The Volkswagen Touran has ended production with no successor planned.
The veteran minivan cannot meet new EU safety standards.
The Touran stood as one of Volkswagen's longest-running models.

It slipped under the radar for many, but on April 29, 2026, Volkswagen officially retired the Touran. That marked the day the last unit of this compact minivan rolled out from the Wolfsburg plant. The news was hardly shocking, given that the second-generation model, at just over 11 years old, was the most aged vehicle in VW's domestic portfolio.

From December 2002 through December 2025, Germany saw 1,070,558 new Touran registrations. The peak came in 2004 with 95,408 units sold. Overall, Volkswagen produced about 2.3 million Tourans, with recent annual output hovering around 20,000. In Germany last year, registrations topped 14,000, compared to a high of over 52,000. This leaves VW without any minivan in its current offerings.

Volkswagen cites noncompliance with the UN General Safety Regulation II, Stage C, effective July 6, 2026, as the production halt's cause. Without modifications or exemptions, new registrations will no longer be possible.

The Touran's story is intertwined with Auto 5000 GmbH, a key milestone in Volkswagen's manufacturing evolution. Early in the 2000s, VW sought to produce its new compact minivan efficiently in Germany, avoiding relocation to cheaper labor markets.

The initiative, branded "5000 times 5000," was designed specifically for this model. Launching in late 2002, the first Touran became more than a vehicle; it anchored an experiment in streamlined management, team collaboration, and adaptable work practices to sustain high-volume output in Wolfsburg. Leading the effort was VW's labor director Peter Hartz, whose reforms later inspired Germany's "Hartz IV" social policies.

Exclusive to Auto 5000's facilities from the outset, Touran assembly drew workers, including many from the jobless ranks, trained for this specialized line. Built on the Golf V chassis but with added interior sophistication and variant diversity, it tested cutting-edge assembly techniques.

Early triumphs cemented the approach's viability, positioning the Touran as a class frontrunner. Expansion came with the 2007 Tiguan, yet the Touran embodied the "5000" project's spirit.

Second-generation production shifted to Wolfsburg in late May 2015. Measuring 178.3 inches long, the updated Touran grew 5.1 inches in length and 1.2 inches in width over its predecessor, enhancing cabin room. The second row offered three separate seats, with a third row available optionally.

In the five-seater, cargo space measured 26.2 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 29.4 cubic feet with seats slid forward, and 69.9 cubic feet with them folded. The seven-seater provided 4.8 cubic feet behind the upright third row, 22.4 cubic feet with it stowed, and 65.6 cubic feet with the second row also down.

From 2024 onward, powertrains narrowed to the 150-hp 1.5 TSI gasoline and 122- or 150-hp 2.0 TDI diesels. No immediate replacement exists; the Tiguan matches in scale, but seven seats appear only in the roomier Tayron. SUVs are steadily supplanting minivans across the industry - a regrettable shift.