What Is The Towing Capacity of a VW Touareg? (TDi 2009-2017)
Never exceed the weight capacities. This is a cardinal rule when it comes to RVs and travel trailers. Your vehicle has to be rated to handle more than the weight of the trailer if you want to have a good time on vacation. Going too heavy will always lead to trouble and a few unexpected car or truck repairs
The 2017 VW Touareg can tow up to 7,716 pounds no matter the model or trim. This limits the type of trailer you can hitch to this vehicle. Keep in mind the figures we give here will be braked figures only.
To learn more about this towing capacity for the VW Touareg just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about if you are considering buying this vehicle. Don’t forget, towing limits include passenger, equipment & supplies weights.
VW Touareg Towing 101
Can a Volkswagen Touareg Tow?
Yes, they can and Volkswagon did not get too elaborate with their towing abilities. The company kept it simple and as you will see in the chart, the towing capacities do not fluctuate very much.
When you look at the chart, you should notice that this company did not vary the engines it placed under the Touareg’s hood. From 2009, the company downsized to 2 engine styles from 3 (except for 2011) and in 2010 & 2014 they changed the horsepower in the 3.0L option.
All models for each year have the same rating no matter the engine style.
| Model year | Towing capacity | Engine type |
| 2009 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/265 Nm) & 3.0L (221 hp/- TBD - Nm) |
| 2010 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/266 Nm) & 3.0L (225 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2011 | 7,700 | 3.6L (280 hp/265 Nm), 3.0L (380 hp/425 Nm), & 3.0L (225 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2012 | 7,700 | 3.6L (280 hp/265 Nm) & 3.0L (225 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2013 | 7,700 | 3.6L (280 hp/265 Nm) & 3.0L (225 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2014 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/266 Nm) & 3.0L (240 hp/406 Nm |
| 2015 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/266 Nm) & 3.0L (240 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2016 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/266 Nm) & 3.0L (240 hp/406 Nm) |
| 2017 | 7,716 | 3.6L (280 hp/266 Nm) |
** Information taken from this website- https://cararac.com/towing-capacity/volkswagen/touareg.html
Which Touareg For Towing?
When all the models and trims come with the same towing capacity and engine types, it really makes no difference which year of model you buy and use. This makes your decision-making process a little easier to do.
All you need in this process is to decide on the color, design, and space inside the vehicle. Also how many miles are on it.
How Much Can a Touareg Diesel Tow?
The chart gives you both tow weight limits for the different engine types. The towing limit is around 7700 pounds. But you should not buy a trailer weighing 7700 pounds as you will need to take into account the weight of your passengers, yourself, your supplies, equipment, and any clothing, etc, you want to bring along.
There is more to towing than worrying about just the tow weight limit. You should make sure you got the best hitch holding the trailer to your vehicle. Tow weight limits are just one factor you need to consider when buying a vehicle.
Can a VW Touareg Tow a Camper?
Yes, as long as it is well beneath the towing capacity. If you go too heavy or overload the trailer and back end of the Touareg you will have problems eventually. Maybe not the first year but they will come if you do this all the time.
It is not hard to find a camper or trailer that comes in under this weight limit. The key is to get one that has the design you want as well as the sleeping capacity you need. Don’t forget to check the storage capacity to make sure you have room for all your clothes, etc.
Touareg Towing a Boat
This is a possibility. many owners have stated that new owners will be surprised how well this luxury vehicle can tow. A boat, if under the weight limit, is no exception. Also, do not forget to add trailer brakes to the boat trailer if it doesn’t already have them.
It is important to be safe when you tow as you never know what can happen when you have to stop suddenly. Make sure to balance the load in the boat and back storage compartment of the Touareg. Unbalanced towing is too healthy either.
Complete Touareg Towing Specs
The chart only gives you the towing weight capacity and the 7,716-pound weight limit has been standard since 2004. We checked to find the payload weight limit but the Car & Driver website did not provide that information.
This was the same for other model years as well. To get that information just look inside your owner’s manual. It should be listed there for your convenience. Volkswagen kept things simple and did not vary its weight limits from year to year, except for one year.
This held true for all trims and models in each year. From 2011 to 2016, the company made 7 different models in each year and they were all rated the same
Touareg Towing Capacity Tongue Weight
Tongue weight is supposed to be about 10% of the overall tow weight. Volkswagon kept this simple as well. For a 5000-pound trailer, the maximum tongue weight was 500 pounds. For a trailer weighing 7716 pounds, it was 772 pounds.
