Used 2005 Volkswagen Touareg Consumer Reviews

You have one? I'll buy it.

2012 was a good car (my son's car with 120,000) he still drives it. My 2005 with 72,000 miles IS great.That's from personal experience. Comfortable ,solid, feeling safe in it.Comfortable seats and plenty of room. Lock the differential and you can go anywhere.

An SUV That Can Take You Anywhere

We bought this SUV so my wife, a nurse, could get to work regardless of the weather. It has consistently demonstrated it can do that in some absolutely horrible conditions. We have a set of winter wheels with Pirelli Scorpion studless ice and snow tires for it and it can go just about anywhere. In good weather it is a fun SUV to drive; in sport mode it can beat most vehicles off the line. You'd never know you had 5,000 pounds under you. Reading other reviews I have no idea why people have been complaining of tire or brake life. Make sure the wheels are aligned and select tires carefully. Initial reliability was poor but has improved a lot;not cheap to fix--$1,100 for timing belt!

Lovely to drive, Costly to repair

I bought this SUV used and love it so far. Its true what everyone says about the brakes, tires, fuel efficiency and service. My tires were $800 for all 4 and the shop rotates my tires for free anytime i want to. Same shop tells me the brakes aren't cheap either $600 for ceramic pads up front. However, this truck is solid and safe you will bulldoze through snow and probably won't every hydroplane in the rain. You will love this truck until you get to the shop(try to stay away from the dealership, their labor is super expensive)

What a great ride!

This is a terrific SUV. Yes, its a gas hog, but the power, control, and creature comforts out weigh that particular negative. I bought this to haul my elderly handicap parents, and their scooters around town. We all love the smooth ride, AC, and Its turning capability. Its easy to climb in and out of, and we find that even though we do not plan on having more than three adults at a time, we are all happy with the space provided inside. Check timing belt, and tires. Expensive to replace.

Not great but ok.

I am a mechanic for a used German car dealer and I bought this trade in for fun, its a late build 2005. BTW 2004 is a lemon, mid to late build 2005+ is a good car. Positives: Interior, exterior, solid vehicle. Negatives: Terrible gas mileage, 6 speed transmission shifts constantly and hard, radio is horrific, small interior, too many electronic gizmos. 4.2L Audi engine is excellent. Its a tough German car not a smooth Japanese car. If you don't believe me go to web VW boards and check the car out, the transmission is the worst aspect of this vehicle but you can reprogram it with some success. Overall nice and somewhat better than some of the Mercedes I work on.

2005 Touareg V8 Review

I absolutely love this car and can't wait for the V6 diesel to reach the states. I have driven the Touareg V6 diesel (overseas) and all I can say is wow. 30+ mpg and lots of torque. I compare my Touareg to my brothers 2 X5's (both diesel, 2006 & 2008). The interior layout of the Touareg is far beyond the BMW. Even my brother agrees. The newer larger X5 is a disappointment compared to the older body style. The Touaregs styling is better than both X5's. The Touareg coming in as a overweight still handles very well. The suspension does a very good job of keeping the car at it's optimum performance level. The sound of the V8 is quit p;easing. I have gotten 20 MPG on the hwy at 72 MPH.

It's a Keeper

It's been almost 3 years with my Touareg... it's a keeper. Granted, you cannot be a person on a tight budget for an SUV like this, but it's worth every penny in price, maintenance, and fuel. I truly feel like I can go wherever my heart desires with the Touareg. Yeah, brakes and tires require changing more frequently than expected, but it's a worthwhile trade-off for the performance and amenities on this SUV. Highly recommended. The key is to make sure you can afford to maintain it. If you cannot afford to maintain it, don't buy it. If you can, you will love it.

Reliable German Quality

This car is one of the classical and robust German "Gelandewagen" off-roaders and has a pleasant, time-less design. Required a couple of tune-ups, preferably by an independent car workshop that uses OEM parts and is knowledgeable with this type of vehicle. Dealership services are usually too expensive. Other than that, a fine car, safe and comfortable! Especially in snow conditions!

Great Vehichle

THis is our 2nd touareg. The 1st one was a buyback because of electrical problems that were never ending. However, we still loved the car and agreed to take a replacement Touareg. The 05 Touareg has met all our expectations is probaly the nicest SUV we saw while we were looking to make our purchase. We compared it to the BMX X5 and X3, Lexus, etc. However kept coming back to it. Even after our initial lemon Touareg, this is still our favourite vehicle and am glad we stuck with it. The 05' has been problem free since we have had it.

Terrible Never Buy Again!!!

