Volkswagen Touareg Review 2022
Volkswagen Touareg At A Glance
Luxurious and sophisticated interior, massive levels of storage, excellent ride quality on air suspension, fully digital cabin is a tour de force.
Most of the smart tech costs extra, only marginally cheaper than the Audi Q7, sluggish and indecisive eight-speed auto gearbox, not a seven-seater.
Insurance Groups are between 38–42
On average it achieves 91% of the official MPG figure
SUVs are enormously popular at the moment, and none more so than big, luxurious ones. Buyers love their style, their desirability and their image, plus the fact that all this is combined with the practicality they need from their family car. If you’re a car manufacturer, you really can’t afford to be without one.
The Touareg is Volkswagen’s four-by-four flagship and compared with other luxury SUVs, it does things its own way. Some try to tempt you with the ultimate practicality of seven seats with clever folding mechanisms (the Touareg only comes as a five-seater), while others make claims of being the sportiest-driving car in the class. With the Touareg, though, it’s all about the tech.
All Touaregs have a very clever infotainment system, while the one you get on high-grade versions is nothing short of jaw-dropping. It’s roomy, practical, high in quality and good to drive, but sadly, it’s not quite as good in any of those areas as its best rivals. Unfortunately for Volkswagen’s flagship, it’s a good car that competes in a class of excellent ones, such as the Audi Q7 and BMW X5.
Tech from an infotainment point of view, mainly. Whichever version of the car you go for, you’ll get a touchscreen system of at least 9.2-inches that has all sorts of clever functionality you might not have come across before: gesture controls, various connected services, the ability to operate the system through your smartphone.
Pick a higher spec model, though, and the cabin is transformed by an even cleverer system that combines a 15-inch infotainment touchscreen with another 12-inch one behind the steering wheel to serve as the instruments. Properly ground-breaking stuff.
There’s technology elsewhere, too. The car shares the same underpinnings as the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus, and clever optional upgrades such as air suspension, four-wheel steering and active body roll mitigation are offered, even if they are very pricey indeed.
But even in its standard form, the car is still a very capable thing to drive. It has an athletic edge (but not as overtly sporting as a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5) and offers reasonable comfort (although it’s not as cosseting as an Audi Q7 or Mercedes GLE). That’s some pretty esteemed company to be in, and before you go thinking that VW’s offering could be a cheap option, don’t. It really isn’t.
Unfortunately, though, there’s one important area in which the Touareg can’t match the rest: quality. Yes, it’s a very posh-feeling car overall, and most of the surfaces you look at and touch most often are as lustrous as you’d expect. Look elsewhere, though, and you’ll see signs of cost-cutting that you just don’t see in the rest, and that might leave you feeling a little short-changed.
It does have its own set of unique advantages, though. It looks good, it can tow an impressive 3.5 tonnes and as a more left-field choice, it won’t be anywhere near as ubiquitous as the rest. If that appeals to you, then the Touareg could be right up your street.
Looking for a second opinon? Why not read heycar's Volkswagen Touareg review.
Reviews for Volkswagen Touareg's top 3 rivals
On the inside of an Volkswagen Touareg
- Boot space is 810–1910 litres
- Euro NCAP rating of five stars
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Length | 4008–5008 mm |
Width | 2193 mm |
Height | 1702–1717 mm |
Wheelbase | 2905 mm |
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Practicality
For five people, the Touareg does a very impressive job. The front seats have loads of space, as you’d expect, but those in the back are spoiled for room, too, with acres of head-and legroom. The rear seats can also be slid forwards and backwards to alter the bias between rear legroom and boot space, and they can also be reclined in three stages.
The cabin is also wide enough to carry three across the rear bench in relative comfort, although there’s a transmission tunnel that the middleman will have to straddle. If you have bulky child seats, two will fit easily and you might get a small booster in between, but trying to fit three full-size ones is probably pushing it.
The boot is massive, so will deal with pushchairs and flatpacks without missing a beat. The rear seats fold down to create even more cargo space, and in this format, the space available is truly enormous. There’s no step in the load floor, either, and though the backrests of the rear seats do lie at a slight angle
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Quality and finish
Competing with the likes of the BMW X5, Range Rover Velar and Audi Q7, and with a pricetag to match, you’d expect the Touareg’s cabin to have some serious wow-factor in terms of quality. It has some, no doubt, but sadly, it simply can’t live with the sheer excellence of its rivals on that score.
