Volkswagen Touareg (03-09) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 10 November 2009
Volkswagen's Touareg has been a steady seller since its launch in 2003 offering a classy and comfortable car with good four-wheel drive ability. It was developed with the Porsche Cayenne, sharing much the same off-road hardware and a V6 petrol engine. However, Volkswagen has a rich diesel heritage, and the Touareg fitted with one of these engines offers the best illustration of what it can do, whether it's the hard-working 2.5 TDI, smooth 3.0 V6 TDI or the brutal 5.0 V10 TDI. Changes for 2007 included a tweaked front end, plus the availability of new technology to make it safer and more accomplished whether on the road or in the wild. There's even a Bluemotion model, offering improved fuel economy and lower emissions, although it's still far from green.
3 out of 5

Buying used

About 10,000 had been sold during its first three years, so there is plenty of choice, but prices will still be high for nearly new examples. Most models are pretty high-specification, so it's likely that you will be looking at a well equipped car. Check for any that might have seen harsh off road use - they may be worth avoiding.

See 104 used Volkswagen Touaregs for sale, starting at £6,992

3.5 out of 5

Selling

Those with leather, automatic transmission and satellite navigation will sell quickest, particularly models with diesel engines. The newer Bluemotion will be sought after thanks to its improved economy.