Car Review: 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack

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Actor Frederik de Groot pitched a clear message to Canadians in his years as spokesman for the online and telephone bank, ING Direct. At the end of every commercial that rightfully slagged the outrageous fees banks charge for using your money, the Dutchman concluded his spiels with the tag line: “And save your money.”

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I am here to suggest the same thing for anyone considering Volkswagen’s 2017 Golf Alltrack.

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Don’t get me wrong: This isn’t because the Alltrack, a cladded and lifted version of the Golf Sportwagen, is a dreadful car — indeed, the gussied-up Golf weaves good performance with great driving pleasure. To be completely honest, I like the Golf so much we bought a brand-new five-door hatch for my wife last year, so this wagon-bashing has nothing to do with the car, but rather its pricing and place in the Golf family.

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My problem with the Alltrack rests with the fact a mostly similar VW wagon, complete with DSG transmission and AWD, can be had for thousands less. While the Alltrack starts at $35,295, the far less expensive 4Motion wagon Trendline can be had for $26,045. Sure, you forgo the fancy 18-inch wheels, drive-mode select, some safety features, ambient LED interior lights and leather; but if you don’t care about such motoring mojo, the base wagon will get through the same snowstorms as the more expensive Alltrack, which sits only 1.4 inches higher.

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Even if you do prefer every available option and opt for a fully loaded Highline Sportwagen at $33,800, it’s still cheaper than the Alltrack. The one option you’d expect the Alltrack to come with as standard equipment — VW’s sound and light package that brings HID lighting and a brilliant Fender audio system — is still, unfortunately, a $1,610 option in the Alltrack and Highline. Had it been standard in the Alltrack, it might separate the Alltrack from lesser wagons, demarcating itself as the “Canadian value-added wagon.” Another option that brings park assist, adaptive cruise and blind-spot warning, adds another $1,310 to the Alltrack.

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A fully optioned Alltrack, therefore, totals $38,215. But adding freight, fees and taxes to the equation brings us to a final bill of more than $45,000. An equally equipped Highline hits $43,400 out the door ($1,600 less), and the cheaper-still 4Motion Trendline would cost as little as $31,350 with freight and taxes — or $13,650 less for a car that moves down the road in pretty much the same manner as the Alltrack. Heck, at $45,000 for the Alltrack, wouldn’t it make more sense to go all in for the highest-performing Golf of all — the Volkswagen R, which brings the same 4Motion traction but slays the asphalt with 280 lb.-ft. of torque instead of the wagon’s 199 lb.-ft.? The R costs only $2,900 more out the door — and comes with a more appealing manual transmission.

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Of course, this is unfair, like comparing peaches to plums, because anyone shopping for a wagon will probably be more worried about losing a soother between the seats than dusting off EcoBoost Mustangs with his or her R. And because the R doesn’t yet come as a wagon means you’d get only 13.7 cubic feet of trunk space instead of the wagon’s 30.4; with the seats folded, the hatch gets 47.2 to the wagon’s 66.5. The wagon really does make for superior family hauling, especially for those still lugging hockey bags to various rinks all winter.

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So, the dilemma comes back to the Alltrack versus its Highline, Comfortline or Trendline twins. Volkswagen no longer offers the coveted light and sound package in trims lower than Highline, so that eliminates the cheaper choices for those who want excellent night vision and one of the best car stereos in the business. Too bad.

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The Highline Sportwagen, therefore, becomes the closest thing to the Alltrack. Both models get a panoramic sunroof, comfortable leather sport seats and a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. Both handle extremely well — firm without being punishing — both come with excellent brakes and a quiet cabin that feels as well built as an Audi. The interior layout, fit and finish is almost as good as an A3.

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Acceleration is decent in both, but the Alltrack’s drive mode gives it a unique advantage. Mode select allows the driver to choose between Normal, Sport, Custom or Offroad with hill-descent control. But with a ground clearance only 1.4 inches higher than regular Sportwagens (6.7 inches versus 5.3), the Alltrack really doesn’t have the chops of a CUV and will rarely venture onto anything more challenging than a cottage trail. Does it not make more sense, therefore, to simply go with a Highline Sportwagen — or even a loaded Tiguan — and save your money?

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Derek McNaughton
Derek was the managing editor of Postmedia's Driving from 2008 to 2015. He now runs his own construction business but continues to love and write about new cars and trucks.Learn more about AuthorShare this article in your social network
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