Volkswagen Touareg News

Large SUVs are the big, spacious heroes of suburbia, favoured by families with more than a couple of kids and picked for their adventurous and sporty looks when probably a people mover would do.Of course, there are the large SUVs that aren’t just tough looking but incredibly capable off-road, too. Then there are those which are fully electric, and bring supercar acceleration to something that feels like the size of a small house.As part of our ongoing 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year awards, here are our top 10 large SUV model ranges from the sub-$100K category in alphabetical order and why they made the cut. Our top three, including the category winner, will be announced February 6.Chinese carmaker Chery brought its flagship Tiggo 9 seven-seater SUV to Australia in late 2025 and in one grade only - the Ultimate.CarsGuide reviewers found the Tiggo 9 to be outstanding value for money, but also standing out is its ‘Super Hybrid’ system which offers a large battery, fast charging and a long combined range with excellent fuel efficiency.Add to this a superbly comfortable ride and you can see why the Tiggo 9 has made our shortlist.  Hyundai’s Santa Fe quickly became an Aussie family favourite after it was launched here 25 years ago. Loved for being spacious and affordable, this large SUV became safer, better to drive and more refined over the years until we come to today’s fifth-generation model, which is the best yet.The Santa Fe is a three-row large SUV available in both petrol and petrol-hybrid powertrains. It has some fierce rivals in this large and affordable SUV segment, but CarsGuide reviewers loved the way it combines practicality and value for money with style and refinement that can withstand all the spills and rough treatment delivered by families.  So much kudos needs to go to Kia for launching its largest SUV ever - the EV9 - as an all-electric model only. A brave move that even made the EV9 unique in its segment as the first fully electric, seven-seat, upper-large SUV on the market.CarsGuide reviewers found the EV9 to be practical, superb to drive with outstanding levels of comfort and performance, and while it can be pricey there’s large fast charging batteries, with long ranges and vehicle-to-load power capability.Add to all this the futuristic chiselled looks and you have an SUV that’s bravely different, and beautifully fit for purpose.The Land Rover Defender is iconic. Famous for being the choice of transport for decades of hardcore adventurers to royalty and everyone in between, not many SUVs can combine prestige and off-road prowess like the Defender. The new Defender is a far more luxurious affair than the early Land Rover Series 1 from the 1940s that started the whole off-road SUV thing, but the blocky looks are still reminiscent of its agricultural ancestor.CarsGuide reviewers found the Defender to be comfortable and great to drive, with excellent practicality but fuel consumption can be high and towing capacity less than rivals.Available in a short- and long-wheelbase, with a choice of powerplants from supercharged V8s to hybrids the Defender is an exceptional go-anywhere luxury SUV.The Polestar 4 is a prestige electric coupe-style SUV that arrived in Australia in 2024, causing chins to wag due to its complete lack of rear window, and a digital review mirror.The rear window controversy was good publicity for the brand which arrived in Australia in 2022 with its Polestar 2 sedan but had seemingly gone off the boil with the arrival of a multitude of new Chinese electric SUVs.At 4.84m end to end, the Polestar 4 is about a finger’s length longer than the Tesla Model Y, but more expensive and would see its rivals as Audi’s Q6 e-tron Sportback and BMW iX3.  CarsGuide reviewers found the Polestar 4 to have an impressive driving range, excellent performance, great styling… but that lack of back window and the digital rear view mirror, not so great. The new-generation Skoda Kodiaq arrived in 2025, bigger and more refined than the previous version, even if the styling appeared to have barely changed. CarsGuide reviewers found this seven-seater to be practical with excellent cabin storage and packed with loads of standard features, making the Kodiaq excellent value.Superb to drive with great handling and a comfortable ride, the Kodiaq is the alternative to more mainstream rivals such as the Mitsubishi Outlander or Toyota Kluger.  Toyota’s seven-seat large SUV has also been on the shopping list of Aussie families since 2003 and while there’s more rivals to pick from than 20 years ago, the Kluger remains popular.CarsGuide reviewers found the Kluger to be spacious, practical, effortless to drive and with a fuel efficient hybrid powertrain, it is also outstanding value for money and comes with low servicing costs and Toyota’s reputation of reliability.Aussie Klugers are made in right-hand drive at Toyota’s Indiana plant in the United States.  Toyota’s LandCruiser 300 Series is a legend in its own time, acclaimed worldwide as one of the most capable large off-roaders, that’s comfortable, and with an exceptional reputation for reliability.With rivals such as the Nissan Patrol and Land Rover Defender, CarsGuide reviewers found the LandCruiser 300 Series to not only be great off-road, but also have good on-road manners, too. Reviewers noted, however, the high price tag and the need for better off-road tyres.The new-gen Toyota LandCruiser Prado arrived in late 2024 amid high expectations given the popularity of the previous modelsThe new Prado had a completely new retro cool look, but also a higher price tag. Still CarsGuide reviewers found the Prado very effective off-road and a big improvement over the previous gen with an increased towing capacity of 3500kg. But CarsGuide reviewers also found the Prado to be underpowered and not as good value for money as a Ford Everest or Isuzu MU-X.   Volkswagen's Touareg is a large, luxurious SUV that’s closely related to Audi’s Q7 but without the higher price.While all Touareg’s are five-seaters only, CarsGuide reviewers found it to be practical, full of sophisticated tech and refined in design and quality.A plug-in hybrid in the sporty R grade is available but CarsGuide reviewers found energy consumption to be high and EV driving range to be low.