Yes, all the bits that you look at and touch most often are lustrously finished and appealing to the eyes and fingertips. Look elsewhere, though, and you’ll find several places where the materials look and feel rather low-rent by comparison, whereas in most of the rivals mentioned, they’re of a uniformly high standard throughout the cabin. That means the Touareg feels neither as classy, nor as solid, as its best rivals.
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Infotainment
The infotainment system you get varies according to which trim grade you choose, and it greatly affects how cutting-edge your car feels.
The more basic trims (SE, SEL and R-Line) get a perfectly serviceable system with a large 9.2-inch colour touchscreen, and it brings together DAB radio, Bluetooth, 3D navigation, MP3 playback SMS handling, voice control and Apple Carplay/Android Auto.
Select a higher-grade trim (SEL Tech, R-Line Teck and Black Edition), however, and you get the magnificently named Innovision system.
This provides you with a fully configurable 12-inch digital instrument screen behind the steering wheel, and combines it with an enormous 15-inch touchscreen all presented in one combined unit. It looks very swish and very high-tech, and it completely transforms the feel of the cabin.
It also adds some extra infotainment functionality, too, such as hybrid radio and navigation that can anticipate your destination. The software that controls both systems is very similar, and it works quite well, with logical menus, fast reactions and sharp, clear graphics.
Car seat chooser

Child seats that fit a Volkswagen Touareg
Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.Volkswagen Touareg Value
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Prices
At the time of writing, prices for a new Touareg started at just under £47,000 for the 3.0 TDI 231 V6 Diesel SE, while the pokier diesel engine would set you back a further £2600.
Selecting the petrol engine cost about another £1000 on top of that, but because it was only available from SEL trim upward, petrol versions started at just over £53,000. The range topped out, meanwhile, with the petrol-powered Black Edition, which cost upwards of £63,000.
Compared with rivals, it’s a shade more expensive than the Range Rover Velar, but still a useful bit less than the Mercedes GLE and BMW X5. Resale values are on a par with those of its rivals, too, meaning a similar level of protection for your investment.
If you’re a finance buyer, it’s worth visiting Volkswagen’s website to find any offers available. At the time of writing, we saw the entry-level version offered for £399 per month, on a four-year agreement with a deposit of just under £9000.
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Running Costs
It’ll be no surprise that the petrol is thirstier, with a maximum figure of just under 27mpg, and that drops a smidge further if you go for a higher spec version with bigger wheels. These fuel economy figures don’t constitute the best in the class, but they’re certainly not the worst, either.
Insurance groupings for the Touareg range kick off at 36 for the entry-level car, and top-out at 43 for the range-topper, with most other versions sitting around the 40 mark. That means insurance costs will be considerable whichever you pick, and small fluctuations in premiums will make zero difference to your decision.
Company car drivers will pay tax on a whopping 37 of the car’s value, so monthly payments will be very expensive indeed.
Volkswagen has carved itself a reputation for reliability in the past, but the firm’s performances in various reliability surveys in recent years indicates that it does no better than average. It can't match the usual Japanese firms for dependability, but it does tend to do better than other German marques.
Real MPG average for a Volkswagen Touareg

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.
Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.
Average performance
91%
Real MPG
31–44 mpg
MPGs submitted
33
Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.
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Help us with the Honest John Satisfaction Index nowDriving Volkswagen Touareg
- Engines range from 3.0 TDI 231 to 3.0 TSI PHEV R
- Readers report Real MPG to be between 31–44 mpg
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Handling and ride quality
Unless the options list is raided, most versions have a passive suspension as standard. The low-speed ride is a bit firm, meaning a few jitters and jolts when plodding through town, but not to a degree that’ll annoy you, and things do even out at speed. But while most buyers will be satisfied by this suspension setup, it’s nothing that special, either.
The air suspension is much more like it, though. This is standard on the range-topping Black Edition car and optional throughout the rest of the range.
It’s still not as cosseting as the comfiest cars in the class, but it gets a lot closer than the standard suspension does.
Whichever suspension your car has, it’ll handle pretty neatly, with bags of grip and traction from the standard four-wheel-drive system and good control over body roll in bends. The steering is good, too, with a reassuring amount of weight and feel through the wheel.
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Engines
Three engines are offered in the Touareg - two diesels and one petrol - and they’re all 3.0-litre V6s. The entry-level diesel offering gives you 231PS and it has all the performance most buyers will need.
