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Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year, against this model's usual year.
2013GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.8× usual Extended coverage
22 serious complaints of 30, the most about steering (8) and fuel system (6); 0.8× this model's usual share of all serious complaints about 2013 vehicles. 3 recalls. NHTSA investigation EA18003: air bag clockspring failure.
What owners report
“The steering wheel has a shake, shimmy, or vibration between 70-80mph. 72mph being the most obvious. It also tends to pull mostly to the right. It currently is in for its 2nd attempt at repair. The first was a remount and rebalance of all 4 wheels as well as "cleaning" the hubs. This was to comply with their own internal tsb.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the steering, May 2015
“The car just suddenly stopped while driving on the hwy 91 in los angeles in rush hour traffic. Vehicle suddenly lost power and within 10 seconds complete stop and stall on the highway. Towed to vw dealers and I was informed that is failure of the high pressure fuel pump .”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the fuel system, Apr 2017
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage This bulletin informs dealers of a warranty extension on the exhaust gas temperature sensor (located in the EGR cooler). (VWP-16, Oct 2016)
- Extended coverage This Document informs dealers of VWP-18-10 Catalytic Converter Support Bracket Limited Warranty Extension (VWP-18-10, Oct 2018)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
30 owner complaints · 3 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 19–23 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2013 trims and features
Every Touareg year's verdict →
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. NHTSA doesn't publish sales, so only big differences count. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid, 333 hp; 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel, 333 hp; 3.6L 6-cyl · Drive: AWD
2013 Touareg trims
| V6 FSI, TDI |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Volkswagen reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Volkswagen aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3.6L 6-cyl, 280 hp | AWD | 19 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 24 | Engine (19) | — |
| 2016 | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel, 240 hp 3.6L 6-cyl, 280 hp | AWD | 19–24 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 44 | Engine (22) | — |
| 2015 | 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 19–23 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 24 | Engine (14) | — |
| 2014 | 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 19–23 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 27 | Steering (8) | — |
| 2013 | 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid, 333 hp 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel, 333 hp 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 19–23 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 30 | Steering (8) | — |
| 2012 | 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 19–22 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 28 | Fuel/propulsion system (6) | — |
| 2011 | 3.0L 6-cyl supercharged hybrid 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 19–22 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 16 | Engine (4) | — |
| 2010 | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo diesel 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD | 16–20 mpg | Not rated | 1 | 25 | Fuel/propulsion system (13) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Which years have…
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | Standard | Standard | 1 | 24 |
| 2016 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 2 | 44 |
| 2015 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 2 | 24 |
| 2015 | Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid SUV AWD | Not Rated | Standard | No | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 27 |
| 2014 | Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 27 |
| 2013 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 30 |
| 2013 | Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 30 |
| 2012 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 28 |
| 2011 | Volkswagen Touareg SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 16 |
| 2010 | Volkswagen Touareg 2 4-Dr. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 1 | 25 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L | 19 |
| 2016 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–24 |
| 2015 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–23 |
| 2015 | Touareg Hybrid | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg | 21 |
| 2014 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–23 |
| 2014 | Touareg Hybrid | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg | 21 |
| 2013 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–23 |
| 2013 | Touareg Hybrid | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg | 21 |
| 2012 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–22 |
| 2012 | Touareg Hybrid | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg | 21 |
| 2011 | Touareg | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
19–22 |
| 2011 | Touareg Hybrid | Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Sup Charg | 21 |
| 2010 | Touareg | Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Diesel, Turbo Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
16–20 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.