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Used 2012 Volkswagen Touareg Diesel Consumer Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
19 reviews

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Pros
Cons
5 out of 5 stars

Incredible value!

Tamas Kovacs, 12/08/2015
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful

I bought this car new and put 92k miles in it in about 4 years with absolutely no issues. I have done all scheduled maintenance but nothing else. It still looks, feels and drives like a brand new car. Still on my first set of brakes, and absolutely no complains about anything. Though not cheap, the quality and design inside and out is of cars twice this cost. It is extremely comfortable, fast and fun to drive. Very quite and smooth even at high speeds. Incredibly good in snow and bad driving conditions. I have nothing but good to say about this and will more likely buy the same car when ready to part with this one.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Best vehicle I’ve ever owned

Ktn, 10/26/2019
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful

When I left the dealership with my new ride back in 2012, I was afraid I made epic mistake. 7 years later and I wish I had bought two of them. I’ve put 100k miles on this beast and had ZERO maintenance issues. The diesel still pulls like a tractor and the suspension still handles like a go kart. I’m so sad VW chose to stop selling Touaregs in the US.

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4.75 out of 5 stars

Six Weeks with Hilda -Touareg TDI

talone, 11/24/2012
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
27 of 29 people found this review helpful

Six weeks ago I purchased a new black 2012 Touareg. I named the vehicle "Hilda" and I must say this girl is well built, fun to drive, has a great motor and impresses all who ride with her. Originally I planned to purchase a gas Tourareg, but after taking the diesel out for a drive I was hooked. I fell in love with Hilda and how smoothly and quickly she travels down the highway and navigates city streets. Hilda embraced my 6'-6" frame as no other SUV I have ever driven. Hilda is a pricey vehicle, but fine cars like fine women don't come cheap. In the case of Hilda she has performed exceptionally well. I have noticed many a man look at Hilda with lust in their eyes. WHAT A GREAT CAR!!!

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4.88 out of 5 stars

Very satisfied

steve41, 01/11/2012
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful

Traded a troublesome 09 BMW X5 diesel. Could not be happier. The new body looks like a Cayenne, (had a Cayenne prior to the X5), and the interior is very nice. Handling is great; mileage will hopefully improve from 26,27. I hope to get 29, as I did with the X5. Touch screen with phone interface, nav with traffic,sirius xm is very nice and easy to use. Good sound system. Feels solid and hopefully will be a good ride for a long time. 2700 miles to date.

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4.63 out of 5 stars

Love the quality

zenberg1, 12/12/2011
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation, Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Picked this car up a week ago trading in my BMW 5 series and already have over 1000 miles. Am pretty shocked to be getting over 28 mpg average with my driving split 70/30 hwy to city driving. Beautiful inside with well thought out controls and very comfortable seats. The ride is so smooth it's like gliding. I really like how nav, phone, stereo and trip computer interface show up in center of console, right in front of the driver. A couple of minor complaints: for this price (almost 50k with tax) this car should have memory seats and remote key fob. I mean even mid tier cars give u this today.

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3.5 out of 5 stars

Disaster...love the car, but 10 service calls??

lastvw, 10/17/2014
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful

This has been a nightmare. I have been back to the dealer 10 times with check engine light issues and ad blue issues. brakes squeal in reverse. tires very hard to balance. great car...but I don't have the time for the service....if you buy one, must buy the extended warranty (3rd party).

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4.88 out of 5 stars

2 years and 30,000 miles

fordecoboost, 03/17/2014
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Quite possibly the best vehicle I have owned and this covers GM, Chrysler, Ford, Austin Healy 3000, Volvo. Volkswagen Group(Porsche & Audi). (Ford F 150ecoboost not included, The Beast). Fuel Mileage is as advertised...20-29mpg overall. 2(2 -5,800 mile rt's from California to Ohio, via southern and northern routes[28.5mpg avg. Speed to 105mph]. Tire wear(Pirelli) is at the half way point, brake pads are at 9mm. Vehicle speed control maintains speed when ascending long grades(ie, New Mexico and Arizona)Not true when decending. Was given a rather late model Infinity SUV while waiting on delivery of Vdub. What a joke! Like a buckboard with confusing controls. 6 inch watery marsh, no problem.