Strong low down pull gets the car going at a meaningful rate without you having to work the engine to its limits, and it also has a very decent turn of speed. The other diesel is very similar in character but with 286PS to play with, it’s a good bit quicker. Quick enough, in fact, to embarrass many a hot hatch, thanks to a 0-62mph sprint time of just over six seconds.
The petrol is the raciest of the bunch, though. With 340PS, it cut the 0-62mph dash to just under the six second mark. Like the diesels, maximum pull is available from low down in the rev range, but there’s more benefit to be gained by revving it out.
Every version uses an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Most of the time, under normal driving conditions, it slushes its way through the ratios smoothly and competently. However, when you ask for maximum acceleration, it takes a second or two to decide which gear it wants to serve up.
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Safety
Like many cars in its class, the Touareg has scored the maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests. However, delve into the results, and you’ll find that some rivals have scored higher in the individual areas.
Standard safety kit includes a bonnet that pops up automatically to provide better protection for pedestrians, six airbags,active cruise control keeps you a safe distance from the car in front when you’re cruising along, and the system also incorporates automatic emergency braking, which applies the anchors if an impending impact is detected.
Traffic sign recognition, a lane-keeping aid and parking sensors at both ends are also included in the standard roster.
Volkswagen Touareg 2022: Towing
This is one of the Touareg’s strong suits, because it has a maximum towing capacity of a whopping 3,500kg. It’s also offered with the option of a towbar that folds out electrically from underneath the car. What’s more, a space-saver spare wheel is provided as standard, which will be good news for those uncomfortable with the idea of relying on a pot of sealant.
Engine | MPG | 0-62 | CO2 |
---|---|---|---|
3.0 TDI 231 | 43 mpg | 7.5 s | 173 g/km |
3.0 TDI 286 | 43 mpg | 6.1 s | 173 g/km |
3.0 TSI 340 | 31 mpg | 5.9 s | 203–205 g/km |
3.0 TSI PHEV R | - | 5.1 s | 67 g/km |
Volkswagen Touareg Models and Specs
Even the most basic SE trim comes with plenty of luxury kit, including four powered windows, two-zone climate control, alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, keyless go and heated front seats.
You’d really want leather seats in a car like this, though, and many folk would upgrade to SEL trim purely for that reason. They’ll also get ambient lighting and extra external styling elements on top of that.
SEL Tech brings a powered tailgate as well as the fancy infotainment system. R-Line trim gets sportier styling, four-zone climate control and a powered tailgate, but makes do with the lower-grade infotainment system, while R-Line Tech gets the higher-grade Innovision system, along with powered front seats. The Black Edition is the all-singing one, and that comes with air suspension, a panoramic roof and clever LED matrix headlamps.
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Length | 4008–5008 mm |
Width | 2193 mm |
Height | 1702–1717 mm |
Wheelbase | 2905 mm |
Miscellaneous | |
---|---|
Kerb Weight | 2005–2465 kg |
Boot Space | 810–1910 L |
Warranty | 3 years / 60000 miles |
Servicing | 10000–20000 miles |
Costs | |
---|---|
List Price | £42,254–£73,215 |
Insurance Groups | 38–42 |
Road Tax Bands | A–K |
Official MPG | 31.4–42.8 mpg |
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings | |
---|---|
Adult | - |
Child | - |
Pedestrian | - |
Overall | 5 |
SUV | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | List Price | MPG | 0-62 |
3.0 TDI SCR 231 Black Edition 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0 TDI SCR 231 R-Line Tech 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 7.5 s |
3.0 TDI SCR 286 Black Edition 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0 TDI SCR 286 R-Line Tech 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 6.1 s |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 231 R-Line 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 7.5 s |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 231 SE 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 231 SEL 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 7.5 s |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 286 R-Line 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 6.1 s |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 286 SE 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0 TDI V6 SCR 286 SEL 4Motion 5dr | - | 42.8 mpg | 6.1 s |
3.0 TSI 340 Black Edition 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0 TSI 340 R-Line Tech 4Motion 5dr | £47,754 | 31.4 mpg | 5.9 s |
3.0 TSI V6 340 R-Line 4Motion 5dr | £45,171 | 31.4 mpg | 5.9 s |
3.0 TSI V6 340 SEL 4Motion 5dr | £42,254 | 31.4 mpg | 5.9 s |
3.0 TSI V6 340 SEL Tech 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0TDI V6 SCR 231 SEL Tech 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
3.0TDI V6 SCR 286 SEL Tech 4Motion 5dr | - | - | - |
R V6 TSi 462 4Motion 14.3 kWh 136hp/100kw Auto Start/Stop 5dr | £73,215 | - | 5.1 s |
Good
- Luxurious and sophisticated cabin.