Overnight reports out of Germany are pointing to Volkswagen retiring its long-serving full-size, luxury SUV, the Touareg at the end of the current, third-generation model’s life in 2026.

Volkswagen's incoming new-generation T-Roc small SUV will feature the brand’s first hybrid system when it arrives this year, according to a report It might sound strange but until now when it comes to hybrid vehicles Volkswagen has only offered the plug-in kind (PHEV) or mild variants. Now in a first for the brand a series-parallel hybrid system similar to the one that Toyota uses will debut on the second gen T-Roc.  Series-parallel hybrid systems combine a petrol engine with an electric motor and battery to drive the vehicle’s wheels. The new T-Roc, which makes its debut this September, will use this kind of hybrid system according to British motoring outlet Autocar.According to Autocar, Volkswagen’s CEO Thomas Schafer said the brand needed hybrid vehicles due to a slowdown in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales and an increase in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) beng bought as well. "We needed to do it anyway, because South America has a need for an HEV drivetrain - and the T-Roc is built in South America for South America, and also in China, “ Mr Schafer said."Interestingly enough, HEV has also become a big theme in the US specifically. It's a technology that everybody said was not necessary any more, but now with the BEV slowdown in the US, the balance is HEVs."And the T-Roc won't be the only Volkswagen to offer the hybrid system with sources telling Autocar there will also be hybrid versions of the Golf hatch and Tiguan mid-size SUV as well in the next two years.The hybrid T-Roc is expected to make its international debut at the Munich motor show in September.The slow down in EV uptake the past 12 months in Australia and other global markets shows the importance of transitional tech such as hybrid power.Australia is also seeing a surge of interest in hybrid vehicles. In 2024 sales of hybrid vehicles, excluding PHEVs was up by 89.8 per cent for SUVs and 39.9 per cent for hatches and sedans.Currently, the only hybrid is Volkswagen's Australian line-up is the Touareg R and it's a plug-in hybrid.CarsGuide has reached out to Volkswagen Australia for confirmation but was told by a spokesperson that nothing could said on the topic yet as the vehicle hasn’t been revealed. 

This is the list that's most fun to write but it’s sometimes hard to pick winners when you review as many cars as I do!This year has proven (once again) that the market is ruled by SUVs and Australia’s love affair with them isn’t slowing down any time soon. So, you may be surprised that only a few of them made the cut.Out of all of the cars I’ve been cruising in this year, these were my favourites (in no particular order).The LandCruiser got me good. There are enough old-school elements mixed in with premium tech and features to satisfy everyone (it has a CD/DVD player!). Rear passengers enjoy the same luxurious comforts as front rowers and you get one of the most practical shaped boots I’ve sampled. For adventuring families, it has great off-road and towing capabilities with effortless power and grunt. It also drives like a dream and is a comfortable road tripper. I love it and miss it.Station wagons are my favourite type of family-hauler. Technically this sits in the same category as a Toyota Prado (ahem) but it looks and behaves like a wagon. This is one of the smoothest driving experiences you can have. It has AWD and the old-school elements are seamlessly blended with easy-to-use tech. High comfort for longer journeys and its only downside was being a bit thirsty.It hurt my soul to hand the keys back. The driving experience is finely tuned with great power delivery and on-road comfort. The sedan/wagon hybrid style took a little while to get used to, but the practicality was a big win for my little family of three. It could fit the hubby’s golf clubs, do a big grocery haul and carry all the junk my eight-year-old seems to accumulate over a week. The boosted sound experience on the engine is one you simply have to hear once in your life.The Touareg is a great looking family SUV that caters to everyone with comfort and tech. It’s smooth to drive with power that is promptly delivered. The on-road experience is also a lesson in refinement, which a few other European brands can take notes on. Efficiency and ongoing costs are also good – what’s not to like?It made the list last year and the updated model won my heart again. Just a solid all-rounder that delivers great on-road comfort, steers well, has decent power and good features for a base model. The hybrid efficiency is hard to question and it’s a smart-looking sedan thanks to the substantial facelift. Annoyingly, it is heavily associated with ride-share and taxis but I’d have one in a heartbeat.It’s only fair to include my eight-year-old's top-five cars, as he tests them with me and is very loud with his opinions on them.He loves the ambient lighting in Mercs and whooped with joy whenever I had to get up to speed. The engine sounded cool and there were enough comforts in the rear.He loved all of the features in the second and third rows, including cupholders that are well-positioned on the doors.He loves a good ute and the manly internal styling won him (and my husband) over. The tray was the winning feature and acted as a cubby house.His nickname for it was the Batmobile. That really sums up how much he liked it.

