Volkswagen Touareg 2024: big price cut confirmed for facelifted SUV

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Volkswagen’s luxurious Touareg large SUV has had its price lopped in facelifted form as the first batch of updated crossovers lands in Australian dealerships.

The highly-rated but relatively slow-selling third-generation Touareg was priced from $89,240 before on-road costs before the update, but the 170kW V6 diesel base grade has been slashed to $86,790 before on-road costs.

But it’s the higher-end 210kW Elegance and R-Line models that have come in for the biggest price change, with $8250 and $7550 lopped respectively for new price points of $99,990 and $109,990 before costs.

At the top of the range is a new model – the 340kW plug-in hybrid petrol V6 Touareg R, which had already had its price confirmed at $129,990 before on-road costs.

The repositioning of the Touareg sees its prices return more or less to where they sat in the mid-2010s (adjusted for inflation). 

Compared to its 2023 sales result of 921, the Touareg was a much stronger seller when it was more affordable – in 2015, Volkswagen moved 2568 units.

Old stock of the pre-facelift Touareg has been deeply discounted in recent months to clear it out ahead of the updated version landing locally.

Volkswagen sources say the move is designed in part to make it easier for existing Tiguan customers to step up to the considerably more premium, and six-cylinder, Touareg.

Before the price change, it was a considerable $28,650 upgrade from a five-seat Tiguan 162TSI R-Line midsize SUV to a base V6 diesel Touareg – but the step is now $26,200.

Although the more expensive pre-facelift version did find a niche audience with customers seeking an upmarket tourer, this audience was not regarded as broad enough to persist with similar pricing.

In addition to the notable price reduction, specification has also been beefed up for the Touareg with the arrival of its subtle exterior and interior facelift.

Base models ($86,790) now gain a previously-optional 15-inch touchscreen as standard, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are added for the first time. Matrix LED headlights also become standard-fit alongside a 360-degree parking camera.

Carryover standard items include heated leather seats, 19-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, a power tailgate, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist.

The mid-tier Elegance ($99,990) adds higher-grade leather with cooling and massage tech for the front seats, 20-inch wheels, and air suspension.

The popular R-Line grade ($109,990) picks up a black styling package, 21-inch wheels, privacy glass, 48-volt active roll stabilisation, and brushed aluminium trim, as well as four-wheel steering. 

Opting for the flagship R means you nab huge 22-inch wheels,, quad-zone climate control, thermal night vision camera, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable steering column, premium Dynaudio audio, soft-close doors and both household and Type 2 charging cables for the plug-in hybrid system.

Beneath the skin, the Volkswagen Touareg shares the VW Group’s MLB platform with more upmarket vehicles like the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and even the Lamborghini Urus.

Chasing Cars is testing the entry-grade 2024 Touareg 170TDI and top-end 2024 Touareg R this week in facelifted form, with reviews coming soon.