Volkswagen Touareg review

The five-seat-only Touareg doesn't accommodate as many people as the seven-seat Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery or Volvo XC90, but for five it’s still practical. Front space is verging on palatial, and the back seats aren’t too far behind.

Not only is there enough rear leg room for six-foot-plus adults, but head room is also equally generous, even with the optional panoramic roof fitted. Only the wide central rear floor tunnel is likely to cause a problem for a middle passenger, although this is at least lower than those in some of the Touareg's rivals. If you think you'll need more rear space – for up to three rear passengers – the Q7 and the Mercedes GLE are two rivals to check out. As mentioned, those two have additional fold-out seats in the boot, too.

Should your rear passengers fancy a snooze, the Touareg’s 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 warehouse-like and can swallow up to 10 carry-on cases – the same number as a Q7 and two more than a GLE. The load area is a square shape with virtually no loading lip, and, if you’ve opted for the air suspension, there’s a function that lowers the back of the car to aid access. Fold the 40/20/40 rear seats down and you’ll find 1800 litres of capacity — to put that into context, think of a small van.

In terms of oddment storage, there’s a pair of big cupholders and storage under the front armrest, as well as a big cubby in front of the gear selector, that can include wireless phone charging.