2012 Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen’s Touran, that oddball minivan wedged between the Sharan and Golf Plus, never found its groove with South African families. Local buyers flocked to SUVs instead, leaving the Touran, Ford Galaxy, and Kia Carnival to languish on dealer floors. VW offered only manual gearboxes here—no automatics, which feels like a misstep given our urban traffic. Engine choices boiled down to a 1.2 TSi petrol, plus 1.9 and 2.0 TDi diesels, but you’d be lucky to spot more than a handful for sale today. With just three on the market, priced between R149,995 and R159,950, it’s a micro-market: you’re choosing between individual survivors, not shopping a proper lineup. Each listing covers a different flavour: a 1.2 TSi Trendline at R155,500, a 1.9 TDi Trendline at R159,950, and a 2.0 TDi Comfortline at R149,995. All are 2009 to 2013 models, and every one averages around 170,000 km—high mileage that’d usually raise red flags, but these are manuals, not the problematic DSG autos that haunted the Touran’s reputation. That matters, because buyers here want the practicality: seven seats that actually fit people, sliding rear doors, and a load floor lower than any Fortuner can muster. On paper at least, the packaging makes sense for the school run or a big family, if you pack smart. Forget about new stock—this is now a hunt for a sensible used buy, where rarity and condition trump spec sheets.