2017 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Alltrack, getting ready to launch in the USA

Volkswagen always enters the party late. The German maker is releasing the Alltrack model of Sportwagen in the U.S. next year that we had just tested. It is an elevated Golf SportWagen equipped with off-road styling, and all-wheel-drive. This is making an appearance after the segment pioneers Volvo XC70, and Subaru Outback were introduced to the scene two decades ago. 

But most American consumers did not know that this sort of Golfs was being sold by Volkswagen since the 90s, but they were never in the American market.  It was so funky Alltrack buyers would have been scared away by its looks. We tested a European example in Germany which is already being sold there. The production will start in the later part of 2016 in Mexico for the American-bound examples, and considerable finances have been pumped into the Puebla plant of VW to facilitate the production of all-wheel-drive cars.

The Golf SportWagen Alltrack is equipped with 4MOTION AWD and progresses beyond being a simple show piece and provides some genuine ability. The rear axle is decoupled in search of greater efficiency most of the time and you will feel as if it is a front-wheel-driven Wagen, but when called for traction by four wheels the rear wheels are called in for duty by the Haldex clutch system, and 100 percent of torque can be delivered to them at those times. The Alltrack’s driving mode selection meant for manipulating throttle and transmission limits also offers an “off-road” setting to help hill descent. It also raises the chassis by 0.8 inches which come in handy when negotiating dirt roads and two tracks.

There are changes brought to the front fascia and the rear via the aesthetic package to make it look aggressive and fake skid plates are offered additionally. The fender flares are provided for protection but they are pretty, and you cannot risk them getting scratched. The 17 or 18-inch wheels are pretty, but the steel-wheel option might have offered the driver the off-roading ability and also the taller side walls, both of which is not offered in the Alltrack.

The model- specific fabric of nondescript kind has been offered in the Alltrack according to the Trim levels. The Golf SportWagen otherwise is handsome looking from inside and outside but restrained and ergonomically lenient dashboard and functionality. The same drawback that ails the rest of the brethren also sets it back, the irritating infotainment system. We expect VW increases the processing power by the time it releases the Alltrack. Despite all these, the Alltrack behaves like what other Golfs do and also offer an improvement that is beyond what normally expected from the segment which is a nice mixture of capability, riding quality and handling.

The U.S. bound Alltrack will be sporting the recently embraced EA888 1.8 Liter TSI four-cylinder gasoline engine producing 180 hp, and it will be clubbed with a six-speed dual clutch auto transmission. For Europe, there are three versions available in diesel. Diesel will be a more suitable option as it offers rugged conduct to the Alltrack.