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Is buying an older hybrid a bad choice?

Partly because I love the model and partly because I think they (presently) fly under the ULEZ radar, I was contemplating buying a petrol or hybrid Volkswagen Touareg Mk2. The one I have seen and fancy has about 50,000 on the clock, air suspension, adaptive cruise control; the lot really. It's a 2011 model for £16,000. Would this be a crazy buy in your view or a decent deal? The car has relatively old technology now and the battery may be a bit rubbish. Is that something I could swap over to a newer one? I have had 3.0-litre diesel versions of this model and they are superb. I do not like the new version but felt this could be a decent cost-effective compromise. Many thanks.

Asked on 7 September 2020 by Hugh

Answered by Andrew Brady
The Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid sold in small numbers when it was new. It was expensive and - at the time - there were fewer incentives to buy a hybrid over a diesel. Today, they make more sense but, as used examples are rare, they tend to attract strong money. I'd say that £16k is at the upper end of what this car is worth, but the low mileage and high specification probably contributes to that. I'd be a little bit worried about the long-term reliability of such a complex SUV. As an alternative, have you considered a Lexus RX 450h? There are more on the market, Lexus has more experience with hybrid technology, and owners are generally extremely satisfied.

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