- Vast levels of storage space.
- Excellent ride quality on air suspension.
- Five star Euro NCAP rating 2018: Adult occupant 89%, child occupant 86%, vulnerable road users 72%, safety assist 81%.
Bad
- Aggressive chrome styling won't appeal to everyone.
- Eight-speed auto is sluggish at low speeds.
- No seven seat option.
Model History
- June 2018: Volkswagen Touareg goes on sale in the UK
- August 2018: Lower power 3.0 TDI added to range
- March 2019: 340PS petrol V6 added to Touareg range
- September 2019
- October 2019: Updates for 2020 Volkswagen Touareg
- December 2019: New trim levels for Volkswagen Touareg
- February 2020: Volkswagen Touareg R priced from £71,995
June 2018
Volkswagen Touareg goes on sale in the UK
Debuting with V6 turbocharged engines the Touareg comes with an eight-speed automatic Tiptronic gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.
In the UK, the car will initially be offered with a 286PS 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel unit or, from the autumn, a 231PS version of the same engine. A 340PS 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged petrol engine joins in 2019.
In addition there is a plug-in hybrid drive with a system power of 367PS.
With a torque peak of up to 600 Nm, the 286 PS 3.0 V6 TDI also showcases the new Touareg’s extensive towing capacity. Capable of hauling braked trailer weights of up to 3.5 tonnes, the new car also boasts the latest iteration of Volkswagen’s handy Trailer Assist technology to facilitate simple slow-speed manoeuvring.
The 3.0 V6 TDI with 286 PS (2,967 cc) generates its punchy torque peak of 600 Nm from only 2250 rpm, and offers 42.8 mpg on the combined cycle. 0-62 mph takes 6.1 seconds.
The new third generation Touareg is equipped with permanent all-wheel drive (4MOTION) mated to an eight-gear automatic Tiptronic gearbox with ‘shift by wire’ functionality.
A centre differential lock with asymmetric dynamic torque distribution acts as a transfer box for the flow of forces between the front and rear axle. A maximum of 70 per cent of the drive force reaches the front axle and up to 80 per cent can be sent to the rear axle.
Offered here in three comprehensively specified trims: SEL, R-Line and new R-Line Tech, the five-seat Touareg sits on the Volkswagen Group’s modular longitudinal matrix (MLB).
Wider and longer than before, the luxurious new SUV’s dimensions are 4,878 mm long (+77 mm); 2,193 mm wide (including wing mirrors, +44 mm) and 1,702 mm high (-7 mm). Together these create significantly more dynamic proportions and, allied to all-new styling, endow the Touareg with an imposing yet lithe style.
The five-door, five-seat Touareg offers a 1,051 mm load length and maximum load capacity of 810 litres (seats up) or 1,800 litres (seats down). Kerb weight is 2,070 kg for the launch car.
One of the many technical innovations in the new Touareg is the option of the Innovision Cockpit. The 12-inch digital instrument cluster – Active Info Display – merges with the 15-inch TFT touchscreen of the new Discover Premium infotainment system to form a new digital operating, information, communication and entertainment unit.
The car’s flexibility is demonstrated by the flexible rear seat system. The position of the rear seats can be shifted by 160 mm fore/aft to create more space in the rear if required. Meanwhile the angle adjustment of the rear seat backrests is also variable in three stages, and by up to 21 degrees.
Model |
Engine |
Gearbox |
Drive |
RRP OTR |
Touareg |
3.0 V6 TDI SCR 286 PS |
8-spd auto tiptronic |
4MOTION |
£51,595.00 |
Touareg |
3.0 V6 TDI SCR 286 PS |
8-spd auto tiptronic |
4MOTION |
£55,095.00 |
Touareg |
3.0 V6 TDI SCR 286 PS |
8-spd auto tiptronic |
4MOTION |
£58,195.00
|
August 2018
Lower power 3.0 TDI added to range
The 3.0-litre TDI unit has an output of 231PS and comes in Touareg SEL, Touareg R-Line and Touareg R-Line Tech trims.
