Comparison: Turning circle VW Touareg vs. competitors 2025

Ah, the Volkswagen Touareg. Renowned for its blend of luxury, performance, and practicality, it now stands tall in the SUV segment. But how does this behemoth fare when it comes to turning in tight spaces? Incidentally, that tiny detail called the 'turning circle' plays quite a crucial role, especially when navigating through bustling urban streets. For those unfamiliar, the turning circle is essentially the diameter of the smallest circle a vehicle can turn around in. So, how does the mighty Touareg stack up in this aspect against its internal brand mates and the external competition? Prepare for a whirlwind tour as we delve deep into the specifics.

Table of contents:

VW Touareg - How has the turning circle changed over the generations?

Over the years, the turning circle of the VW Touareg has seen its share of transformations. The first-generation Touareg (2002-2006) and its facelift version (2006-2010) both sported a turning circle of 11.60 meters. Not too bad when you consider its size. The second generation (2010-2014) saw a slight increase to 11.90 meters, holding steady through its facelift phase (2014-2018). Now, here's where things get a tad interesting; the third generation (2018-2023) saw the turning circle expand further to 12.20 meters, which continues unchanged in the current facelifted model (2023-now). Frankly, as the Touareg grew ever more luxurious and feature-laden, its maneuverability took a slight hit. But do those extra centimeters really matter in the grand scheme of things?

VW Touareg generations

(Turning circle)
VW Touareg generations
Generation yearTurning circle
Touareg, Model year 2002 (I)11.6 m
Touareg, Model year 2006 (I (1. Facelift))11.6 m
Touareg, Model year 2010 (II)11.9 m
Touareg, Model year 2014 (II (1. Facelift))11.9 m
Touareg, Model year 2018 (III)12.2 m
Touareg, Model year 2023 (Touareg III (1. Facelift))12.2 m
1. Touareg, Model year 2002 (I) 11.6 m
2. Touareg, Model year 2006 (I (1. Facelift)) 11.6 m
3. Touareg, Model year 2010 (II) 11.9 m
4. Touareg, Model year 2014 (II (1. Facelift)) 11.9 m
5. Touareg, Model year 2018 (III) 12.2 m
6. Touareg, Model year 2023 (Touareg III (1. Facelift)) 12.2 m
The difference in Turning circle between first generation (I) from 2002 and last generation (Touareg III (1. Facelift)) from 2023 is 0.6 m.
The turning circle of the current generation of Touareg is 12.2 m.

Variants

VW Touareg variants: Touareg vs. Touareg R

(Turning circle)
Turning circle: VW Touareg variants
Variant nameTurning circle
Touareg12.2 m
Touareg R12.2 m
1. Touareg 12.2 m
2. Touareg R 12.2 m

The turning circle compared to other VW models

When pitted against other models within the Volkswagen lineup, the Touareg fits somewhere on the larger end of the turning circle spectrum. Smaller, more agile models like the VW up! in its various avatars (GTI, e-up!, cross up!) all boast a nimble 9.80-meter turning circle. Even the ID family—ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5—display tighter circles between 10.30 and 10.60 meters. To put it into perspective, the Golf, known for its all-round prowess, sits comfortably at around 10.90 meters. Some mid-sized models like the T-Roc and Touran exhibit a turning circle of 11.10 meters and 11.50 meters respectively, making them more maneuverable than the Touareg. If agility was a contest, the Touareg would be at the back, watching others pirouette gracefully in tight corners.

VW Touareg vs other current cars by VW

(Turning circle)
Turning circle: Touareg vs. other models by VW
Variant nameTurning circle
up! 9.8 m
up! cross up! 9.8 m
up! e-up! 9.8 m
up! GTI 9.8 m
ID.5 10.3 m
ID.4 10.3 m
ID.3 10.3 m
Polo 10.6 m
Polo GTI 10.6 m
Taigo 10.6 m
T-Cross 10.7 m
Golf 10.9 m
Golf GTD 10.9 m
Golf GTE 10.9 m
Golf GTI 10.9 m
Golf R 10.9 m
ID.7 10.9 m
T-Roc Cabriolet 11 m
Golf Alltrack 11.1 m
Golf R Variant 11.1 m
Golf Variant 11.1 m
T-Roc 11.1 m
T-Roc R 11.1 m
Tiguan 11.5 m
Tiguan R 11.5 m
Touran 11.5 m
ID.5 GTX 11.6 m
ID.4 GTX 11.6 m
Passat Alltrack 11.7 m
Passat GTE Limousine 11.7 m
Passat GTE Variant 11.7 m
Passat Limousine 11.7 m
Passat Variant 11.7 m
Arteon 11.9 m
Arteon R 11.9 m
Arteon R Shooting Brake 11.9 m
Arteon Shooting Brake 11.9 m
Tiguan Allspace 11.9 m
Touareg 12.2 m
Touareg R 12.2 m
1. up! 9.8 m
2. up! cross up! 9.8 m
3. up! e-up! 9.8 m
4. up! GTI 9.8 m
5. ID.5 10.3 m
6. ID.4 10.3 m
7. ID.3 10.3 m
8. Polo 10.6 m
9. Polo GTI 10.6 m
10. Taigo 10.6 m
11. T-Cross 10.7 m
12. Golf 10.9 m
13. Golf GTD 10.9 m
14. Golf GTE 10.9 m
15. Golf GTI 10.9 m
16. Golf R 10.9 m
17. ID.7 10.9 m
18. T-Roc Cabriolet 11 m
19. Golf Alltrack 11.1 m
20. Golf R Variant 11.1 m
21. Golf Variant 11.1 m
22. T-Roc 11.1 m
23. T-Roc R 11.1 m
24. Tiguan 11.5 m
25. Tiguan R 11.5 m
26. Touran 11.5 m
27. ID.5 GTX 11.6 m
28. ID.4 GTX 11.6 m
29. Passat Alltrack 11.7 m
30. Passat GTE Limousine 11.7 m
31. Passat GTE Variant 11.7 m
32. Passat Limousine 11.7 m
33. Passat Variant 11.7 m
34. Arteon 11.9 m
35. Arteon R 11.9 m
36. Arteon R Shooting Brake 11.9 m
37. Arteon Shooting Brake 11.9 m
38. Tiguan Allspace 11.9 m
39. Touareg 12.2 m
40. Touareg R 12.2 m

