Skip advert
Advertisement

VW Touareg

You don’t need to spend £70,000 to buy a range-topping SUV

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£4,923 off RRP*
Find your Volkswagen Touareg
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Touareg is good looking, drives well and is sturdily constructed. But despite its name, this Altitude model doesn’t take the 4x4 to new heights. It amounts to little more than a makeover, while the styling doesn’t really suit the VW’s lines. The car isn’t particularly good value, either, so we’d recommend you stick with the regular SE.

Advertisement - Article continues below

You don’t need to spend £70,000 to buy a range-topping SUV – how about this new, special-edition Touareg? Called the Alti­tude and starting at £34,000, it celebrates the fact that VW’s 4x4 set a new world record by scaling the highest point on earth a car can reach.

Based on the SE trim, the Altitude has 19-inch alloys, stainless steel twin exhaust pipes, a sporty roof spoiler, side skirts and beefed-up bumpers. Tinted rear glass finishes things off.

The trouble is, we don’t think the result is a success. The bodykit doesn’t blend in with the VW’s shape and, at an extra £2,765, doesn’t seem good value. What’s more, ground clearance is reduced, affecting off-roading ability.

However, as most Touaregs stay on tarmac, maybe that isn’t so important. Despite the extra stiffness of the low-profile tyres and larger alloy wheels, the suspension absorbs road bumps very well and offers sporty responses.

Add the punchy, refined V6 diesel of our test car, plus a well equipped and com­fortable cabin, and you have a very capable SUV. The only thing the Touareg really lacks is a seven-seat option.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Touareg

Volkswagen Touareg

RRP £59,805Avg. savings £4,923 off RRP*Used from £20,570
Audi Q7

Audi Q7

RRP £62,700Avg. savings £7,873 off RRP*Used from £30,994
Mercedes GLE

Mercedes GLE

RRP £61,475Used from £28,295
Land Rover Discovery

Land Rover Discovery

RRP £56,095Avg. savings £2,834 off RRP*Used from £10,995
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans
Future of Nissan in the UK - header with Phil McNamara

Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans

Nissan is about to go from building the Qashqai hybrid to three fresh EVs in the UK over the next three years – all powered by a new gigafactory
Features
19 Apr 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
17 Apr 2025
New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring
Baby Nissan Juke exclusive image - rear

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring

Nissan to fast-track development of new battery-powered city car to take on forthcoming Volkswagen ID.1, and our exclusive images preview how it could…
News
18 Apr 2025