The 231PS engine delivers maximum power from 3250rpm to 4750rpm. Peak torque is 500Nm from 1750rpm and the new engine maintains the same CO2 figure (173g/km) and the same towing capacity (3500kg) as the 286PS unit.
All Touaregs are equipped with an eight-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox and all feature 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a limited slip differential.
Model |
Engine |
Gearbox |
CO₂ g/km |
Price |
Touareg SEL |
3.0 V6 TDI 231 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 48,995 |
Touareg SEL |
3.0 V6 TDI 286 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 51,595 |
Touareg R-Line |
3.0 V6 TDI 231 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 52,495 |
Touareg R-Line |
3.0 V6 TDI 286 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 55,095 |
Touareg R-Line Tech |
3.0 V6 TDI 231 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 55,595 |
Touareg R-Line Tech |
3.0 V6 TDI 286 PS |
8-sp auto |
173 |
£ 58,195 |
March 2019
340PS petrol V6 added to Touareg range
Range-topping 3.0-litre V6 produces 340PS and 450Nm, taking Touareg to 62mph in 5.9 seconds. Prices start £49,095 with deliveries expected from April.
September 2019
Volkswagen Touareg 3.0-litre V6 TDI 286 PS R-Line Tech with folding towbar won Caravan and Motorhome Club’s annual Towcar of the Year Award in the ‘Caravan Weight over 1,700 kg’ category: the heaviest category in contention. The judging panel praised the Touareg’s smooth and powerful diesel engine, labelling it “nothing short of outstanding”, while further applauding the SUV’s stability when towing.
October 2019
Updates for 2020 Volkswagen Touareg
The Touareg gains Volkswagen’s new Park Assist Professional system, which combines Area View with Park Assist for the easiest assisted parking experience anywhere in the Volkswagen range. A new optional Air suspension with automatic self-levelling suspension, height adjustment and electronic shock absorption control will also be offered on all trim levels of the Touareg.
December 2019
New trim levels for Volkswagen Touareg
Volkswagen has expanded the line-up for its Touareg SUV, adding entry-level, mid-range and high-end specifications with a focus on technology to double the number of available variants on offer.
The Touareg is now additionally available in SEL Tech and Black Edition trims – both new to the third-generation model – with a focus on technology, and the Black Edition also focusing on design. An entry-level SE trim is also now open for order, taking the starting price for the luxury SUV down to £45,445.
Entry-level SE trim sits beneath SEL trim in the Touareg range. The new start point for Touareg ownership gets 19-inch Osorno alloys, a Discover Pro 9.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Gesture Control and integrated voice control, front and rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise control amongst its standard equipment. For the SE, most of the SEL’s standard-fit equipment has been kept, with luxury fittings like leather upholstery being reserved for the higher-end models to enhance the value of the entry-level car. The 231PS and 286PS 3.0-litre V6 TDI engines are available on this trim.
Mid-range SEL Tech trim builds upon the popular SEL, boosting the technology on offer by adding Volkswagen’s acclaimed Innovision Cockpit system, with 15” integrated control panel and 12.3-inch digital cockpit, an electric tailgate with electric opening and power latching. Identifiable by 19-inch Tirano alloy wheels, the SEL Tech also benefits from heat insulating, 80% tinted glass from the B-pillar backwards. This trim starts at £50,995 and is available with both diesel engines, as well as the powerful 340PS, 3.0-litre V6 TFSI unit. The R-Line, R-Line Tech and Black Edition also share this engine range.
Topping out the Touareg range is the Black Edition, priced at £58,745 in 231PS 3.0-litre V6 TDI guise. This car builds upon the R-Line Tech trim, adding a black finish to the 21-inch Suzuka alloy wheels, as well as an assortment of black trim pieces to the car’s exterior, including the radiator grille, roof rails, mirror housings, side window trims, and air intake fins.
The Black Edition features a panoramic sunroof and IQ Light matrix beam headlights as standard. As individual options, these would cost £1,260 and £1,420 respectively. The Touareg’s air suspension with automatic self-levelling function is also standard on the Black Edition, while an Easy Open function for the tailgate, and Park Assist package with Area View, further add to its technology arsenal for the Black Edition.