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5 out of 5 stars

Best Vehicle We've Ever Owned!

KDizzle, 09/07/2019
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful

My wife and I recently purchased our 2012 Touareg TDI. We've only put about 2K miles on it but it's been amaizing so far. Fuel economy around town averages around 21 mpg and on the highway it's easy to get 28-30 mpg. We did a road trip to CO and averaged 29.8 mpg over 500 miles on our return trip. Styling is understated but very attractive. Extremely comfortable seating for all - plenty of adjustment for both driver and passenger, very easy to get the optimal driving position. Ride is firm but extremely confident - it shares its platform with the Porsche Cayenne afterall and handles incredibly for its size and weight. The interior is extremely well put together, everything is exactly where you want it to be, and exudes a quiet luxury. We bought our Touareg used with 77K miles on it and everything looks, sounds and feels like a new car - everything tight and zero rattles. Ours is an Executive model so it has the excellent Dynaudio audio system that sounds amazing, panoramic sunroof, 20 in wheels, keyless entry and more. Due to the whole Dieselgate thing it comes with VW's 48K, 4 year extended warranty which is nice. It's also capable of towing up to 7700 pounds which is crazy. We're hoping it's going to be reliable going forward but so far it's easily the nicest vehicle we've ever owned.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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1 out of 5 stars

Worst vehicle I've ever owned.

Ben, 01/22/2022
updated 07/31/2023
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Maintenance, repairs and spares for this car are a killer. You can't do maintenance yourself because parts are either unobtainable or rediculously over priced. Add to that that VW never met a needlessly complicated solution to a non-existent problem that they didn't like. Long story short, I'm gonna buy a Honda or Toyota next and be done with this piece of garbage. Diesel engine randomly had a catastrophic failure in spite of meticulous maintenance and well below average mileage.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
3 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
1 out of 5 stars
Value
1 out of 5 stars
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3.5 out of 5 stars

Extremely disappointed - not recommended

sk14msk, 11/19/2013
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful

I bought my 2012 Toureg certified used with 12k miles on it. The steering wheel shakes at 65-75 mph and I took my car back to the dealer two times already. Every time they returned the car to me, they said the problem has been fixed. New tires, alignment, nothing is helping. There are numerous other VW Touareg drivers out there who are as disappointed as I am. The steering wheel shake makes longer trips very uncomfortable. I am extremely unhappy with this car.

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5 out of 5 stars

The beast of southern Utah

WDJ, 03/02/2019
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful

This is a fantastic machine. I think VW pulled out all the stops to enter the SUV market (including the emissions scandal!). Still looks and drives great at 95,000 miles. I had a freak repair, though. A water cooling system valve malfunctioned on the PA Turnpike and the engine temp rose above 200. I limped in to a dealer by driving no faster than 55, which held the engine to 200. The dealer had never seen this problem before and I think they told me the entire VW system showed just one other instance. Anyway, nothing major since! I drove it all over my favorite southern Utah parks, on- and off-road, and felt secure and comfortable the entire time. Great passing power on the highway, too, when the turbo kices in.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
4 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

A stoic Ox that moves you in comfort and class

latetothegame, 03/07/2020
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful

For such an understated look, I can't help but be impressed with this generation of Touareg. The design is simple to a point that most people will overlook it as a simple Jeep or Acura, only to double take and notice the finer curves and details that comes with a german automobile. The interior has more in common with an Audi than Passat, the driving experience has more in common with a base model Cayenne than a Tiguan. These differences make sense when you learn that the Touareg is built alongside the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne in VAG's Slovakia plant. Pros: Punches way above its weight in refinement and value. The most intentionally designed car I have ever owned. Nothing but high quality materials. The engine is a modern Oxen. A sports utility vehicle that brings utility but also the often-overlooked sport compared to other SUVs. Seats are the closest to a plush recliner that you will find in a car. Rear seating and space are just right. Not too cavernous, not too small. I've had tall people in the back offer no complaints. Steering and cornering defy the 4800lb. weight. Cons: The U.S. version is stripped of the options that its rivals still offer. No more low transfer case, no more optional locking diffs or air suspension. Yet every other market in the world was gifted with at least one of these. Seriously, this SUV would be 100/100 if they still offered air suspension. With 19"-20" stock wheels you're going to wish you had it. The ride is sports car firm in the Lux and Executive trims, yet the Sports trim is a little more comfortable riding on smaller wheels. Seems like a contradiction, yet I suspect they didn't want to change damper rates by trim level. High quality tires will help here. Purchased CPO after the TDI update. A steal considering the original price tag and an unlimited mile CPO warranty. Only trouble I've had with it is a clogged rear window washer nozzle. Took 10 minutes to fix.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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2.88 out of 5 stars

