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Volkswagen Touareg Estate (2003-2009) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 1.5 out of 51.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 19 - 34 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

Higher mileage drivers should opt for one of the diesels to offset running costs (they’re also good engines in their own right). Service intervals are dictated by the car, but these should typically be every 18,000 miles or two years. Insurance is reasonable for the class, but pricey overall. Depreciation has been bearable so far – but values are being kept high, because most used models are within the Volkswagen dealer network.

The Touareg is a fairly polluting model, however there is the availability of a Bluemotion version. This 3.0-litre TDI emits 219g/km of CO2 and averages a respectable 34mpg (compared to 30mpg in the standard model) which is pretty good for such a heavy four-wheel drive vehicle.

This is Volkswagen producing cars to the highest standard. Although there were a few glitches with the earliest cars, there should be no mechanical worries.