Volkswagen is planning the axe the Touareg, drawing a line under one of its most upmarket nameplates.
Insiders have told Autocar it will cease to be produced in 2026, leaving the recently introduced Tayron as Volkswagen’s largest SUV model in the UK.
First launched in 2002, the premium SUV was developed alongside the original Porsche Cayenne, sharing the same platform and fulfilling a dual purpose: giving Porsche its first SUV and helping former Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch to realise his ambition of elevating the Volkswagen brand with upmarket models such as the Touareg and its saloon sibling, the Phaeton.
The decision to retire the Touareg reflects changing priorities at Volkswagen. The Tayron is positioned as a lower-cost alternative with broader appeal and now fulfils much of the Touareg’s role. Already on sale in key global markets and offered in both two- and three-row forms, the Tayron offers a 2500kg towing capacity in 2.0 TSI 4Motion guise and has a more versatile interior.
With no direct successor planned, the Touareg’s departure marks the end of Volkswagen’s push into the premium market after 23 years.
Alongside the Touareg, VW has also decided to retire the ID 5 from its line-up.
Launched in 2021 as a more sporting, coupé-styled sibling to more upright ID 4, it was primarily aimed at the Chinese market, but failed to gain significant traction there. In Europe, too, it has been overshadowed by the more practical ID 4. It was never offered in the US.
Its planned discontinuation is set to take effect in 2027 and forms part of broader efforts to streamline the range and concentrate on high-volume models.
Elsewhere, previously reported plans for what one key Wolfsburg insider describes as a “mini Buzz” – a compact but practical MEB-based electric MPV model to succeed the Touran – have been discussed within the Volkswagen boardroom.
However, sources close to Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer say it is not a priority, with sibling company Skoda now considering such a model as part of its future line-up. “We looked at it, but the market is demanding crossovers and SUV models,” said the source. “This is the direction we ultimately decided to go in.”
The decision not to press ahead with an electric MPV model is partly due to engineering capacity at Volkswagen’s Braunschweig R&D centre in Germany being pushed to the limit by potentially more important models, most notably the electric Golf.