VW GOLF ALLTRACK: AWD AT LAST
Wagon tackles off-road with gusto, yet tackles highways like a spirited car
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WASH. Wagon lovers of the world, rejoice! Volkswagen has finally brought out an all-wheel-drive station wagon.
While it’s unlikely the 2017 Golf Sportwagen Alltrack will derail the relentless ascendance of the CUV/SUV segments, it will go a long way in offering traditionalists an option when it comes to hauling their gear on outdoor adventures. It will also appease VW dealerships that for years have been pleading with HQ in Germany to put an all-wheeldrive powertrain into a station wagon for Canadian consumers.
Up until now, the Subaru Outback has locked up that space. The German luxury brands offer AWD wagons, but few ever see a dusty logging road.
Essentially, the Alltrack is a beefed-up Golf Sportwagen with all-wheel drive, in this case VW’s tried-and-true 4Motion system. Power for the Alltrack comes from an equally reliable and proven power plant: a 1.8-litre turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder, offering 170 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and there is — Yay! — talk that a six-speed manual might show up in 2018 models.
Alltrack departs from its Golf Sportwagen stablemates, thanks to its body cladding, redesigned bumpers, jacked-up height ( just 15 millimetres) and underbody guard. More subtle exterior design differences include silver roof rails and side mirrors and lower window chrome moulding. The 18-inch Canyon alloy wheels add to the rugged look.
The interior is much the same as the Sportwagen family, though it has some unique touches, including a black headliner, and aluminum-look pedals. The leatherwrapped handbrake, shifter knob and multi-function steering wheel provide a nice touch of luxury.
The Alltrack comes very well loaded, including a huge panoramic sunroof, rear-view camera, keyless access with push-button start and automatic dual-zone climate control.
The infotainment system uses a 6.5-inch colour touch-screen display with proximity sensor and Navigation, and compatible smartphone integration.
For $1,310, the Driver Assistance Package adds adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning and autonomous emergency braking, front and rear park distance control, lane assist and park assist, which aid in both parallel and perpendicular parking of the vehicle.
The $1,610 Light and Sound Package includes bi-xenon headlights with the adaptive frontlighting system and light assist high-beam control, LED daytime running lamps and a 400-watt Fender premium sound system.
As for fuel economy, VW Canada cites a city rating of 10.6 L/100 km and a highway rating of 8.0 L/100 km.
The other big news for the 2017 Golf Sportwagen stable is the availability of 4Motion all-wheel drive on all other trim levels, starting at Trendline ($26,045) to Comfortline ($28,745) and Highline ($33,795). My drive route took me through winding forest roads, four-lane highways and even a brief offroad excursion. Immediately apparent was the very basic appeal of the station wagon. It achieves what all crossovers aspire to: it drives like a car.
Handling was solid, and acceleration surprisingly peppy for a sub-200-hp engine, though fully loaded with gear and a few cabin mates, I’d guess the Alltrack would feel a little sluggish.
For the majority of the drive, the Alltrack operated in FWD-only mode — a key feature of VW’s 4Motion system. When wheel spin occurs, as it did on a gravel road portion of the route, the rear wheels were engaged. It worked like a charm.
For the off-road section, I put the drive-mode selector in the off-road setting, which includes hill descent, and it also worked as advertised. There’s no real wow factor with the performance and handling of the Alltrack but, on the other hand, there was nothing lacking in terms of what you’d expect from a station wagon.
The 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack will be available in October with an MSRP of $35,295.