How does the turning circle of the VW Touareg compare to it's nearest competitors?

Stack the VW Touareg against its direct competitors, and an interesting picture unfolds. For example, the Mercedes-Benz GLS comes in with a turning circle of 12.40 meters, slightly larger than the Touareg's. Meanwhile, the BMW X7 plays the outlandish showstopper with a whopping 13.00 meters! But not all heavyweights miss the mark; the Maserati Levante, for instance, boasts a nimble 11.70 meters. It’s worth noting that the Lamborghini Urus, despite sharing some platform love with the Touareg, can flaunt a neat 11.80-meter turning circle. In layman’s terms, while the additional meters might seem nominal, they can make quite the difference in city driving and tight parking scenarios. Ah, the price we pay for luxury and space!

VW Touareg vs. similar cars

(Turning circle)
Turning circle: VW Touareg vs. similar cars
Car modelTurning circle
Ligier JS 60 20209.5 m
SsangYong Korando 201110 m
Peugeot 4008 201210.6 m
Hyundai Tucson 200410.8 m
Dodge Nitro 200711.1 m
Hyundai Grand Santa Fe 201311.2 m
SsangYong Actyon 200611.2 m
Hyundai Santa Fe 200111.3 m
Infiniti QX30 201611.4 m
Hyundai ix55 200911.4 m
Cadillac XT4 202011.6 m
Renault Koleos 200811.6 m
Ford Kuga 200811.6 m
Mercedes-Benz GLB 201911.7 m
Mercedes-Benz GLC 201511.8 m
ALPINA XD3 201311.9 m
Ford Edge 201611.9 m
Volvo XC60 200811.9 m
Jaguar E-Pace 201811.9 m
Citroen C-Crosser 200712 m
ALPINA XD4 201812.1 m
BMW X5 200012.1 m
Mercedes-Benz GL-Klasse 200612.1 m
VW Touareg 202312.2 m
Audi Q8 201813.3 m
1. Ligier JS 60 2020 9.5 m
2. SsangYong Korando 2011 10 m
3. Peugeot 4008 2012 10.6 m
4. Hyundai Tucson 2004 10.8 m
5. Dodge Nitro 2007 11.1 m
6. Hyundai Grand Santa Fe 2013 11.2 m
7. SsangYong Actyon 2006 11.2 m
8. Hyundai Santa Fe 2001 11.3 m
9. Infiniti QX30 2016 11.4 m
10. Hyundai ix55 2009 11.4 m
11. Cadillac XT4 2020 11.6 m
12. Renault Koleos 2008 11.6 m
13. Ford Kuga 2008 11.6 m
14. Mercedes-Benz GLB 2019 11.7 m
15. Mercedes-Benz GLC 2015 11.8 m
16. ALPINA XD3 2013 11.9 m
17. Ford Edge 2016 11.9 m
18. Volvo XC60 2008 11.9 m
19. Jaguar E-Pace 2018 11.9 m
20. Citroen C-Crosser 2007 12 m
21. ALPINA XD4 2018 12.1 m
22. BMW X5 2000 12.1 m
23. Mercedes-Benz GL-Klasse 2006 12.1 m
24. VW Touareg 2023 12.2 m
25. Audi Q8 2018 13.3 m

Similar cars

Renault Koleos
Turning circle:
-7% (11.4 m)


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Ligier JS 60
Turning circle:
-22% (9.5 m)


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DS Automobiles DS 7
Turning circle:
-3% (11.8 m)


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Hyundai Santa Fe
Turning circle:
-10% (11 m)


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KIA Sorento
Turning circle:
-5% (11.6 m)


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VinFast VF 7
Turning circle:
-100% (0 m)


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