Used 2016 Volkswagen Touareg Consumer Reviews
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Best Kept Secret in the SUV Universe -
Driving the amazing VW Touareg TDI is like no other driving experience I've ever had. Prior to the Touareg, I drove Audi A6 bi-turbo and A4 for nearly 11 years. Eventually, I decided that I wanted something that would allow me to enjoy the sporty ride of the Audi's, but give me capable off-roadability. Well, I found this in spades with the VW Touareg. (Confession: I was so absorbed in the Audi universe, the Touareg was completely off my radar.) When I decided to acquire an off-road capable SUV, I looked at all the usual suspects, but after driving Audi sport sedans for so long, nothing in the SUV market really grabbed me. I did test drive the gorgeous Audi Q5, but found it too cramped inside. I test drove the Q7 and although it was plenty spacious and a beautiful vehicle, it was just much more vehicle than I needed and didn't smack of the off-road prowess I was seeking. At one point in my search for my next ride, I saw an Ad for a VW Touareg TDI turbo diesel. Hmmmmm . . . I thought to myself - wondering what this is about? So off to the VW dealer for a test drive. My first impression was extremely positive as I checked out the exterior lines and the interior accoutrements. So, pulling out of the dealer's lot and onto the highway, I'm pushed back into my very comfy seat as the turbo diesel with it 407 lb. feet of torque accelerates like my Audi A6 and instantly, I can sense a creation of huge smile sneaking-up on my face combined with thoughts of 'WTF', this thing is amazing! The ride was incredibly quiet, smooth and planted. The torky TDI provides instant power delivery to the wheels with absolutely no hesitation or lag. The test drive route the sales person guided me through consisted of stop-and-go traffic, open highway and a section of twisty county road. All I could think about is how slot-car like planted, precise and fun to drive the Touareg was. Serious Wow factor to be found here (Akin to a huge Audi A6). Later that day, I went on YouTube and reviewed the numerous videos of the Touareg performing off-road and I was sold! I now have 62,000 miles on my Touareg TDI Lux trim and I plan on driving it until the wheels fall off. It's just that good! As for problems, I've replace 2 light bulbs and had a problem that had nothing to do with the vehicle, but everything to do with the outdated urea the dealer sold me. But problem was fixed and that has been the extent of the issues.
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FUN TO DRIVE !
Owner of a (new) 2016 TDI sport, I now have close to 5 000 miles on it, I get an average of 28 MPG @ 75 mph, the ride is quiet and smooth with what seems to be endless power/torque, 750 mile range per tank, very comfortable, one minor downside is the bottom seat cushion is very long. The acceleration is good, cornering feels solid like a good car, definitely not like a 2 1/2 ton suv. Repairs and maintenance up to par with Benz and BMW prices, understand that "This Is Not a Cheap Car". Truly a pleasure to drive, especially on long range trips, I do not mind the fact that you don't see that many Touareg on the road. **Update 1/24/20** ONE major issue with this vehicle is the lack of knowledge from VW technicians at the dealership, NO training on TOUAREG, regular VW techs have a tendency of screwing up working on it, it might become an issue for future repairs, that said I'm keeping this vehicle as long as I can, no other SUV comes close to the T-REG, unless you're willing to spend $$$$$$ on BMW or Range Rover (if you can find diesel). 9 000+ miles now, had 1st oil change, no mechanical or electronics issues or problems so far with "Das Auto" (still under factory warranty). *8/25/21 update* 3 years of ownership, 3 oil changes, still love the car, factory warranty about to expire, no problem with anything so far, still enjoy the ride every time I drive it. *3/15/22 Still have the Beast, mostly stored for the winter, passed the 16000 mile mark, factory warranty expired in November, still no issues or glitches to report, still enjoy every second I drive it! 9/24/23 Still own the Touareg, driven 95% on long range trips, average 27 to 30 mpg depending on my driving, I like this vehicle, got around 30 000+ miles on it, no issues, regular maintenance (oil and filter, fuel filter, fluids as needed), found a decent VW dealer for service, great suv all around.
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- TDI Lux Diesel 4dr SUVMSRP: $23,998148 mi away
- TDI Lux Diesel 4dr SUVMSRP: $14,995177 mi away
- TDI Lux Diesel 4dr SUVMSRP: $19,995189 mi away
Love our Touareg
Moved down in size from a series of Ford Expeditions and an Infiniti QX56, but this was an absolute upgrade in all the aspects that count to me now. With no more kids in the house, I don't need the huge vehicle with a third-row seat anymore. This vehicle has far more luxury, solidity, precision, and safety than any previous vehicle I've owned, and compares well to my past Audis and BMW's but at a price point that belies its luxury and performance. With a sticker of $55K, we paid around $43K with discounts and incentives. What a steal; I'm very happy to have downsized to a much better commuter vehicle in all respects, while still being able to tow my 5000 lb boat with towing capacity to spare.
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Best SUV - 2016 Touareg
Great value. The Touareg Sport with Technology model has all the safety features available. It's a pleasure to drive as it performs very well and is very comfortable. We've owned many VWs over the years and our 2016 Touareg is the best of them all.
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my third one!
I am a big fan of the TDI Touaregs. Just traded my 2014 with 85k and zero problems for a 2016 with 4k miles on it - This is my third TDI and I have put over 80k on each of the others with zero problems. Sad to see them leave the marketplace. I can easily get 30mpg on the highway and tow my 21' Boston Whaler with ease (22 mpg). I love the new safety features on the 2016 - plus AC seats! - update - I now have 17000 miles on the Touareg - I love the TDI, great torque, effortless cruising. The only thing I have done is change the tires to Vredestein Quatrac 5's. The stock tires were too noisy for me.
