearly you have no diesel experience. Much better economy and torque.