The updated Volkswagen Touareg SUV has touched down with a starting price that’s cheaper than the car it replaces.
At the bottom of the range, the Touareg 170TDI has picked up key technology from higher-end versions of the pre-update car – including the flashy Innovision Cockpit that combines a 15-inch central screen with a 12-inch digital instrument binnacle, and clever matrix LED headlights.
The mid-range 210TDI Elegance has had its price cut by around $9000, despite picking up what Volkswagen claims is around $4000 worth of extra equipment, while the 210TDI R-Line has seen around $8000 cut from its sticker.
Sitting atop the range is the new Touareg R. It packs a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a V6 petrol engine with electric power to create the most powerful production Volkswagen ever.
Pricing
Volkswagen has taken the unusual step of cutting prices for 2024, rather than raising them.
All models are cheaper than those they replace, and all feature extra standard equipment.
| Model | Price before on-roads | Price cut |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Touareg 170TDI | $86,790 | $2450 |
| Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI Elegance | $99,990 | $8250 |
| Volkswagen Touareg 210TDI R-Line | $109,990 | $7550 |
| Volkswagen Touareg R | $129,990 | N/A |
All prices exclude on-road costs.
Powertrains
The entry-level 170TDI and 210TDI engines carry over from 2023, but the Touareg R PHEV is a new powertrain for Volkswagen.
It’s also the most powerful production Volkswagen powertrain ever, with 340kW of power. That comes courtesy of a 3.0-litre petrol V6 making 250kW of power and 450Nm of torque, mated with an electric motor packing 100kW and 400Nm.
| 170TDI | 210TDI | Touareg R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.0L turbo V6 | 3.0L turbo V6 | 3.0 V6 turbo PHEV |
| Fuel | Diesel | Diesel | Petrol + EV |
| Transmission | 8-speed auto | 8-speed auto | 8-speed auto |
| Driven wheels | AWD | AWD | AWD |
| EV battery | N/A | N/A | 14.3kWh (net) |
| Power | 170kW | 210kW | 340kW |
| Torque | 500Nm | 600Nm | 700Nm |
| Fuel tank | 90L | 90L | 75L |
| Towing (unbraked) | 750kg | 750kg | 750kg |
| Towing (braked) | 3500kg | 3500kg | 3500kg |
| Gross Vehicle Mass | 2850kg | 2850kg | 3020kg |
| Gross Combined Mass | 6350kg | 6350kg | 6520kg |
Efficiency
The Touareg R has the best claimed fuel economy of the range, although that’s contingent on having a charged lithium-ion battery pack as is the case with all plug-in hybrids.
| 170TDI | 210TDI | Touareg R | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claimed economy | 7.3L/100km | 7.4L/100km | 3.3L/100km |
| Claimed EV range | N/A | N/A | 51km |
Dimensions
Unusually, the base 170TDI has a different wheelbase to the broader Touareg range.
| Length | 4889mm |
|---|---|
| Width | 1984mm |
| Height | 1718mm – 1757mm |
| Wheelbase | 2894mm (170TDI) – 2888mm (210TDI + R) |
| Weight | 2164kg – 2433kg |
| Boot space (seats up) | 810L |
| Boot space (seats folded) | 1800L |
Servicing and Warranty
Like the broader Volkswagen range, the Touareg is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
| Warranty | Five years, unlimited kilometres |
|---|---|
| Roadside assist | 12 months, extended with each scheduled service |
| Service schedule | 12 months or 15,000 kilometres |
| Three year service plan | $1900 (170 + 210TDI), $2050 (R) |
| Five year service plan | $3500 (170 + 210TDI), $3400 (R) |
Safety
The pre-update Touareg had a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing carried out in 2018.
It achieved scores of 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 72 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 78 per cent for safety assist functions.
Standard safety equipment across the range includes:
- Front, front-side, rear-side, front and rear curtain airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Front cross-traffic assist
- Blind-spot monitor
- Rear cross-traffic assist
- Adaptive cruise control with active lane centring
- Dynamic road sign monitoring
- Surround-view camera
Standard Equipment
Standard equipment in the 170TDI includes:
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Power tailgate with kick activation
- Power-folding exterior mirrors with memory and auto-dip
- IQ.Light HD matrix LED headlights
- Innovision Cockpit
- 15-inch touchscreen
- 12-inch digital instrument screen
- Satellite navigation
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- FM, AM, DAB+ digital radio
- Wireless phone charging + 5 x USB-C ports
- Heated, power-adjustable front seats
- Vienna leather seat trim
- 30-colour ambient lighting
- Dual-zone climate control
- Open-pore dashboard wood trim
- Illuminated door scuff plates
- Cargo management system for boot
Moving to the 210TDI Elegance brings:
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Varenna leather seat upholstery (blue and white optional)
- Ventilated front seats
- Massaging front seats
- Auto-levelling air suspension
Moving to the 210TDI R-Line brings:
- R-Line interior/exterior styling package
- 21-inch alloy wheels
- Puglia R-Line leather interior trim
- Brushed stainless steel pedals
- Stainless steel scuff plates with R-Line logo in front doors
- Rear privacy glass
- Rear-wheel steering
- Active anti-roll stabilisation
- Heated sports steering wheel
- Brushed aluminium interior trim
- Black headliner
The range-topping R features:
- R interior/exterior styling
- 22-inch alloy wheels
- Direct tyre pressure monitoring
- Home and public EV charge cables
- Soft-close doors
- Four-zone climate control
- Night vision
- Panoramic sunroof
- Head-up display
- 19-inch front, 18-inch rear brake discs with blue R calipers
- Power-adjustable steering column with memory
- Heated outboard rear seats
- Dynaudio premium sound system
Options include:
The Sound and Comfort package ($8500 on 170TDI and 210TDI Elegance, $8000 on 210TDI R-Line) includes:
- Rear heated outboard seats
- Dynaudio sound system
- Passenger seat memory
- Power-adjustable steering column
- Windshield-projected head-up display
- Direct tyre pressure monitoring
- Soft-close doors
- Alarm
