Volkswagen's Most Luxurious SUV Is A Bargain In 2025
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SUVs are one of the most popular choices of vehicle in the US, both on the new and used market. Their practicality, spaciousness and ruggedness have made them a firm favorite among drivers looking for a family vehicle. While, in past decades, SUVs were mainly focused on bare-bones dependability, with few comfort features and little on-board tech, in recent years the SUV market has expanded to include higher-end options, which offer all the creature comforts one would expect to find in a luxury car.
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2017 Volkswagen Touareg
One such vehicle is the Volkswagen Touareg, which is still a part of VW’s SUV range in other markets worldwide, but left the US market after the end of the model’s second generation in 2018. There are, however, plenty of examples of the 2011-18 Touareg available on the used market: an ideal choice for customers shopping for an affordable but plush second-hand SUV.
This article focuses on the features and specs of the second-generation Volkswagen Touareg, and why it is a good option for drivers looking for a plush SUV on the used market.
The Second-Gen Touareg On The Used Market In The USA
2008-2010 Volkswagen Touareg Front
The second-gen Touareg is packed with comfort and tech, making it a desirable option for customers looking for a used SUV, but it is also an aging vehicle, with even the most recent examples approaching a decade old. This has driven prices down and made the Touareg an excellent option for bargain-hunting buyers, who aren’t focused on having the very latest tech on board but want something comfortable and reliable to transport a family.
Affordable examples of a second-gen Touareg can be found for as little as $7,000, while on the more expensive end of the market, you can find newer and lower mileage examples for around $18,000. While American VW fans may sadly not be able to get their hands on the more recent versions of the Touareg, like the V8 TDI, there are plenty of older models on the market that could be ideal candidates to fill the Touareg-shaped hole in your garage.Here's what you get for your money.
The Volkswagen Touareg: Specs And Features
The Second-Generation Volkswagen Touareg Specifications | |||
Engine | 3.6-liter V6 | 3.0-liter diesel V6 | Hybrid (3.0-liter V6 + one electric motor) |
Horsepower | 276 hp | 236 hp | 375 hp (combined) |
Torque | 266 lb-ft | 406 lb-ft | 428 lb-ft (combined) |
0-60 | 7.8 seconds | 7.8 seconds | 5.8 seconds |
Top Speed | 142 mph | 135 mph | 149 mph |
The 7P was the second generation of the Volkswagen Touareg; it was introduced in 2010, first in Munich and then at the Beijing International Auto Show. The 7P Touareg remained in production from the 2011 to the 2018 model years, when it was replaced by the third-gen CR model which was never sold in the States.
Design
2010 - 2014 Volkswagen Touareg - front 3/4 angle
On the visual front, the second generation of the Touareg (7P gen) retained the overall shape and many characteristics that had defined the first-generation 7L model (produced between 2003 and 2010). The front end was one of the areas that changed the most; sharper, more rectangular headlights replaced the previous, more rounded design. The grille was expanded to connect with the headlights, creating a sleeker, more modern design. The lower half of the front end was also reworked, with more horizontal lines that created a dynamic look.
At the rear of the car, the taillights were redesigned in a similar way to the headlights: while the first generation had been all about soft, rounded lines, the second-gen model featured sharper taillights with angular lines. This pattern repeated itself in the exhaust system, with the tailpipes having an almost triangular shape in the 7P Touareg (in the previous generation they had a rounded rectangular shape).
Powertrain
2011-2014 Volkswagen Touareg
The 7P Touareg was initially available with a choice of powertrains in the US, including a gas-only option and a diesel option. The gas-powered version had a 3.6-liter V6 engine, the diesel version a 3.0-liter V6. The hybrid version, unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, was powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 paired with a single electric motor, producing a total of 380 hp and arrived a year later. The 2011 Touareg Hybrid also claimed the title of Volkswagen’s first hybrid production vehicle. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic.
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Interior & Tech Features
2011-2014 Volkswagen Touareg
The Touareg distinguished itself for combining practicality and luxury; the smart-looking interior offered ergonomic seats with 12-way electric adjustment, as well as a leather-bound steering wheel for additional comfort. The infotainment system was fairly advanced for the time; of course, technology has moved so fast that drivers looking to buy a Touareg on the used market today will find it dated. However, if state-of-the-art infotainment tech isn’t quite your top priority, the Touareg still offers features like navigation and phone connectivity.
A version with an upgraded interior, called the Touareg Exclusive, was available in parallel with the standard model. The Exclusive offered two-tone Nappa leather upholstery (available in two color combinations: beige/black or burgundy/black). The seats were heated and equipped with 12-way electrical adjustment as a default (in the standard model, this was an option) as well as decorative elements made of real wood.
Safety & Driver Assistance
2011-2014 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
The Touareg did very well on the safety and assistance front, offering a wide range of features to keep its occupants as safe as possible. Safety features included lane departure warning and a collision avoidance system with automatic emergency braking. The Touareg was also equipped with the Side Assist blind spot monitoring system, which helped avoid accidents during lane change maneuvers. Adaptive cruise control (including the Stop & Go feature, to help maintain a safe distance from other vehicles even in traffic) was also part of the Touareg’s driver assistance suite.
The second-gen Touareg was also equipped with one feature that had never been used before in the automotive world: the “Dynamic Light Assist” glare-free high beam system. This technology was more sophisticated than previous forms of adaptive high beams: it adjusted the high-beam’s pattern as well as its range, to avoid dazzling vehicles in front while making sure the surrounding area is still well illuminated.
A Brief History Of The Touareg
2005 VW Touareg V10 TDI front three quarter static
The Touareg’s history starts in 2002, when the model’s first generation (7L) was introduced to the world; it was the product of a joint development effort with Porsche, and shared a platform with the Cayenne. This generation offered a wide variety of engines that included some fairly unusual layouts for a family SUV, such as a W12, a V10, a VR6 (which combined elements of the V6 and the inline-six), and a diesel inline-five. The first generation remained on sale until 2010, when it was replaced by the 7P.
The Touareg Gets The Boot
After the model’s second generation had come to an end, however, Volkswagen pulled the Touareg out of the US market. The main reason for this is that, in an increasingly crowded lineup of crossovers and SUVs offered by VW in the US, the Touareg had become slightly redundant. Its hefty price tag, around $50,000 at the time, gave it a disadvantage compared to other VW models that could fulfill the same purpose.
These included the Atlas (which had been specifically designed with US customers in mind) or the redesigned Tiguan (which offered more cargo space). Around this time, Volkswagen was also looking towards the future with plans to ramp up its efforts in the EV market (although their efforts have since failed to produce the expected results). There simply was no room left for the Touareg in the company’s North American offering.
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A third generation of the Touareg (CR) was released for the 2019 model year in markets outside the US, and is still in production today. This version is larger than the previous two, and shares the VW Group’s MLB platform with the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7. This time the engine lineup included four choices: a gas inline-four or V6, and a diesel V6 or V8. A plug-in hybrid version, which pairs the gas V6 with one electric motor, was also released.
Sources: Volkswagen, Autotempest