This is the worst vehicle I have ever owned. I would never buy a VW again. The electrical issues are overwhelming. With 3,218 miles I traded it on a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I lost a lot of money on the deal because of all the issues with the VW Touareg.

Beats the X5 and ML

I have owned it for about 2 years with almost no problems; the maintenance is very affordable, about once a year for $120 ~ $180. It is fun to drive, beats the X5 and ML hands down. Great handling. The interior is really nice, almost as nice as the Cayenne. Some people say the gas mileage is not that great; I have to partially agree but keep in mind that this is an SUV with lots of horses under the hood. If you are looking for gas mileage then do not buy an SUV.

Touaregs are tops

The best vehicle I have ever owned. Great looking inside and out. You feel safe and secure inside it. A joy to drive. Great handling, perky engine and powerful drivetrain, solid construction, roomy interior (front seats) cozy seats and a smooth ride. Going to the gas pump often is offset by the car performance.

2005

Same comments as most of the others: Great highway ride, strong V8 performance, Best turning radius of any car I have ever owned. Handles very well. Nicely appointed interior, comfortable seats. Downside: the brakes for wear and this car is very difficult to be smooth when driving, at very low speeds the brakes grab and the throttle response is jerky. Poor Gas mileage Overall the car has exceed my expectations and most of the bugs from the 2004 models we worked out.

Touareg Love, Farfignugen

There is a recall pertaining to the the fuel pump. If looking to buy a Touareg don't be dissuaded from purchasing. The recall is free and done at a VW Dealership. We have had that done. The vehicle is a great design, so many air bags and the comfort/luxury conveniences are really nice.

love it

I bought my VW with 24000 and know I have 60000. I dove it from Texas to Chicago with no problems. It is a very expensive SUV to fix, but if you change your own oil, or buy your own parts it's way cheaper. Tires are the worst. I still can't find a place that to get them changed. They run from 700 to 2000 dollars.

Worst SUV ever

I have had nothing but problems with my Volkswagen Touareg and no support from VW customer care. They hang up the phone on people and their "policy" is you can not speak to a manager ever. The transmission went on mine at 1,900 miles! The dealers ship said VW would only allow them to clear the codes! It is not the dealer's fault VW NA runs them with the warranty and will not let them fix it. I had to start a lemon law, lawsuit to get them to speak with me! They ended up settling just so I would go away. Do yourself a favor read the reviews first, or it will cost you big bucks!

Good Value

Solid, well made German SUV with good handling for the most part. V8 gas mileage is a blended 15. Always has been hesitant off the line, but plenty of power once you are moving, great feel for a driver. Comfortable, well designed. Like the look, like the drive. Interior leather, wood appointments nice, luxury feel. For the money, this is a good luxury SUV, same new platform as Porsche Cayenne. Mechanically well built and doesn't wear out.

Fun to drive, if and when if ever works!

I love this car...hate VW, hate the dealer..Nothing but bugs, problems, cracking wood trim, every week this car has another problem. VW failed on this, but to think the sorry dealership network they have can actually take care of a customer with a $50,000 car is the joke of the century. Run away from this vehicle, VW or America, and the dealerships as fast as you can.

V8 touareg

Owned this vehicle for less than a year. Initially we were very impressed with its road manners. The brakes had been done before delivery however we had to have them done again (no charge to us) I drive 12km return to my work. 4 months later, brakes require work. The battery is done. Most of the reviews on these express the same issues. Our other vehicle is a Tahoe and we have had zero problems. We are currently trading it in for another Yukon/Tahoe. Unfortunately this is not a car I would recommend.

Buy Something Else

This is by far the best looking SUV on the road and it stops there. VW went wrong or someone did not follow how an SUV is supposed to last. The brakes are a big problem. You will replace them every 5,000 miles and it will cost you $600 or more to have them repaired. An oil change can cost you upwards of a $150 due to the design of getting to the oil pan. Everything goes wrong with this SUV. Stay away from the Touareg.

Do Not Buy

I was very satisfied with the dealer and the vehicle until today. I have 15k miles on my vehicle and the tires have already worn completely out. They are Dunlop 8000's. They dealer has said that they have had major issues with these...Some people are only gettin 12k miles. I called VW about it and they said that they would give me ONE tire. What a slap in the face. They will not stand behind their product. Do yourself a favor and buy a Porsche, BMW, Lexus, or Merecedes. They are known as luxury vehicles for a reason. They stand behind their cars and they give great customer service. I will say that the dealership has really stood up for me, but I will never buy another VW.

