European petrol engines – hybrid drive with V6 TSI and electric motor. In Europe, Volkswagen is offering the Touareg Hybrid, which has a 245 kW / 333 PS V6 TSI (turbocharged direct petrol injection engine) together with a 38 kW / 52 PS electric motor. When the two drive sources are working together (boosting), the maximum system power of 279 kW / 380 PS and maximum torque of 580 Newton metres are attained. Despite that, the Touareg Hybrid sets the benchmark among fully-fledged off-road SUVs with a petrol engine with a fuel consumption figure of just 8.2 l/100 km (equates to 193 g/km CO2). It can drive at speed up to 50 km/h in all-electric driving – with zero emissions. Like all Touareg versions, the Hybrid version is also designed for trailer loads of up to 3.5 metric tonnes.

Global petrol and diesel engines – V6 and V8 engines. In Asia, the new Touareg is being offered with three petrol and two diesel engines. The petrol engines for China produce 213 kW / 290 PS and 235 kW / 320 PS (both V6 TSI) and 265 kW / 360 PS (V8 TSI). For Russia, Volkswagen offers the new Touareg with two petrol engines; they develop 183 kW / 249 PS (V6 FSI) and – as in China – 265 kW / 360 PS (V8 FSI). In the USA and Canada, Volkswagen will offer versions of the Touareg with a V6 FSI (206 kW / 280 PS), a Hybrid drive system (279 kW / 380 PS) and a V6 TDI (176 kW / 239 PS).

Fuel consumption reduced by up to six percent. Thanks to extensive aerodynamic improvements (such as air inlet openings in front, modified door mirror caps, new wheel spoiler), tyres optimised for low rolling resistance and standard 8-speed automatic gearbox optimised for low friction, Volkswagen was able to improve the fuel efficiency of the Touareg by up to six per cent (V6 TDI with 150 kW). In everyday driving, fuel consumption is also reduced by an optimised stop-start system (engine is stopped at speeds under 7 km/h now) and by the regenerative braking function. In addition, a standard coasting function for the V6 versions (until now only available with the Touareg Hybrid) optimises fuel economy in everyday driving. How it works: as soon as the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the engine is decoupled from the gearbox; this is also known as "coasting". This is even possible at vehicle speeds up to 130 km/h, so it can be used in motorway driving as well.