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GREAT SUV, wish they kept them in the U.S.
Iv'e owned nearly two dozen VW's of pretty much every model except a Beetle. This is now my third Touareg (2016 Executive) I did have a 2018 Atlas SE R-Line which I returned after a year. The Atlas was a great looking vehicle however I'm very sorry to say it was the worst Volkswagen I've ever owned. The Atlas was cheaply made, in order to be more Americanized (sorry America). The overall fit and feel was horrendous and had to return it. I had to pick up another Touareg due to it being such a solid feeling vehicle, the best vehicle Iv'e owned by far.
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Luxury and Power at a Great price.
We took advantage of the deals and price reduction that VW had to do with the diesel problem. I had a substantial reduction on the price for this marvelous car. I was waiting for the TDI to be available but the negotiation was so convenient that I could not refuse the opportunity. I always had Toyota and Subaru, VW prices were still too high until the problem appears and allow many people to afford the most expensive car that VW was selling. I have the color combination that I want it, the engine is quite powerfull and driving home from the place i bought it it was extremely comfortable and the riding is way better than any Japanese or American cars, it just feel that the car stick to the road the faster you go. In fact I had to really floor the accelerator in 2 opportunities, to pass a line of trucks that was obstructing the road for several miles. The engine really roars and is not only a lot of noise but a lot of passing power. As I mentioned I lost the window and came to the dealer 1 day after the TDI no selling decision was taken nationwide. I have read cons comments about the mpg but if you realize the car is full time AWD and off course this SUV will take more gas and even more tire rubber that simpler FWD or RWD. I believe owing this SUV gives you some satisfaction in a way that you do not see many of them driving around but can become a disadvantage……..it has become an “orphan car”. Good thing VW still services them. The off road capability of this car is amazing, besides that the American selling model does not has the posibility to increase or decrease the SUV hight (which is the advantage of Jeep Cherokee) still give you the advantage of changing roads or climb to higher lands in every day situations like heavy rain, flooded roads, muddy roads, etc. The model I got is stronger than a Toyota 4Runner and way more comfortable however we lost some luggage space. The wheels are big and the tires are wider than many other SUVs giving the vehicle a strong presence. I am very happy with our purchase and never changed even after the TDI model was re-released for sale. UPDATE 08-2018 Thanks to Edmunds.com that has invited me to complement my review. It is August 2018 and we has had the car for 2+ years. It has been great. The SUV still drives excellently. It has 32000 miles now and we have only change the original tires for a new Michelin set and the grip to the road is amazing. The original tires wore down pretty quick and we have correct the alignement. By the way this is done only at the VW because at NTB my usual shop, they were not able to do because they need an special tool. Off course it was expensive but the car still runs like new. Postsale service is very good, but expensive! We even have the chance to use it "off road" when there were a lot of floaded roads and muddy detours roads and it did really good. I have the opportunity to tow one of those medium size U-haul trailers and it was uneventfull. Gas mileage decreased because it is not diesel but it did very good climbing small hills with it. I’ve seen videos and reviews and the general opinion about this SUV is very good. At VW they offer me to buy the VW Atlas as an "upgrade" from mine, it is bigger than mine but I decline the "offer". The SUV is no longer being sold in the US but it is still produced in Germany for European countries. The new 2019 Touareg is absolutely amazing but from what I heard from VW will not come to us because they want to promote sales for the Atlas and Tiguan that do not compare to my Touareg. I advice whoever is reading my review that if they need a safe and solid reliable car for their college kids this is an excellent option because price in the used market is very affordable. UPDATE 04-2023 Thanks Edmunds.com for allowing me an update. The SUV is still ours. It has reach 100.000 miles. Still running great. On the third set of tires. Still serviced at the dealer ( mean expensive care) but absolutely no problems. We had a the sun roof problem that is mentioned by other owners done and was just a drain valve that was replaced. The other mayor repair we have done was the break units in the front wheels they seem to come in a closed unit with disc and everything and had to be replaced in pair. The interior is still looking nice, no rattling and chairs are comfortable for long trips. Gas mileage is overall good in the way that the gas tank is large so no need to make frequent stops. To my surprise everybody complains about the poor quality LED day lights on other VWs, not mine. They are still bright and working well. Prices on used ones are still holding good, probably due to some YouTube channels that shows its good off-road capabilities. I still highly recommend this SUV.
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Touring in the Touareg is Sensational
I went for the fully loaded TDI Executive and glad I did - it was the only one on the lot and I negotiated a reasonable deal - not great but reasonable despite the noise around emissions that I am sure others are guilty of and that VW will resolve. This machine is very smooth and quite for a diesel and has awesome power and torque matched with an excellent 4 wheel drive system and super smooth 8 speed transmission. Interior fit and finish is AUDI like - well beyond the perception of the VW brand. Frankly very happy with the vehicle and dealer experience.
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Comfortable, well designed, easy to live with.
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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Amazing Diesel SUV
This SUV is simply the most-underrated luxury SUV ever made. Powerful engine, smooth ride, will pull down your house, and comfortable luxurious interior. What I love most about it is that you never see any others on the road unlike BMW, Mercedes, and Audi which are at ever traffic light in Atlanta.
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