VW Touareg review: A budget Bentley?

Fulfill the new !

The Touareg is the biggest SUV you can buy, and it's simply had a mid-life facelift! However just how much has in fact changed? Well, Mat's got his hands on one to find out …

Beginning with the design, it still looks pretty comparable to the last edition, although there are a couple of noteworthy differences. Beginning at the rear, the Touareg now features a full-length light bar and an upgraded bumper. Along the side, there are some brand-new alloy wheel styles, and all brand-new editions of the Touareg featured black roofing system bars. You'll discover a revamped grille, an upgraded bumper, and some brand-new headlight designs. What's more, these now come as Matrix LEDs!

Step inside and the style is pretty similar to the last edition, but that's not always a bad thing! There are soft-touch materials throughout the big cabin, and all vehicles now feature a large infotainment screen that also has some upgraded graphics. The we have here also has a nice, large digital dial display screen which is very easy to read.

There are a variety of engines offered with the Touareg. You can get a 3-litre V6 turbo fuel that has 340hp, and then there are two hybrid designs. They utilize the same 3-litre V6, and while one produces 380hp, the other produces 460hp – the latter is the high-performance R model, no less! There is also a choice of two diesel motor offered, both of which are 3-litre V6 turbo diesel.

The brand new Touareg starts from around ₤ 68,000, but is it worth it ?! Or should you choose a competitor like the BMW X5 rather? You'll need to stick to Mat to see on your own!

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:41 Design
02:32 Cost
03:33 Interior
07:03 Back Seats
10:23 Boot
11:38 5 Annoying Things
13:54 5 Cool Things
16:16 Engines
17:16 Town Driving
21:03 Motorway Driving
22:10 Back Road Driving
23:44 0-60mph
24:31 Decision

Mat's option:

BMW X5:

Audi SQ7 evaluation:

Sell your car with :

Comments

69 responses to “VW Touareg review: A budget Bentley?”

  1. PUNCAKEEE Avatar
    PUNCAKEEE

    I think the previous touareg looked better ngl

    1. Kaï Avatar
      Kaï

      I think the back is now way better with its big light bar

    2. Joachim Cilliers Avatar
      Joachim Cilliers

      Yup and agreed

    3. Anurag Basanta Avatar
      Anurag Basanta

      Yes exactly prev version looked more premium, this one looks like unfinished prototype 😂

    4. Fabian Theden Avatar
      Fabian Theden

      First gen Tuareg was a nice car, ever since they’ve been meh

    5. Wobble Pasta Avatar
      Wobble Pasta

      Absolutely way way better, i loved It. This One looks like a brick… An ugly brick

  2. Life of Boris Avatar
    Life of Boris

    ah yes the new low tier Urus.
    …I mean the high-end Kodiaq.

    1. Nelsons Games and Transport Avatar
      Nelsons Games and Transport

      boris what are u doing here

    2. make Avatar
      make

      ​@Nelsons Games and Transportin his latest video he proved to be a car guy, so I only assume he is here as why every other car guy is

    3. Wulf Avatar
      Wulf

      @LifeofBoris At least it will be easy to maintain.

    4. Mister Tee Avatar
      Mister Tee

      The Kodiaq is in the same segment as the Tiguan not the Tourareg. I’ve driven both, the Tourareg is a step up.

    5. Togs Avatar
      Togs

      The medium end Q7

  3. wickywills Avatar
    wickywills

    I can’t begin to explain how much I hate touch controls on everything. Why do manufacturers think that’s a good idea? Why not just replace the steering wheel with a touch screen while you’re at it.

    1. Fernando Garcia Gutierrez Avatar
      Fernando Garcia Gutierrez

      Shush don’t give them ideas

    2. alex blaxell Avatar
      alex blaxell

      Imagine when they introduce touch pedals

    3. RH Avatar
      RH

      They think it’s a good idea because it saves them a fortune when they build a screen that software puts buttons on compared to a custom manufactured HVAC module.

    4. ERROR_NR-123 Avatar
      ERROR_NR-123

      Are you complaining about the digital climate controls? Then go on, tell me how often do you adjust the temps and vents with an automatic AC?

  4. Australian government is erasing Australia Avatar
    Australian government is erasing Australia

    The A/C only accessible through the screen is a terrible feature

    1. Quel'Andil Avatar
      Quel’Andil

      Although I also prefer real buttons I don’t really see the issue. Realistically how often do you change any ac settings? I normally have it 20 degree and auto and then don’t change anything unless I have to direct heat to the front screen to remove moisture during winter.

