2010 VOLKSWAGEN Touareg

My working beast

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Bottom line, I have over 145,000 miles on my Touareg and it is still going strong. Before purchasing my T-Reg, I laid out my needs for a car. I wanted diesel, as are all my cars (Jetta SW and Q7). I needed something that fit my family comfortably if we didn’t take my wife’s Q7. It needed to tow the camper (5,000 lbs) and all other smaller implements. It needed to have 4 wheel drive. It needed a good sound system (for all my hours in the left seat). It needed to look like a man’s vehicle (men, you know what I mean). This left me mostly with ¾ ton or larger trucks. However, after living in Germany for a long time, I already had an affinity for the VW, except the last time I saw one for sale, the price started at about my yearly income. Over time, my income has increased, and if I looked at all the other vehicles that fit my requirements, the prices were the same. I test drove every vehicle that fit my requirements, to include my wife’s Q7…which she said I could have when she is dead and gone. The end result is that I could purchase an 8,800 pound ¾ ton truck with highway mileage in the teens, or the 5,500 pound T-Reg with 25 MPG on the highway with the same interior options. So the T-Reg is the way I went. And I am very happy with my lease return purchase 140,000 miles later. A few things to consider though. I was already VW savvy through the ownership of the Audi and Jetta. Therefore many of the new owner pains had already been felt as I read through the owner’s manual, as one should. They are very particular about fluids and servicing, but if followed to the letter, major maintenance is absolutely unheard of. Between the three vehicles, I spend less than $250 a month on maintenance (this includes oil, brakes, wipers, AdBlue, washing and all other things except tires) on vehicles that spend a ton of time on the road. Yes, I have three vehicles (2009, 2010, 2011) with over 100,00 miles on them and have no doubt that any of them can drive across the country without issue. As of writing this, I have just returned from a 5,000 mile cross country trip towing our camper. As a towing rig, I have been completely impressed. There is zero trailer sag (that condition where it seems the butt of the truck is dragging on the ground) and tows like there is nothing behind it. Yes, a family of four, all their stuff packed in, on (via the Thule on the top) and behind it in the camper we still managed to have a trip fuel mileage average of 16.6 MPG (hand calculated) on a trip that did hit speeds up to 90 MPH (in states where that is perfectly legalish). Although, I did have to purchase mirror extensions so I could see around the camper, the T-Reg is otherwise perfectly prepared to tow. When driving sans trailer, I set the cruise and drive effortless for hours. Driving across country is a joy, as is driving through the city. Step on the go pedal and hang on! I also use this vehicle to hunt. While I received some raised eyebrows the first time I took this off road to get to our site, I made it easily after pulling the most vocal “anti SUV” guy out of a mud pit I had just traversed. It allowed me a moment of smug suburban former Jeep guy glee to do it. The interior appointments I have found to be timeless and un-cumbersome. Nothing is fading, cracking, wearing, or getting “old” looking. People still ask me if it is new, and are shocked when I tell them it is nearly 5 years old with 145,000 miles on it. Things just hold up well. No rattle, shake or squeak. The interface with the stereo and GPS is so much easier than my wife’s Q7 (don’t tell her I said that), and is just intuitive. There are cons to this truck. Driving for eight hours straight before needing fuel tests the limits of a bladder. Crying the first time the paint was scratched. That annoying alarm that goes off once and a while when I lock the doors. Paying over $300 for a GPS update on my $60,000+ vehicle (VAG really needs to fix this, I was very angry when it came up and the disc was different across all three of my cars). The onboard hard drive only plays MP3, so I had to reformat all my WMA music. The SD reader only reads a 2 GIG card, taking me nearly three days to load my music to the hard drive…only to discover half my music couldn’t be played because it was in the wrong format. There are times that the computer is a bit slow, meaning that the touch screen won’t activate stuff as quickly as I wished. However, the same can be true of me, so I deal with it.

Pleased so far, but remains to be seen...

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Love this SUV. Purchased at 38k miles and have driven to 41k. Have NOT towed much, and that is a large part of why i purchased this car. 7700lb capacity is impressive. My list of praises is nearly endless. I'm focusing on gripes to inform the consumer. Consider everything else perfect.