One 2012 model could have a tongue weight of 1155 when pulling a 7700-pound trailer. This model year seems to be the exception to the rule. Other model years followed the former weight limits but we did not check them all.
Again, check your owner’s manual for your specific model and see what it says. If it doesn’t say anything, then call a dealer to find out.
VW Touareg Towing Problems
Most of the American websites talk about common problems in general. They do not talk about towing issues. But on the British websites, they said one of the problems for the Touareg is that this car does not have a self-leveling system which can make towing difficult.
Then the detachable tow bar would make a noise on certain models but not all of them. It was a banging noise that could get quite loud. The permanent tow bar made the same noise when put on the same vehicle.
We have not come across too many towing problems that are faced by all models yet.
2016 VW Touareg Towing Review
This was the year that Volkswagon discontinued the Hybrid. The models made this year have been rated as excellent with a great towing capacity. It also is supposed to handle nicely and comes with a powerful engine. Plus, it does well off-road.
Then it compares well with the 2017 model no matter the trim of the 2016 models. There have been no complaints about its towing or any mention, so far, of common problems with towing.
The biggest problem you will have will be its purchase price. its base price is still quite high and not in line with everyone’s budget. The car is a little slow getting to 60 mph and does that in almost 8 seconds.
2014 Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
We do not even have to check the chart. All models, trims, and options come with the same tow rating. You are not going to see any difference on any chart you look at. This vehicle can tow 7716 pounds no matter what.
The two items you need to tow that much weight will be the tow package and trailer brakes. Make sure to talk to your dealer About getting those added on.
2013 Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
There were 7 2013 Touareg models made that year. 3 were the TDI option and they all came with the 3.0L (225 hp/406 Nm) engine. They also all came with the same tow rating of 7700 pounds.
That was one year where Volkswagon lowered the tow rating. 2012 was another year where the weight limit only reached 7700 pounds.
2012 VW Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
As we just mentioned, 2012 and 2013 are the exact same with models, trims, and options. They are also the same with the engine style and tow rating. Volkswagon was not and is not very creative when it comes to towing capacities.
They are very consistent and you do not have to worry if you upgrade to a newer model. Its specs for towing and engine design are the same from year to year with rare exceptions. You would have to change trims to a non-TDI model to get a change in the engine type but not the towing weight capacity.
2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
Unfortunately, you are not going to get any different information here. The TDI trims all got 7700-pound towing limits and the 3.0L engine. There were only 3 TDI options made that year as well.
The only difference you may find between these three years would be the price of these TDI vehicles. No creativity or innovation is being done here by Volkswagen as they strived to keep things simple.
If you want to know what 7700 pounds translate to in metric, the weight equals 3492 kilograms. Why the small difference in towing weight limits, we are not sure. You may have to talk to Volkswagon to get the right answer to that question.
2010 Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
In this model year, there were only 2 Touaregs being made. The SUV 4D AWD & the SUV 4D TDI AWD. The former model came with the 3.6 L engine while the latter only came with the 3.0 L option.
Both models could tow 7716 pounds. It was a slight increase over the following years and it may have made a slight difference in what kind of trailer you could tow. But extra weight is always a good thing as it allowed you to take more supplies and equipment along with you on holiday.
2009 Touareg TDI Towing Capacity
This model year is the same as the 2010 model year. 7716-pound weight limit, 2 models were made, one with each engine type and so on. What you would have to do is look up your payload weight limits to see how many people and supplies you could carry along with you.
When you add all the different weights, you still need to be under 7716 for a good towing experience. Then make sure you have that weight distributed evenly so you do not have any sway problems. There is a lot of work involved when you tow a trailer.
Best Towing Mirrors For a VW Touareg
There are a lot of good towing mirrors to choose from. e-trailer has quite a few in stock and the universal models top the list. You can see their selection at this link. All you have to do is pick the design and attachment style that you like the most.
Some brand names to consider are Milenco and Reese. They come well recommended. Or you can try Camco as that company has several models of mirrors you can use.
Some Final Words
Towing with a luxury SUV is not unheard of but it may not be common either. Their limited towing capacities tend to shrink the size of the trailer you can tow safely. You may not get enough room inside to make this a practical option.
Always make sure to keep an eye on your payload and tongue weight limits as well. These weights play a role in how big a trailer you can tow. Make sure to stay within your limits to have a safe and enjoyable towing time. If you can’t find specific tow weight capacities, ask a dealer for help.