Overkill for USA

Bought new in 05. Drove to work around DC area and on trips up an down the east coast. Hauled a boat trailer with great ease. This thing has torque! AWD is terrific in the snow. After 45000 miles the nav/radio would not turn off. Killed battery. VW replaced at 50,000 no charge but had to wait 6 weeks for the part!?! At 71000 mi noticed rough running intermittently. Dealer had to drop engine ($2500 P&L) and repair timing gear area (another $2500P&L) Serviced only by VW. Cannot guarantee repeat. If I had know of this possibility would not have bought it. VW has no idea how to address the luxury market. Loaner cars during warranty were trade ins not even VW!! VW America no help.

Front-end Alignment

Purchased 11/04 & have 3500 miles. It has been back to the dealer 4 times and they said they cannot fix the problem of it pulling to the right. Volkswagen will not back it up & says it is "fixed to their specifications". This is the absolutely the worst buying experience I have ever had. I would not recommend the vehicle or any Volkswagen.

Too Many Problems

Too many recalls. Electrical problems with tailgate and interior lighting, drive shaft and transmissions problems. Wood panel trim has cracked 2 times. Not enough power when you need it quickly. My vehicle has been in the shop for unscheduled maintenance 18 times and it only has 39,000 miles on it. VW Customer Service has been extremely uncooperative. It is simply the single worst vehicle I have ever owned and I have owned many. I never write to review vehicles but people need to be aware of what they are getting into when they purchased this vehicle. VW has a lot of work to do if they are going to stay in the midsize SUV market.

Good SUV

I bought the 2005 VW Touareg one year ago and it has not failed to live up to my expectations. The handling is great and the interior is above average. I like the interior because it looks like a spaceship. The only thing that needs to be improved upon is when you push the gas it will shake a bit and as always the gas millage should be improved (450 till empty when you actually get 300 miles a tank).

Great Automobile

I did a little research before purchase. The problems some people were experiencing were frightening. After a test drive I was hooked. The only problems I've had was to replace windshield wipers and balance 19" tires. Oh, console squeaks a little when the cockpit is cold. Driven to Florida from Texas effortlessly at high rate of speed (two speeding tickets). Excellent vehicle 8600 miles and counting. If you are considering this vehicle invest in radar detector. The Touareg is a joy to drive.

Electronic nightmare

Not one of VW's best efforts. Has been in the shop for warranty work seven times in less than one year - all related to the vehicle's electronic warning systems. Confusing and overly complicated instrumentation/cabin controls. Abysmal gas mileage, very limited tire life - 12-15000 miles, odd size tires that very few dealers stock. Can't wait to get rid of it but none of the local dealers will touch it on a trade- in. Was offered $10,000 trade in value on a new Accord.

Unhappy with my Touareg

I have less than 1000 miles on this, and have had numerous problems. It's already had a CD player replaced, different warning lights come on, and stay on. It's had to be towed to the dealership because it wouldn't start. Overall I would NOT recommend this vehicle to anyone. I have always driven a Volkswagen, and this is my first unhappy experience. I am also very unhappy about my "default" settings in the computer of this vehicle. It keeps locking my doors at inappropraite times. The brakes are squishy, and the drive is erratic. It's also a bit sluggish even though it's a V8.

Do Not Buy!

I have owned my Touareg for just over one year. At 15,000 the brakes went down to the rotors. It cost $1,000 to fix. This truck is very poorly made inside can't handle kids at all. I've had too many problems to list. I will be trading it in very soon! Also, it gets very bad gas mileage. It has lots of squeaks and rattles inside. The wood is cracking and the rubber is peeling on driver's door. This is a very sad vehicle.

Piece of CRAP car

I would not recommend this car to anyone who is not a millionaire with money to burn and likes to have their car in the shop at least once a month. We bought this car brand new, zero miles on it and had to bring it into the shop within the first month. It was all downhill from there. Every mechanical piece on the car was replaced under warranty (which we extended to five years immediately) except for the motor, which I am sure would run forever while all the other peices of the car fall off all over the road. Sadly, I had to buy a back-up car so I had something reliable to go to work in and had to carry a battery for the key in my purse, because you never knew when the car would not unlock.

Awesome

I love my Touareg! It had a few issues early on but were fixed as necessary. It is heavy and all wheel drive, so it's tough on tires. I ditched my factory tires at 11k miles for a set of Nokian WR G2's and haven't looked back. Really the best tire for the Touareg. I had an Expedition previously, so gas mileage wasn't an issue. The FSI V6 and V8 on the newer models are a significant improvement over 2004-2007 models.

