2016 Volkswagen Touareg

The 2016 Volkswagen Touareg impresses automotive journalists with a stylish cabin featuring a wealth of top-notch materials. Critics praise the comfortable front seats and spacious rear seats. Some say the infotainment system is responsive, although others complain that the available navigation feature complicates audio controls. The Touareg has average cargo capacity for the class.

• "Regardless of trim level, the 2016 Volkswagen Touareg is a pleasing mix of comfort, visibility and upscale appointments." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "The Touareg's high-quality interior belies Volkswagen's ‘people's car’ tagline with a high-quality look and feel worthy of a BMW or Mercedes-Benz." -- Left Lane News (2015)
• "Inside, there's more shiny silver stuff, better switchgear, and richer-looking leather and wood trim details." -- Car and Driver (2015)
• "The Touareg's cabin is spacious, comfortable and easily as nice as an Acura MDX or BMW X5." -- Cars.com (2015)

Seating

The 2016 Touareg seats five and comes standard with leatherette upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and heated front seats. Leather upholstery and ventilated front seats are available. The Touareg's front seats are comfortable and provide good comfort on long drives, according to reviewers. They add that the rear seats offer generous head- and legroom, though some note that the available sunroof decreases available headroom, which may be an issue for taller passengers.

• "There are supportive seats in front, and the 60/40-folding rear bench seat slides fore-aft and reclines." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "And with the backseat's elevated bench and copious knee and headroom, the Touareg also happens to be one of the best vehicles we can think of for covering long distances with four adults." -- AutoTrader (2014)
• "The panoramic sunroof on Lux, Executive, and Hybrid models steals some headroom, which tall occupants will find bothersome. The [front] seats are designed for long-haul comfort, rather than sporty bolstering, and they work well in this regard." -- Consumer Guide (2012)

Interior Features

Standard features in the Touareg include dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, satellite radio, an eight-speaker sound system and an infotainment system with a 6.5-inch touch screen and HD Radio. Available features include push-button start, a panoramic sunroof, a 10-speaker Dynaudio sound system, a rearview camera, lane departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, a 360-degree camera and an upgraded infotainment system with an 8-inch touch screen and navigation.

Test drivers like the standard infotainment system's large controls and quick response times. They add that the screen is easily visible and has sharp graphics. However, they say that models equipped with the navigation feature have more complicated audio controls. Critics praise the available Dynaudio sound system.

See 2016 Volkswagen Touareg specs »

• "… [The infotainment system’s] big screen, large controls, high contrast and quick operation make it simple and pleasant to use." -- Cars.com (2015)
• "… the navigation system uses crisp graphics and an intuitive touchscreen interface, while higher trim levels feature the very nice 10-speaker Dynaudio stereo system." -- Edmunds (2013)
• Climate controls are simple to operate and logically arranged. All models except the base Sport have a standard navigation system, which absorbs, and complicates, some audio functions." -- Consumer Guide (2012)

Cargo

The 2016 Touareg has average cargo capacity for the class, offering 32.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64 with them folded down. A remote-opening liftgate is standard. A hands-free power liftgate is optional. Reviewers say that there is good small-item storage space in the cabin.

• "But there's no third-row seat as in some other similarly sized crossovers, while the Touareg's cargo capacity is middling at best." -- Edmunds (2013)
• Overall room is class-competitive, though the rear seat backs don't fold flat. The glovebox has decent capacity, but the center console and door pockets are generously sized." -- Consumer Guide (2012)