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Volkswagen Touareg R50 running costs and reliability

2008 - 2009 (change model)
Running costs rating: 1 out of 51.0

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019 Updated: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.
What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 22 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.
View mpg & specs for any version

Not only is the R50 expensive to buy new but it’s also expensive to run. Fuel economy is awful, it’s costly to tax plus insurance is group 19 (the highest is 20). Expect to pay high prices for servicing and parts while the performance tyres aren’t exactly cheap to replace.

It may be a diesel but the R50 is not in the slightest economical. The claimed figure is 24mpg but even that’s hard to achieve in everyday driving while the CO2 output is 315g/km – meaning it sits in the highest road tax bracket.

Volkswagen is renowned for its reliability and although there were a few glitches with early cars, the Touareg is an incredibly reliable car. The R50 should be no exception and the engine has been well proven in the standard car.