Volkswagen has finally announced pricing for the 2024 Touareg large five-seat SUV. A neat surprise for those looking to buy, the diesel-heavy facelifted Touareg with more kit and technology is significantly more affordable than the outgoing car. The prices are down between $7550 and $11,150, with the biggest savings on the 170TDI entry grade.

Volkswagen is set to put more emphasis on plug-in hybrid technology as demand for electric cars falls off in Europe.The German brand’s global boss Thomas Schafer told UK publication Autocar: "It's a bridge technology. While battery-electric drive is plateauing out a bit at the moment, we still need this transitional technology."Schafer was surprised by the renewed interest in hybrids, which were considered old tech."Hybrids were a thing of the past. Last year, if you asked the same question, it would have been: 'Forget hybrids, it's expensive technology, it's not worth it.' Within the last six months, all of a sudden everyone wants hybrids,” said Schafer to Autocar.He stated that full electric cars are still the future for the brand long term.In Europe Volkswagen sells plug-in hybrid versions of the Tiguan medium SUV, Touareg large SUV, Golf small hatchback and Passat sedan and wagon. Volkswagen is just about to launch its first plug-in hybrid model locally, the range-topping Touareg R large SUV.The model is pitched as a performance flagship with a 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired with an electric motor making a hefty 340kW and 700Nm.No other plug-in hybrids have been confirmed and the Passat would be off the cards as the entire model line-up was axed in Australia last year.The looming spectre of the Federal Government’s New Vehicle Emissions Standards that will fine car makers for selling heavy polluting vehicles may change the equation, though.Price could be the biggest hurdle to overcome before adding plug-in hybrids to the local range.The Touareg R is priced from $129,990 (before on-road costs), which is $40,000 more than the base diesel-powered Touareg.That range-topping price point is likely to be filled by the brand’s coming range of electric cars.It will launch its first battery-electric vehicles - the ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs - in the coming months. These models are expected to be priced at about $80,000, which is a healthy premium on its petrol equivalent Tiguan R-Line.This would effectively rule out a plug-in hybrid version of the Tiguan but a Golf hybrid could find success.Exact timing for the arrival of the ID.3 electric hatchback, which is a similar size to the Golf, hasn’t been locked in but is expected sometime next year.The ID.Buzz electric people mover will arrive at the end of this year, but there is also a plug-in hybrid version of the similar proportioned Multivan in Europe.Plug-in hybrids may be left to Cupra, which is part of the broader Volkswagen Group.Cupra already sells petrol-electric versions of its Golf-sized Leon hatchback and T-Roc-equivalent Formentor.Cupra just revealed updated versions of these cars, which will arrive in Australia next year with up to 100km of pure electric driving range.It will also bring a plug-in hybrid version of the Tiguan-sized Terramar soon.The brand has found success with plug-in hybrids compared to the broader market.Cupra Australia boss Ben Wilks said before the FBT exemptions came into effect, PHEVs made up about one in five sales but are now more than double that.That means plug-in hybrids account for about 40 per cent of Cupra sales, which is well above the rest of the industry where plug-in hybrids account for about one per cent of new sales so far this year.“We’re seeing the shift at the moment with our plug-in hybrid versus our VZx , the top-of-the-range petrol engine,” said Wilks.“I think the beauty of our range is we have something for everyone. We are able to offer our ICE cars as we are bringing the electric cars to market.”

Behold the most powerful Volkswagen yet...

The Volkswagen Touareg R SUV, the brand's powerful plug-in hybrid performance model, will land in Australia by the end of Q1 2024 with a price tag and specifications now locked in.

Volkswagen Australia has announced it will increase prices for much of its model range, effective July 1 - the second time the brand will increase its pricing this year.

Volkswagen’s updated halo model, the Touareg large SUV, has been officially revealed and confirmed for an Australian arrival in 2024.