Used 2016 Volkswagen Touareg Consumer Reviews
Poor quality, defective electronics, bad dealers
George, 08/31/2016
TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
39 of 58 people found this review helpful
It's hard to enjoy a brand new car that is riddled with problems. My 2015 Touareg only has 12,000 miles on the odometer, and I've been to the dealership 6 times in 12 months of ownership for faulty parts and electrical problems. Everything from a faulty break actuator to a Nav and Entertainment system that resets itself to factory settings every few weeks with no warning— erasing all of the stored data and radio stations. I get warning messages that I watched three VW technicians stand around looking at only to tell me "that's a new one, we’ve never seen that before". I’ve had a faulty air conditioner fan motor, and my HVAC occasionally blows heat when it's 80 degrees outside, and it's set to 65 with the A/C on. At least once a week (not an exaggeration) it simply doesn't start when the ignition button is pressed, and instead an error saying "side light on" appears — that’s the one the technicians can’t “diagnose”. I'm stuck taking UBERs to work because VW refuses to provide loaner cars for warranty repairs because of "cost cutting" according to my VW dealer. I’ve called VW of America several times and they opened a case with VW’s customer care team which got me nowhere, I was told "there is pending litigation, so we can not address a buyback for your car." I'll never do business with VW Audi again, horrible dealers, terrible service centers that can't fix the electrical problems this brand new car has. Our other car is a Lexus which is impeccable. We have had three other Lexus vehicles, each from a different dealership, and they all treat you like royalty. If you call Lexus corporate, you're met with customer service people that actually care about their customers, they always follow up on customer feedback. VW Audi doesn't show any concern or respect for their customers, yet people flock to them. Buying the VW was the worst mistake I ever made. Everyone told me it was a Porsche Cayenne light, it's more like a cheap Fiat with all the trips I've made to the dealership with problems that are still not fixed. I’m hopeful that the current TDI lawsuit results in a buyback for this car. Paying over $60k for a brand new car that you have to worry about starting in the morning in unacceptable. Even more unacceptable is the way VW treats their customers at both the dealership and corporate level.
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Touareg- Better than my Mercedes Benz ML350
Lyle Schwartz, 01/31/2018
TDI Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbodiesel 8A)
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
Love the car. Would buy again despite some shortcomings like Nav and entertainment. The 3,0L diesel very quick and surprisingly quiet. 8 speed transmission perfect match for engine. However, the Nav system is borderline rubbish (VW Nav has always been crummy- have 2 other VW's 2014 Tiguan and 2015 Golf with same Nav issues). So I use Waze instead. The sound system is definitely rubbish... shouldn't be hard to get a good sound system on ANY car these days. Doesn't matter if playing CD or Bluetooth input from your iPhone- same result... blah! Handles great, and safety systems very good (radar based cruise control, lane change assist, etc.). I've recently sold my MBZ ML350. I like this better than that (except for the NAV and Entertainment). But all else better. Aug 2020- have owned since Dec 2017. Still love the Touareg. Have taken many lengthy trips (500-1100 miles). Only thing I hoped for was better fuel mileage. It does seem to go through more Def-Blue additive than I planned. We monitor engine wear by using outside oil monitoring company (to monitor crankcase oil dilution possibility to minimum during warranty period- highly recommended).
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Like new after 3 yrs.
Carlos, 03/10/2019
VR6 Sport w/Technology 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Look for one in really good shape and lower mileage. They're out there. I did something I have never done before and that was getting the ext. warranty for 3yrs. Mine was just out of warranty but the interior (and out) looked like new with virtually no damage or wear. Got it for less than half the new sale price and feel like I'm getting a lot of car, and features, for the money. This car looks fantastic and runs and handles amazingly well. Not the latest tech on the 2016 but an unbeatable value compared to similar size vehicles. Really tight and nicely appointed interior with quality materials and a very clean and classy design inside and out. Really happy with it!
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Comfortable, well designed, easy to live with.
Evan, 06/17/2019
VR6 Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I absolutely love my Touareg. Not only are the front seats immensely comfortable (especially with the cooling feature in the summer, and the rapid heating in the winter), the car eats city and highway miles with ease. The backseat isn't bad either, the panoramic sunroof extends beyond the back seat, making the cabin feel light and airy regardless of the weather outside. The powertrain has, thus far, been reliable and plenty powerful. My only issue is that when I purchased my car, the auto cruise control feature was "unavailable." The dealer I took it to in North Carolina was unable to remedy the issue, and they proposed throwing several thousand dollars at the fix with a kind of "let's hope this works attitude" - needless to say, I declined (the 3 year bumper to bumper warranty is expired). All things considered though, the car has been a joy. Year 2 Ownership Update: Since writing my initial review, a second VW dealer in Wisconsin was reticent to even take on the repair so decided to go the independent shop route. I was able to find an independent ADAS (adaptive driver assist systems) certified shop that was able to recalibrate my Adaptive Cruise Control for a fraction of the dealer-quoted price. Outside of the initial trouble getting the ACC to work, the car has been incredibly reliable. All I've done is oil changes, and filter replacements, otherwise, the car hasn't needed anything out of the ordinary at just over 50,000 miles. I highly recommend a Touareg.
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Endless Quality Problems
KSD, 02/19/2019
VR6 Lux 4dr SUV AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A)
8 of 13 people found this review helpful
We purchased the Touareg new in 2016 and have returned to the original dealership for all scheduled maintenance. The car currently has 62,000 miles and is quickly becoming a maintenance/quality nightmare. The majority of the miles driven have been freeway miles, with long trips from the KC area to Phoenix, Clearwater FL, and Chicago. Because we travel so frequently, we are preparing to sell the Touareg--which, the resell value is another major shock! While it's not directly related to maintenance, the first concern with the car was how quickly the factory tires need to be replaced. That happened with less than 40,000 miles. And, again, the miles were driven primarily on the freeway. The real concerns started right at 60,000 miles. Since then, the water pump has been replaced. That work was performed under the drivetrain warranty. Then at 62,000, both fuel level sending units went out. The local VW dealership quoted just under $1,000 to replace both. A quick search of Google reveals that this is a long-standing problem that spans VW models. Additionally, the interior fit is starting to reveal poor craftsmanship. The cover on the center console is coming unglued and one of the A-pillar trim pieces will not stay seated. The dealership informed us that both would need to be replaced. But, that's money we are not willing to throw at the vehicle. Overall, the vehicle drives well and is very comfortable. The touchscreen is outdated and limited in functionality, as is the navigation system. We would keep and enjoy this car if it weren't for the concerns over quality issues.
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