Reliability report
Volkswagen Touareg reliability and common faults
Based on 48,616 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
20.5%
fail rate · average 24.2%
much better than average
32,815 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
50.0%
with defects · average 54.3%
better than average
6,021 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
56.9%
first-time pass · average 51.0%
much better than average
9,780 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Volkswagen Touareg
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Seat belts and airbagsconfirmed in 2 countries
Wheels
Plates and identification
Steering
Tyres
Suspension
Brakes
Lights and electrics
Visibility
Exhaust and emissions
Body and structure
Driving controls
Most common test failures
- 1Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 2Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 3Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 4Tyre insufficient tread
- 5Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 6Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 7Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 8Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 9Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 10Brake hose damaged, reinforcement material visible
- 11Sidelight not working (properly)
- 12Brake light doesn't work (properly)
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 7.3% avg 9.9% | 16.0% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 17.6% avg 15.3% | 25.4% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 19.5% avg 22.9% | 43.2% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 20.9% avg 30.3% | 46.9% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 28.7% avg 34.6% | 62.8% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 28.7% avg 31.4% | 73.4% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Touareg | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 65.8% | 76.6% | 38 |
| 2016 | 58.5% | 72.8% | 82 |
| 2015 | 62.4% | 71.1% | 125 |
| 2014 | 66.2% | 68.0% | 231 |
| 2013 | 58.5% | 65.9% | 318 |
| 2012 | 68.2% | 63.7% | 466 |
| 2011 | 77.0% | 61.2% | 508 |
| 2010 | 73.4% | 57.3% | 361 |
| 2009 | 59.2% | 54.5% | 206 |
| 2008 | 56.3% | 52.4% | 460 |
| 2007 | 56.3% | 50.6% | 1,166 |
| 2006 | 51.7% | 48.7% | 1,128 |
| 2005 | 53.7% | 46.6% | 2,119 |
| 2004 | 52.4% | 44.5% | 1,917 |
| 2003 | 47.8% | 42.9% | 565 |
Volkswagen Touareg – FAQs
How reliable is the Volkswagen Touareg?+
In the UK the Volkswagen Touareg fails 20.5% of MOT tests, against an average of 24.2% for cars of the same age – much better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 50.0% of APK inspections (average there 54.3%) – better than average. In Lithuania 56.9% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 51.0%) – much better than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Volkswagen Touareg?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: seat belts and airbags, wheels.
What should I check when buying a used Volkswagen Touareg?+
The most common inspection failures: Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Excessive leakage of other fluids; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Tyre insufficient tread; Low beam incorrectly adjusted. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Volkswagen models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).