Unlike its German rivals, the Volkswagen Touareg offers seating for five—and no more.
That means it isn't all that easy to directly compare to the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, and Audi Q7 for some buyers.
But if five seat belts is enough for you, you'll find the Touareg to be comparable in terms of ride and handling to the GLE and not far off of the moderately more dynamic X5.
But those models offer far more customizability than the four-flavor Touareg.
If five seats is sufficient, the Jeep Grand Cherokee in Limited and Overland trims feels remarkably similar to the Touareg, and although it doesn't deliver quite the same level of interior sophistication, the Jeep is available with more off road goodies and is a lot less expensive when optioned up about the same.
The Lexus RX is sportier than ever, which means it's also a good crossover to cross-shop against the Touareg.
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 2017 Volkswagen TouaregBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Audi Q7Browse Used Listings |  2017 BMW X5Browse Used Listings |  2017 Jeep Grand CherokeeBrowse Used Listings |  2017 Lexus RXBrowse Used Listings |
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Although it might be sold alongside pedestrian Jettas, the Volkswagen Touareg looks and feels nearly like a full-on luxury SUV at a (slightly) cut-rate price. |
The 2017 Audi Q7 gets a rakish new sport-wagon look, a finely detailed, tech-savvy interior, and serious chassis advancements underneath—including a dramatic weight loss, available rear-wheel steering, and a plug-in hybrid version. |
The 2017 BMW X5 boasts a solid set of powertrains and features that move the sedan toward the top of any list of luxury SUVs. |
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a benchmark SUV; it's a luxury vehicle, a talented off-roader, a scalding-hot track runner, and a family wagon extraordinaire. |
As a style-conscious statement of indulgence, the Lexus RX shines like never before. Its looks are polarizing and it's not all that fun to drive even in F Sport form, but the RX continues to excel in many ways. |
| MSRP From | ||||
| $49,495 | $49,000 | $56,600 | $30,395 | $43,220 |
| Gas Mileage | ||||
| 17 MPG City / 23 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 25 MPG Hwy | 14 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 13 MPG City / 26 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | ||||
| Premium Unleaded V-6 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-6 | Regular Unleaded V-6 | Regular Unleaded V-6 |
| EPA Class | ||||
| N/A | Standard SUV 4WD | Standard SUV 2WD | Standard SUV 2WD | Small SUV 2WD |
| Style Name | ||||
| V6 Sport w/Technology | 2.0 TFSI Premium | sDrive35i Sports Activity Vehicle | 75th Anniversary Edition 4x2 *Ltd Avail* | RX 350 FWD |
| Drivetrain | ||||
| All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | ||||
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | ||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | ||||
| 4MOTION | quattro Sport Utility | Sports Activity Vehicle | Sport Utility | Sport Utility |
| Transmission | ||||
| Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | ||||
| 2017 Volkswagen Touareg vs. 2017 Audi Q7 | 2017 Volkswagen Touareg vs. 2017 BMW X5 | 2017 Volkswagen Touareg vs. 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee | 2017 Volkswagen Touareg vs. 2017 Lexus RX | |