Pretty with Flaws

I really shopped around before purchasing my Touareg. My black exterior really gets people's attention, and my passengers LOVE the interior. BUT, my tires wore out quickly, gas mileage sucks, get-up-and- go doesn't exist without putting it in S, or manual. Radio ate my CD, can't get it back. Passenger mirror doesn't always tilt when backing up. Rubber on inside driver's side door is peeling. Seat belt dinger... can anyone say ANNOYING? Automatic windshield wipers can scare the crap out of you on a sunny day... they'll scape across the window without notice.

I like the T-Reg V-8

Very nice SUV. Handles great. Fun to drive. I have not had any problems at all. I knew about the gas mileage before I purchased the SUV. The bells and whistles are a little much.

My head turning TDI

I purchased the Touareg V10 TDI with the intention of using it as a tow vehicle for our travel trailer. While it performs exceptionally in that role I use it as my primary means of transportation as it is so much fun to drive. In all traffic and weather conditions, city, highway, rain, or snow, it is always responsive and sure footed. That plus the admiring glances and constant "hey mister what is that" make me feel about a car like I haven't felt since I was a kid.

great car

very heavy, smooth, safe car. Very solid german feel, almost all high end options on most other cars are standard on Touareg. Tires are expensive to change if you get the 19's like I have but are very reasonable as 17 or 18's. I have 2 sets of tires, great in the snow with the all seasons on 17's in 18" snow in Tahoe. NO problems. Mechanically very good, poor fuel economy but it's a V8 ! 14 in the city, 19 on the hwy. I get oil changes for $75 at a VW dealer. Had a headlight bulb blow, and an airbag under warranty replaced in over 2 yrs. Highly recommend.

2005 Touareg V8

I bought my Volkswagen Touareg V8 brand new and I fell in love. It has great power, aceleration and excellent brakes. It handles as well on road as well as over water and on uneven pavement. I have not gone off road yet. I dislike the fact that oil changes are so expensive (synthetic) and any little part costs a fortune, ie. windhield wipers $50.00 a piece. Also, I do not like the fact that it gets only 14 miles per gallon in city. Yes, I was aware of this when bought it, but with gas prices and the fact that it uses only premium this is kinda ridiculous. Anyway for other than these little annoyances it runs well and I feel safe in it.

Just traded mine in for a Turbo Outback

After many recalls, and many problems, I finally gave in and traded mine in. Took a big hit, but it was well worth it. My new car has 12,000 on it, and hasn't been to the dealer yet. VW made a great looking SUV that test drives well, but is terrible to live with. Their service department isn't up to the standards set by other manufacturers in this price range. I owned a Saab previously, and although it spent too much time in the shop, the service dept was knowledgeable and always had a loaner. Bottom line, getting rid of my Touareg was worth it (simply so I wouldn't be reminded of my poor buying decision every day).

Happy Trails

I have had nothing but postive experiences with my Toureg. It has great pickup and unbelievable handling for such a heavy SUV. Considering I went from driving a BMW 325 Manual transmission Sport Edition to the Toureg those words hold a great deal of weight I think. I like to "drive" a car and the Toureg leaves me with that feeling. It has been completely reliable and the few details that needed to get fixed were promptly taken care of at my dealer. The largest bump in the road was a load, hard downshift from the transmission . That problem a hassince been remedied and all is well.

Great Car

I have found this car to be of excellent quality and ride. The V8 is a powerful bonus, but fuel economy suffers (though I find to be getting better milage than the milage posted). The ride is comfortable, with the my only complaint of the interior is air conditioning flow to the back seat. The tires out of the dealership lasted about 15000 miles, so be prepared to buy new then. I do not have the nav system, and found it to be too difficult to use, as it was CD based and not touch screen. Other than that, this is a excellent car for one who wants 4 wheel capability (I live in CO, and it handles rugged roads outstandingly well) or a sporty car for in town.

Please Save Yourself from VW

Everything started out fine with my Touareg. I have owened 4 VWs so I was excited to own a Touareg. I had read the reviews just like you and thought, OK there are a few bad apples but no problem VW will fix it. Nope they will not fix it, if you have the throttle or transmission issue they will tell you to sue. Check the web and read up, there is a class action lawsuit forming on the Touareg and VW couldn't care less. They would not repair mine after 9 times and refused to replace it or allow it as a trade in. This truck really gets only 8-16 miles per gallon. Please do your homework on this vehicle first. Check the web and see what is going on. If you have a good one be greatful... I thought my T-rex was good too. I finally sold it at 25,000 miles

Extensive repair time

I have had two instances of extended repair time due to lack of parts. The first, two weeks, was due to an air bag fault. Parts were not available. Six months later, another airbag fault, plus repeated fault warnings of various kinds, which disappeared after a short time. It was determined a new alternator was needed, Lowering the engine 6 inches was required to replace the alternator (2 day project). This did not fix the voltage problem and cables needed replacing. The cable need to be manufactured. I lost use of the car for over three weeks. I guess the cost of loaner vehicles is less than the cost of stocking parts. The low voltage, cable situation created the fault alerts.