    2. Harris R Avatar
      Harris R

      @Quel’Andilhow often do you change them? Do you live in the UK?? The weather changes here every couple days mate.

    3. Erik Avatar
      Erik

      @Harris R I live in Sweden and i almost never adjust the climate control in my car. 20 C is perfect both for an outside temperature of -20 and +30C

  5. Jie Hao Khor Avatar
    Jie Hao Khor

    Nice to see a brand new car with fogged up headlights. 😂

    1. Ymtzlgn Avatar
      Ymtzlgn

      You’re right! What happened to VW’s quality?

    2. S P Avatar
      S P

      I believe VW add this as a free optional extra… In every car they make. 😅

    3. tortozza Avatar
      tortozza

      VW quality

    4. Gatis Avatar
      Gatis

      VW Das Auto 😀

    5. c d Avatar
      c d

      Its because the led lights dont make any heat

  6. Mister Tee Avatar
    Mister Tee

    I had one as a rental while touring around Europe this summer and was floored at how nice it was compared to the (dumbed down) Atlas that we get in North America.

    1. MuDv4yNe Avatar
      MuDv4yNe

      Don’t understand it anyway why you have to deal with the Atlas in the US.

    2. ERROR_NR-123 Avatar
      ERROR_NR-123

      ​@MuDv4yNe It’s due to the widely spread “bigger is better” mentality.

    3. Andrei Arama Avatar
      Andrei Arama

      How much is the Atlas?

    4. Some user Avatar
      Some user

      And the Atlas is better than the Taos we get here in South America.

    5. fug33 Avatar
      fug33

      for the asking price it should be “nice” – costs double that of skoda kodiaq

  7. Tricia Mcintyre Avatar
    Tricia Mcintyre

    Looks ok,I would go for the Tiguan,I noticed the condensation in the headlight units

    1. Andrew Watson Avatar
      Andrew Watson

      CARWOW IS GOING STUPID

      STOP THE CLICK BAIT

    2. wickywills Avatar
      wickywills

      @Andrew WatsonOr how about you stop the spam..

  8. László Avatar
    László

    On about being a budget Bentley. The Bentega, which we know is based off the Toureg, was supposed to be built with in it VW Slovakia’s Bratislava plant along side the Cayenne. Until the British government caught wind and paid VW and Bentley £500,000,000 to build a new manufacturing facility in Crewe for it. Half a billion for a posh Toureg. Lovely.

    1. Vadym Avatar
      Vadym

      IDK, it was worth it for Bentley )))

    2. mahmut123456 Avatar
      mahmut123456

      with the only difference that this never happened.

  9. Lex Avatar
    Lex

    Love the moisture in the headlight feature. This way the bulbs don’t dry out. Great design.

    1. Essun Avatar
      Essun

      Yes, very elegant That is an optional extra though, quite pricey!

    2. Muhammad Majid Avatar
      Muhammad Majid

      ​@Metalmassacre07 actually quite the opposite, it surprisingly comes as standard on all trim models 😅

    3. Ianmundo Avatar
      Ianmundo

      VW deserve credit for making such an expensive car look so anonymous

    4. Stephen Yao Avatar
      Stephen Yao

      VW infamous for it, I have the same issue with an ID.3, completely different headlight design too so reassuring to see…

  10. ERROR_NR-123 Avatar
    ERROR_NR-123

    I like this facelift, although i would still go for the pre-facelift V8 TDI.

    1. Twin Motors Avatar
      Twin Motors

      A V8 diesel… What an abomination lol
      A V8 sounds amazing on petrol but sounds like a vacuum on diesel. Diesels are not sporty so I don’t understand people wanting “fast” diesel

    2. lu tomson Avatar
      lu tomson

      I had the v 12 version lots of maintenance though

  11. José De Bardi Avatar
    José De Bardi

    Every car I’ve owned the last 10 years has a wiper service position!
    And on VWs you can also activate it by holding the wiper stalk down for a few seconds after turning the ignition off.

    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      I have had my Skoda for 8 years and never knew that! Thank you for the information.

    2. Unknown Outcast Avatar
      Unknown Outcast

      Every car in the VW Group can do it, its amazing, Audi, Skoda, VW, Seat, Cupra even the older ones like mine 08 reg

    3. gas-powered-crusader Avatar
      gas-powered-crusader

      Yes, not exactly a negative point. Seems there isn’t anything much negative about the new Touareg.