February 2020
Volkswagen Touareg R priced from £71,995
Capable of both impressive performance as well as ultra-low emissions, the Touareg R features a petrol plug-in hybrid system producing 462PS and 700Nm of torque. The model, which starts at £71,995 RRP OTR, is available to order now for UK customers.
The high-performance SUV is the most powerful production Volkswagen to date. Its 0 to 62 mph sprint time of 5.1 seconds accelerates the Touareg R into the territory of the brand’s other R models, and is within half a second of the Golf R’s 4.7-second figure. Like the aforementioned Volkswagen performance champion, the Touareg R’s top speed is limited to 155mph. A maximum of 70% of the car’s torque can be transferred to the front wheels, and up to 80% to the rear axle, via a centre differential lock with asymmetric torque distribution (Torsen) acting as a transfer box.
At the heart of the Touareg R is a sophisticated 3.0-litre V6 TSI eHybrid plug-in powertrain. Not only is it powerful, but it is also smooth and refined and, moreover, is frugal enough to make the R the most running-cost-friendly model in the Touareg range, with fuel economy and CO 2 emissions of 94.2 mpg and 67 g/km (WLTP combined cycle) respectively. A 28-mile electric-only range accessible in the Touareg R’s E-MODE adds to the model’s low-CO 2 credentials, with the 14.3 kWh (net) battery reducing running costs for this versatile performance SUV.
The new R bolsters the standard Touareg's equipment list, and adds a number of extra luxuries as standard, with black ‘Puglia’ leather-upholstered, diamond-quilted ergoComfort seats finished with contrasting blue stitching and piping, and active climate (heating and ventilation) function for front occupants. The R also benefits from a unique heated leather sports steering wheel with R logo and DSG shift paddles, 30-colour interior ambient lighting, and a keyless locking and starting system. The interior is further stylised with illuminated, R-branded scuff plates, diamond-quilted leather panels in the door cards, and blue highlights on the carpet mats.
The standard equipment list builds upon that of the Touareg Black Edition, which means the Touareg R also features an air suspension system with automatic self-levelling function, height adjustment and electronic shock absorption control. A Park Assist package with 360-degree Area View camera adds to the convenience offered, while the intelligent IQ. Light LED matrix headlights – first introduced on the Touareg in 2018 but now offered on multiple models including the Golf – use information from the car’s front camera, navigation data and GPS information, steering angle and speed of travel to optimise lighting for numerous driving situations. The system also incorporates LED daytime running lights, LED rear lights with dynamic turn signal, and Dynamic Light Assist high-beam control. Like the Black Edition, the Touareg R also counts a panoramic sunroof among its vast list of standard-fit equipment.
This luxurious specification also features items from across the generously-equipped Touareg range, with dynamic road sign display, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist as standard . Meanwhile, tinted glass, six interior USB ports (four front, two rear) and 4-zone electronic air conditioning are all included on R-Line models and above. The Touareg’s acclaimed Innovision Cockpit, which incorporates a 15-inch central infotainment screen and 12.3-inch Digital Cockpit display, is factory-fit from R-Line Tech models upwards.
In addition to all the aforementioned kit, the Touareg R, as part of the R stable of models, boasts exclusive styling with specifically designed front and rear bumpers, a gloss black rear diffuser, and 22-inch ‘Estoril’ diamond-turned wheels shod in 285/35 R22 tyres. R badging within the front grille, on the wings, and in the centre of the tailgate further designate the Touareg R as the performance-oriented flagship in the luxury SUV range, while darkened tail lights and a black grille, mirror caps and window trim add further visual impact. A mode 3, 32 A / 7.2 kW charging cable is also included to top up the battery from public charge points. Charging an empty battery in this way will take two and a half hours, while using a household three-pin socket will take eight and a half hours.
Options for those who wish to further bolster the equipment list of the Touareg R include the Driver Assistance Pack Plus, which in addition to Emergency Assist, Front Cross Traffic Assist, Predictive Pedestrian Protection, Side Scan and proactive occupant protection systems, brings Travel Assist – a camera and sensor-controlled system with the capacity to steer, brake and accelerate, providing Level 2 driving automation at speeds of up to 155 mph (where permitted). A Head-up Display can bring further innovation and convenience to the Touareg R’s technology-loaded interior, and a Night Vision system can also help drivers to see hazards in the dark that they might not have spotted with the naked eye. Those wishing to take advantage of the Tourareg R’s 3.5 tonne towing capacity can opt for a power-folding tow bar installed with the Trailer Assist system.