My first and last VW

jmay1, 03/24/2012
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
22 of 38 people found this review helpful

I traded in my 2007 Volvo XC90 for the 2012 Touareg TDI and, 7 months later, I am trading it in with only 8400 miles on it. Since I bought it in September of 2011, I have had it in for service 6 times (AdBlue pump issues, check engine light has come on many times and the brakes squeal when in reverse). I love the styling, comfort and gas mileage, but it's just not worth the headache and trips to the service department. I would have thought for what I paid for it, it would have been better in it's class. I chose this over the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3 (which cost less) and I couldn't be more disappointed.

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5 out of 5 stars

Great Vehicle

clockit4, 01/11/2015
updated 01/14/2017
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I am very impressed with this vehicle. I have a two Bmw X 5's in the past, and this vehicle is of equal or slightly better quality. I cannot stand rattles in a vehicle and this Touareg posses no rattles whatsoever. Very stable over bumps and railroad tracks. I love the gas mileage the TDI offers. The navigation system is the best I have seen in any vehicle. Love the posted speed limits shown on screen. Touareg currently has 29,000 miles on the odometer.

Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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4.88 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

billyjack2, 12/17/2011
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Sport 4dr SUV AWD w/Navigation, Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful

This is a must see/drive vehicle. When you can average over 29 mpg in about 90/10 highway/city driving, it's pretty sweet.

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3.88 out of 5 stars

2012 Touareg TDI Exec

treg23, 01/15/2013
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
7 of 15 people found this review helpful

Traded in my beloved "05 V8 Exec on this 2012 TDI Exec in July 2012. Have logged lots of seat time accumulating almost 20,000 Kms. Overall this is a very good and very capable vehicle but this one seems was seemingly built by an Slovakian on a Friday afternoon.

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5 out of 5 stars

Terrific Toureg

slomosean, 09/10/2023
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Executive 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I have a 2012 Toureg TDI executive lux and I Love everything about it from the Sound System to the Handling, this car the Porsche Cayenne and The Audi ov the same year are essentially the same car built on the same chassis at the same plant in Bratislava, this car is a Beast!

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3 out of 5 stars

Disappointing From The Start

clarkg, 11/08/2011
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
27 of 98 people found this review helpful

My 2012 Touareg Lux TDI has been a disappointment as compared to the 2010 Touareg TDI I owned previously. The key/fob ignition system is a huge step backwards in convenience from the keyless start system. Unless you want to spend an additional $5K for the "Executive" version I have found the key fob gizmo in my 2012 "Lux" model as very difficult to operate properly. Upon stopping the engine the key fob cannot be removed from the dash socket about 50% of the time so I have to jockey the start/stop engine function until it can be extracted. If VW engineers were trying to prevent theft they actually have enhanced it as when the fob is stuck anyone can hop in and drive off.

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5 out of 5 stars

My First Toureg TDI w/lux package

aakdeniz, 11/18/2011
2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 10/11 (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
15 of 60 people found this review helpful

I have been driving BMWs for the last 25 years including an X5, I was on my way to get a 2012 X5 and decided to checkout the Toureg on my way to BMW dealership. I am well aware of the latest technologies especially on BMWs. Well guess what? I was so impressed with the Diesel Toureg with Lux package that I ended up buying one that day. Gas milage, technology options, safety features, interior room and the feel of driving is impressive (i am getting 30mph highway, 24 city and 26.7 combined). Make no mistake- for almost $18k less than a comparative BMW X5, this car is the best buy from every perspective. Dealer experience was as good as a BMW dealership. The car is perfect after 2k of driving

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