Volkswagen has given the third-gen Touareg a facelift five years after its debut. A sister model to the Audi Q7 and the Porsche Cayenne, the refreshed Touareg receives exterior design upgrades as well as a reworked interior with new digital functionality across the Elegance and R-Line trims. A third, entry-level model will also be available in Germany.

Updated VW Touareg: what’s new on the outside?

Among the changes to the refreshed VW SUV’s exterior is a new-look front grille that aims to accentuate the width of the Touareg. Models with the Elegance trim get a chrome finish, while the R-Line sports a blackened finish. The air ducts in the lower section of the front bumper are also larger than before and receive an individual design depending on the trim. It also sports reworked headlights, and Volkswagen's IQ Light HD matrix system – with up to 19,216 micro-LEDs per unit – is an option.

At the rear, the 2024 model year Touareg receives a new light bar across the tailgate as well as a new look for the tail-light graphics. It also adopts an illuminated logo – a first on a Volkswagen model sold in Europe – in combination with the HD headlights. Additionally, there are four new wheel designs: Coventry and Braga that are 19- and 20 inches, respectively, and Napoli and Leeds, which are 21 inches each.

Updated VW Touareg: what’s new on the inside?

The facelifted Touareg gets the Innovision Cockpit, which was optional earlier, as standard now. This includes a 12-inch instrument cluster and a 15-inch infotainment display.

Upgrades to the software and functionality bring more advanced HD map data with lane-level sat-nav and a new voice control system based around conversational commands. There's also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Other changes centre around the switchgear within the centre console and the USB-C ports, which have been upgraded from a charging capacity of 15W to 45W for faster recharging of electronic devices. There's also a new ambient lighting effect and the door trims have been subtly altered.

Updated VW Touareg: powertrain options

Volkswagen has confirmed five drivetrains for the new Touareg – all with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox and a 4Motion four-wheel drive system. Included are a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with 335hp and two turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel V6 engines with 227hp and 282hp.

Volkswagen has also updated its existing two plug-in hybrid powertrains, which are combined with the turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and a gearbox-mounted electric motor to provide 375hp in the Touareg eHybrid and 455hp in the Touareg R eHybrid. The latter offers acceleration from 0-100kph in 5.1sec and an electronically limited top speed of 250kph. Both PHEV models use a battery with an energy capacity of 14.1kWh, although Volkswagen is yet to confirm their electric-only ranges.

Volkswagen Touareg: will it come to India

Volkswagen sold the first-gen Touareg in our market, and while there were talks of the third-gen SUV coming to India, this did not materialise, and so there's no news of it coming to India anytime soon.