Very Poor GPS System

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4

I have had problems with my GPS since I purchased the vehicle. It often will have you exit & do a U turn only to bring you down the same road,do this a few times in rush hour and see how you feel!! I reported it to the dealer I purchased it from in Georgetown,TX & was told there was no fix yet. I have since moved to Houston,TX took my Toureg in before the warranty went out. They told me that they have heard this numerous times before & could fix it for $200.00 new software. I called the Volkswagen customer service and was told the same thing. 50K vehicle and won't fix the problem that it came with, that way of doing business does not work for me folks!! Imagine a big problem, eh!

Best vehicle we've ever owned, way better then the new model PERIOD! if you want a real truck and not a car.

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Best vehicle we've ever owned, we are a large family and got rid of our 2007 LTZ LOADED Suburban. Gas milage savings alone has paid for the car payment, we save about $4-500 per month with the driving my wife does. Not to mention that the VW tow's more then the Suburban, the Chevy only towed 7K and the smaller VW tow's 8k! Besides the towing, it drives great, same as the Porsche for the most part, really the only differences are: Diesel, interior and wheel options, which the interior of the VW is way nicer then the Porsche. It fast (torque) and handles great, on & off road! It's a Real Truck, not a car thats lifted like most SUV's, body on frame like a PU, Land Cruiser of Land Rover.

DO consider the TDI Touareg!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Overabundant torque completely satisfies all overtaking needs. Having owned a 2004 V8 Touareg previously (18 mpg tops), I hardly miss its full throttle induction roar, instead embracing the low-revving oomph of the turbo-diesel, while averaging 27+ mpg.

Not Perfect but so good I don't care

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

We've had it now for one year and it has lived up to everything we could have hoped for. It's an incredibly smooth ride with pretty decent pickup especially considering its a 5000 pound beast. I feel very safe driving and feel as if I'm surrounded by luxury - though there are a few things to be desired. The nav system, like most factory navs, is mostly accurate but has out of date store/gas registries. The system takes about 10 seconds to start up which means if i need the cam., I have to wait. We got the air package and combined without the low gear case it moves effortlessly in 18" of untouched (or compacted) snow. I recommend at least the tech package - it makes the car feel "cool"

30+ MPG at 70 MPH

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Bought the Touareg for work related driving. Smooth, powerfull, and fun to drive. Handles very well for an SUV. Routinely getting 29-31 mpg with the diesel. Tows our sailboat effortlessly. No problems the first 20k miles

Road Trip From California to Montana

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Flew from NW Montana to California to buy this hard to find TDI Touareg.Quiet and comfortable interior for all day driving.Factory Bluetooth is so helpful!Passing effortless with the diesel with a ride like a cloud.Set the auto climate control and had total comfort in 105 degree heat.Got 25.5 MPG on a 1100 mile trip. Have been getting 21.5 MPG in town driving.This is a beautiful machine!

2500 mile review but great so far!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Have had the SUV for only 2500 miles so far. My "dream vehicle", thanks sweetie! So my 2500 mile review: great ride with comfort, style and plenty of power! Bought the TDI for it's towing capacity and gas mileage. Currenlty avg. 21 MPG for both city/highway driving. Bought the luxury and technology package and haven't looked back. Ride is exceptional on highway. Great in the mountains! This is a ski mobile!! Took it up to Big Bear in S. California and was great. As with other reviews don't know why it doesn't have memory seating?? Very luxurious inside. Nicest vehicle we've owned by far. Inside is small as well as back seat. Don't think it will be a problem for family of 4.

Excellent SUV

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Great ride and handling both on and off road. Decent fuel economy for vehicle capable of towing 7000 lbs.

Great Diesel

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

This is an excellent SUV diesel which has exceeded my high demands and expectations in every respect: Power, comfort, style and reliability. I have 20,500 miles and virtually no problems have surfaced. Eventually I will probably buy the newer model, but I plan to keep this for many more years because it is so well-executed and realized. Dealership support for the routine service has been exemplary. It is superior in most respects to my former BMW X5 and is more evocative of the Sahara than Wilshire Blvd--a good rugged simple feel with less "look at me!!" attitude than the BMW.

And they make the gas version because...

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3

Traded in a 2006 Expedition for this midsize SUV and we aren't looking back. The Touareg is just the right size for our family of 5 (kids range 3- 9yrs.). It doesn't have the interior space of the Expedition, but it's not a big lumbering beast either. This is a fun to drive SUV with plenty of power at a great price point. Early results on mpg indicates it should more than cover the EPA ratings. My only hope is that we didn't get one of the unreliable ones. I only rated reliability "5" because we haven't had the car long enough to rate.

