Volkswagen Touran: common problems, best years and what to check
Practical seven-seat compact MPV. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Volkswagen Touran a good used buy?
Best buy
Mk2 2.0 TDI
Avoid
Mk1 1.4 TSI with chain noise
Who it suits: Families wanting a practical, well-built seven-seater.
What's good
- Seven seats
- Clever storage
- VW build
- Huge boot
What's not
- Discontinued
- DSG servicing
- Pricey
- Third row small
By the numbers
- #131 most common model on UK roads, with about 53k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2011: 4.8k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 16% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 2.0 TDI uses a belt (130k / 10 yrs): budget £500–£750 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: DSG mechatronic (up to £2,000).
Volkswagen Touran common problems by generation and engine
Volkswagen Touran Mk1 (2003–2015) · 7-seat MPV
How to spot it: 08 plate to 15 plate. Boxy MPV; 2010 facelift with Golf Mk6 nose.
1.4 TSI / 1.6 / 2.0 TDI (EA111 / CR, petrol / diesel, 2003–2015)
- Timing chain (1.4 TSI)£700–£1,30050k+
Faults on any Mk1 (2003–2015) engine
- DSG mechatronic£800–£2,000any
Volkswagen Touran Mk2 (2015–2024) · 7-seat MPV
How to spot it: 15 plate to 24 plate. Longer, sharper with Passat-like nose.
1.5 TSI 130/150 (EA211 evo, petrol, 2018–2024)
Smooth and frugal; early cars hesitate when cold
- Kangaroo-hop / hesitation from cold (early 2017–2019 cars)£0–£300any · Check: Ask if the software update was done
2.0 TDI 150 (EA288, diesel, 2015–2024)
Strong and economical; EGR and DPF need longer runs
- EGR cooler / valve faults£400–£1,20060k+
- DPF blockage on short trips£300–£1,500any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Volkswagen Touran years
How many Volkswagen Tourans from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008, 2010, 2016. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Volkswagen Touran MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Volkswagen Tourans pass their MOT first time 2 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (70% vs 69%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 56% | 57% | 140k miles |
| 2009 | 57% | 58% | 135k miles |
| 2010 | 58% | 59% | 130k miles |
| 2011 | 66% | 61% | 120k miles |
| 2012 | 68% | 63% | 111k miles |
| 2013 | 68% | 66% | 102k miles |
| 2014 | 72% | 69% | 95k miles |
| 2015 | 72% | 72% | 89k miles |
| 2016 | 80% | 75% | 78k miles |
| 2017 | 80% | 78% | 68k miles |
| 2018 | 81% | 81% | 58k miles |
| 2019 | 87% | 84% | 48k miles |
| 2020 | 88% | 86% | 39k miles |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% | 35k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.42 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed4.28 per 100
- Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt4 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken3.98 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.93 per 100
- Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.33 per 100
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.66 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.48 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm36.73 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn26.9 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened15.2 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick10.54 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear10.06 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak9.45 per 100
- Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened8.29 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine7.43 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Volkswagen Touran have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 TDI | belt | 130k / 10 yrs | £500–£750 |
Volkswagen Touran running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Volkswagen Touran ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Volkswagen Touran vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Touran | 53k | 12–22 | 743 l | Mk2 2.0 TDI |
| Ford C-Max | 99k | 11–22 | 432 l | 2015+ 1.5 TDCi or 1.0 EcoBoost 125 |
| Citroen C4 SpaceTourer | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Renault Scenic | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Vauxhall Zafira | 138k | 6–20 | 152 l | 2015–2019 Zafira Tourer 1.4T or 2.0 CDTi |
| BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Volkswagen Touran
- DSG service
Volkswagen Touran FAQ
›Is the Volkswagen Touran reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: Mk2 2.0 TDI. Avoid: Mk1 1.4 TSI with chain noise.
›What is the Volkswagen Touran MOT pass rate?
70% of Volkswagen Tourans passed their MOT first time in 2025 (51,064 tests), better than the 69% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn.
›What are the most common Volkswagen Touran problems?
The costliest known faults are DPF blockage on short trips; Timing chain; EGR cooler / valve faults. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Volkswagen Touran have a timing belt or chain?
2.0 TDI: belt.
›What is the best year Volkswagen Touran to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2010, 2016 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Volkswagen Touran cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.5 TSI 40–46 mpg; 2.0 TDI 48–56 mpg. Insurance groups 12–22. A minor service is about £180–£250 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Volkswagen Touran?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Volkswagen Touran ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.