Volkswagen Touareg review

The five-seat-only Touareg may not accommodate as many people as the seven-seat Audi Q7, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a seriously practical SUV. Front space is verging on palatial, while the back seats aren’t too far behind.

Not only is there enough rear leg room for six-foot-plus adults, head room is equally generous, even with the optional panoramic roof fitted. Only a wide transmission tunnel is likely to cause problems for a long-legged centre passenger, although it is at least lower than that in some rivals.

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Should your rear passengers fancy a snooze, the rear bench can be reclined to three angles, ranging from upright (to prioritise boot space) to seriously chilled. You can also slide the rear bench backwards and forward, depending on how much cargo you’re carrying and how long your rear passengers’ legs are.

Moving to the boot, it’s even larger than the warehouse-like Q7’s in five-seat mode. The load area is a square shape, with virtually no loading lip, and there’s a kneeling function that lowers the back of the car if you’ve opted for air suspension. Fold the rear seats down and you’ll find boot space is not quite as cavernous as the Q7’s, but it’s still a vast 1800 litres in capacity.

In terms of oddment storage, there’s a big cubby in front of the gearlever that can include wireless phone charging, a pair of big cupholders and storage under the armrest. Unfortunately, the under-elbow storage isn’t as big as it initially appears.