Toureg Tough on Kids

Performance: 5 Comfort: 2 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 1 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 4

I've had the Toureg for 7 months. Great for an individual or for a couple. But, the back seats are very erect and my kids wont get in the car unless we're traveling less that an hour. Just not comfortable in the back seat. Also, when I lock the car with the key fob the alarm goes off about 50% of the time -- very frustrating especially when with a customer. Lastly, I am forced to use Flow Volkswagen for service-- Unbelievlably bad service. In summary, a great ride but my kids avoid it, no trunk space, and the local dealer is a nightmare. Will be selling or trading soon.

Great Buy

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 4 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4

Traded a Toyota 4 Runner for the Touareg. Best luxury SUV, I found for the money. Reliability and VW customer service seems to be improving.

Touareg Nightmare

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 2 Fun To Drive: 2 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 2 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 1

I drive a lot of miles each year, and I liked this car when it was under about 30,000 miles. I'm guessing that most of the people who are writing these reviews don't have 54,000 miles on a car this new. This car was great when I first owned it, but once I put quite a few miles on it, it turned into a nightmare. First of all this car goes through head and taillights like crazy. I've had 3 headlights and 1 taillight replaced, and every so often the check headlight warning goes on when there is no headlight out. Gas mileage could be much better. Brakes squeal constantly & they've already been replaced once (Not covered under warranty). Back seats take forever to fold down. Continued Below.

Amazing SUV

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Coming off of a 2007 AWD Cadillac SRX, I thought this SUV would be similar. Boy was I wrong. Comfort, drivability, and fuel economy put this vehicle in a class by itself. We have driven 2600 miles including one long trip of 1300 miles 27 MPG highway and 23 in a mix. It feels like your floating down the road, yet with real precise road feel. When climbing gradual inclines transmission works well, not like the SRX. It is also very easy to park with its short turn radius. Vehicle we purchased was standard with Luxury Package that includes leather seating, 19" wheels, and heated steering wheel, which was a must for my wife.

Awesome SUV

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

It's more than what I expected in an SUV. I've owned GM all of my life, 4 to be fact, and I will never return to GM ever. This vehicle has so much power hidden under it's hood. I purchased with the 19" Wheels in December and never worried about getting stuck in the snow, in fact it seemed that I had total command of the road driving in 6" of slush and never once loss control. I looked at the Arcadia, Q7, Cheyenne and CX90 and my VW has them beat hands down in Price, Performance and Fuel Economy. 28 to 34 MPG on the highway, but only 12 in the city. After 12,000 miles in just under 6 months the gas I've saved while on the road has made a Huge impression on my GM Buddies.

Power and fuel economy

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

This is one fine highway cruiser that is getting 29-30 mpg while gliding down the super-slab at the speed limit. We traded in an 08 ML320 CDI and the Touareg is a far better riding SUV, plus it is quieter. You do not hear the diesel engine but you do feel its power. We pulled a 5000 lb trailer with power to spare and excellent control. This is no SUV wannabe, this is the real thing with > 8 inches of ground clearance and great visibility. This is a keeper.

German tank safety with GTI performance

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I was an Audi Q7 3.6 FSI owner. Even Audi was very elegant, the mileage was bad, averaging 16 mpg overall. I always wanted to buy the Touareg in first place, but only the TDI version, for its superior torque, fun to drive and stellar gas mileage. I bought the vehicle with almost all the possible options, air suspension, xenon, navigation, rear view camera, etc. The car is very safe and fun to drive, excellent acceleration and passing power for such heavy vehicle.

Love It!

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

Just got my new 2010 Touareg. Shopped Mercedes ML350, Lexus 350, Volvo CX90 - best deal and standard features. This ride is very solid. I think this is my favorite car so far. Had VW in the past '79 Bug, '84 Golf.

Super SUV

Performance: 5 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I've been an Audi owner for years, but opted for the VW this go 'round because I didn't care for the Q7 exterior and I liked the air suspension option on the Touareg. It is by far my favorite automobile to date! Even though I got a fully loaded edition, there are a few luxury items noticeably absent (no memory feature on the driver's seat?!). And it is not without its electronic bugs: the alarm goes off sometimes when locking the vehicle with the key fob or exterior keyless button...it is a VW after all. But, honestly, it is one fine vehicle and if all goes well beyond these first 3K miles, I hope to have it for 300K + (this from someone who generally trades every 2 years with < 30K.