What is it?
The Touareg CR facelift is VW's large luxury SUV flagship, sharing its MLB Evo platform with the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga. Three powertrains, three trims, and a 340 kW R eHybrid plug-in flagship sit at the top.
The lineup runs from 170TDI V6 at $89,990 plus on-roads, through to R eHybrid PHEV at $134,990 plus on-roads. Warranty cover sits at 5 years, unlimited km.
Interior and Technology
3,500 kg braked towing across the entire range, Cayenne and Q7 underpinnings at sharper money, and a 340 kW R eHybrid flagship with genuine EV-only commuting range.
Five seats only, no seven-seat option locally. The 5-year warranty also trails Sorento and Palisade by 2 years.
Should you buy the Touareg?
Reasons to buy
- 3,500 kg braked towing across the entire range, Cayenne and Q7 underpinnings at sharper money, and a 340 kW R eHybrid flagship with genuine EV-only commuting range.
- Warranty: 5 years, unlimited km. EV battery: 8 years, 160,000 km.
- 5-star ANCAP (2018), full driver-assist suite.
- 810 L boot, segment-competitive cargo space.
- Braked towing rated at 3,500 kg.
Reasons to wait
- Five seats only, no seven-seat option locally. The 5-year warranty also trails Sorento and Palisade by 2 years.
- You need a third row (Audi Q7, BMW X5 7-seat), you want a longer warranty (Korean rivals at 7 years), or your budget tops out below $90,000.
- ANCAP rating dates from 2018 on the older protocol. Cross-shop against newer-rated rivals if 2024 protocol scoring matters to your buying decision.
- Top trim climbs to $134,990 plus on-roads.
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