Repairs - Often and Expensive

Like previous posts I would not recommed this car to anyone unless they like paying for rental cars and expensive repairs. Just had my drive shaft replaced at 76,000 miles for $1,300. (Tip: search the web for shops that sell re-manufactured shafts for $450 to $350). At 52,000 miles the internal speaker in the instrument cluster went out, the VW repair is to replace the instrument cluster, the part alone is $1,000. It does handle nice in the snow but its a gas guzzler and tires (expensive ones) seem to last only about 30,000...we're due for our 3rd set at 76,000 miles. Also need a slew of special tools to repair if your a do it yourself person. Very noisy, due to wind, with the window open

Won't buy another VW

I was initially really excited about my Touareg, but became suspicious after a road trip that included lots of error messages. When I brought it to the VW dealership to have it checked out, they were not willing to take the time to find out what was going on and told me to come back if it happened again. After a short year and a half we had to put $3000 into it for new tires, breaks, rotors, etc. None of which were included in the warranty although it was leased, I should have known, but was disappointed anyway. The lights go out while driving periodically for no apparent reason. The lining on the door handles are also peeling. Fuel economy is poor, but we knew that. The CD player is poor.

Love My Touareg

All of my oil changes were done by the dealer & only cost $108. This car just spared me and my husband from more series injuries following a near head on crash. Other driver crossed center line. My husband swerved to the right to try & avoid the other car, but the driver still hit us / almost a T-Bone then slide the entire length down our car. Drivers side airbags deployed and spared my 6'7" husband from serious injury to his head & face. He still suffered 3 broke ribs though.We love our car.

Love it...

I test drove all the luxury SUV's...Lexux, BMW, Mercedes, even the Touareg's cousin the Porsche Cayenne and there was no comparison. Total luxury in the interior, hot, sexy, sporty on the outside.

I should have pursued the Lemon Law

Transmission clunking on downshifting, service dept said they could not duplicate the problem. Thus, they can not fix it. Tire pressure monitors not working, cracked panels at dash, seat belts locking and have to be cut off. Center carrier barring had to be replaced. I started Lemon Law proceeding on this. It just happens that the day VW recieved by defect notification, "suddenly" they can fix my vehicle. I sold it after less then one year and bought Lexus RX 330 and lost several thousand dollars over my purchase of the 2004 Touareg, SUV of the year. I was so happy to get rid of the VW, and never happier driving a vehicle like the RX330.....

I love this car

Best every day car I have ever owned

I have owned 5 Jeeps since 1986, I like the size and looks of the Jeep but not the brakes or trips to the dealer for repairs. I have 4500 miles on my V-8 Touareg and love it. It is has all the power you would ever need, and is as much fun to drive as my Porsche 4-S. The build quiity is superior to the Jeep. The air suspension is a must. The Touareg V-8 comes standard with most everything unlike the Porsche SUV.. The only negative I have is the gas mileage and the way the rear seats fold down. If I drive sensibly I can get 14 in town and 18 on the freeway. On the road it handles like a sport car (air suspension) After a 400 mile trip my legs are not cramping up as they have in every other car I have owned.

Brilliant SUV

My parents bought me a VW Touareg as a welcome home gift from College this May. I was excited but at the same time apprehensive because I have heard/read that this SUV has many problems et al. I got it and me and my buddies went up to New Hampshire and it was the best automobile I have ever driven in my life(last car was a 2002 330i)! I had to take it in for a glitch in the airbag system and for a temperature gauge malfunction but have been tremendously satisfied with it! Superb road handling on wet, grueling, everything-nature-throws-at-you New Hampshire backroads and on the highways. I now have 12,500 miles on my Touareg, offroading and highway/city. Definately buy if you have the chance!

Luxury and ruggedness in one

This thing has been great both on and off road. Very reliable and comfortable. I looked at a lot of luxury SUVs in this class and as far as ride comfort and interior material quality this is by far the best. Towing capacity is great for a vehicle this size. If you don’t need third row seating, this is the vehicle to get.