  12. apc98 Avatar
    apc98

    to be fair, the wipers are like that in probably every volkswagen, my golfs were like that, my dad’s passat was like that, my uncle’s troc is like that. to put them in maintenence mode, you can just turn on the ignition, the turn it off and press the wipers lever down. they will go down without fiddling with the infontainment system

  13. PritchardGamingUK Avatar
    PritchardGamingUK

    The wiper service can be easily done by holding down the wiper stalk with the engine off

  14. BraveSirThomas Avatar
    BraveSirThomas

    I think if manufacturers insist on touchscreen-only for basic car functions, they should include lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control as standard. This isn’t specific to any car or manufacturer, it’s just common sense imo.

    1. bikeman123 Avatar
      bikeman123

      Anyone who needs lane assist shouldn’t be driving.

    2. BraveSirThomas Avatar
      BraveSirThomas

      @bikeman123 that’s not the point…

    3. Josef V Avatar
      Josef V

      ​@bikeman123this ist the typical answer of people never using the indicator. Lane Assist only is disturbing if you do not use the indicator at all…in all other cases it is just a save Feature and normal driving more comfortable.

  15. Sasha Butorac Avatar
    Sasha Butorac

    Loved the previous one and I love this one too but that price tag is insane.

    1. Davey Darko Avatar
      Davey Darko

      the price is madness £80k for a VW, what a joke, only a fol would buy one!

    2. Haroon Chaudhary Avatar
      Haroon Chaudhary

      try drivethedeal theyre discounting the new touareg by around 15% so the 286 bhp tdi fully specd with headsup display was showing 65k

    3. Davey Darko Avatar
      Davey Darko

      @Haroon Chaudhary why do you think they are discounting them? Because they are selling well? No. Nobody is daft enough to spend that kinda cash on an overpriced and under supported product that even the dealers know next to nothing about. VW dealers are the single worst thing about. VW ownership and they are neither properly trained or properly resourced, which is why the dealers hate them and can’t fix them. Waste of money. Go buy a used 7P.

  16. 💖JOIN WITH ME 👇 Avatar
    💖JOIN WITH ME 👇

    We need more reviews like this. I am of course talking about the close up camera angles.🔶🐍🌞

    1. OME RTA Avatar
      OME RTA

      Nah, not for me please.

  17. David simmons Avatar
    David simmons

    Thank you for being the kind of auto review person who will make the video shot at close to sunset or sunrise work so the car is the thing in the video that comes out the best even at the expense of blowing out the background and the review person… that is why I love and have watched you for years… you love cars and you can’t fake that kind of enthusiasm… hoping to meet you one day brother… find the thing you love to do and you never work a day in your life.

  18. Homiess3710 Avatar
    Homiess3710

    I moved to SUVs when it became apparent many years ago that British roads weren’t going to get any better. I’ve had to upsize a few times, as the potholes are so bad, but my current 3-ton behemoth just glides over the worst road surfaces in Europe like they’re not there. Brilliant! Don’t have to think about them any more.

    Of course, when my 3-ton SUV “glides” over those potholes and broken surfaces, it leaves them just a little bit worse. But I don’t care – I’m alright, Jack. This is Britain! Someone else can deal with it for me.

    1. Baron Von Jo Avatar
      Baron Von Jo

      It’s like that in the US as well. Automakers back in the 20th century made sedans, and hatchbacks with a lot of ground clearance.
      Now they are all trying to be as low and impractical as possible. It’s baffling how Automakers think we all live in areas with pristine flat roads. Even if your roads are good, if you life in a area with hills or mountains you can hit something on roads connecting to each there at different angles.

      You can be careful but after driving a car for years or thousands of miles mistakes will happen.

      Not all crossovers are much better but the ones that are make it a no brianer. Plus the plastic cladding being hit doesn’t look as bad as the painted metal.

      I would like a lifted up station wagon. But will probably go for a crossover or suv for my next car.

  19. 💘TAP BELOW👇 Avatar
    💘TAP BELOW👇

    think if manufacturers insist on touchscreen-only for basic car functions, they should include lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control as standard. This isn’t specific to any car or manufacturer, it’s just common sense imo.

  20. TheColnago Avatar
    TheColnago

    Great review. I bought this R version 2 years ago and it’s been a great car. Especially on long trips with the family and our dog. Plenty of room for everyone and luggage and this thing is really comfortable even if you spent over 10 hours behind the wheel. Best family car I have ever owned. Worth the price.

    1. Alans Steedman Avatar
      Alans Steedman

      Same here, the only thing that drives me mad is the touch buttons on the steering wheel and the sluggish gear box when setting off

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