The VW Touareg has a 15-inch touchscreen in the top-of-the-range Innovision Cockpit. However, Carplay does not take full advantage of the powerful 15-inch device, but restricts itself to a section in the middle of the screen – a shame.
You operate CarPlay in the Touareg as usual by touch and voice control (which you start using the corresponding steering wheel button). Apart from the fact that CarPlay does not use the full giant touchscreen, the implementation was successful. The system reacts quickly, the icons are easy to hit and the voice control works well.
Wireless CarPlay
Carplay only works via the USB ports on the front. If you buy the “Business” phone interface, which is subject to a surcharge, there is a Qi charging compartment below the 15-inch screen in the center console. That would actually be the ideal addition to Wireless Carplay, but VW unfortunately does not have it in its Touareg packed. So you can only use Carplay via Lightning cable and not wirelessly. BMW is still the leader in wireless Carplay. In view of the price level and the demands of the Touareg, this is a clear minus point for the SUV from Wolfsburg.
Navigation
Since iOS 12, Google Maps and Sygic can also be used as navigation solutions instead of Apple maps. This means you can finally navigate without having to constantly reload the map material: With Google Maps at least for those sections of the route for which you have previously downloaded the maps to the iPhone via WLAN and with Sygic generally offline, because Sygic installs all the map material on the iPhone anyway. The offline use of the map material not only saves the monthly data volume of your mobile phone contract, but also enables smooth navigation with poor mobile phone connections.
Note: In order to be able to use Carplay in the Touareg, you have to purchase the App-Connect package.
