[Oregon TDI]

2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Release Date, Price and Specs - Roadshow

In "What's taken so long, everyone?" news, Volkswagen is stepping up to take on Subaru's venerable Outback with this 2017 Golf Alltrack. Set for debut at this week's New York Auto Show, VW's new model sticks closely to this simple-but-effective formula established by the Japanese automaker:

Affordable, Utility-Rich Wagon + Ground Clearance + All-Wheel Drive + Off-Road-Look Frosting = Profits

It's amazing that in these SUV-crazy times, it's taken so long for the industry to offer a credible rival to the Outback's lifted wagon hegemony here in North America. Oh, luxury marques have riffed on the same formula -- including Volkswagen Group's own Audi A4-based Allroad -- but mainstream brands have inexplicably shied away from taking on Subaru directly. That changes with this VW.

Based heavily on the Golf SportWagen, the Alltrack rides atop the company's MQB modular architecture and is powered by VW's well-regarded 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine, tuned here for 170 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. Haldex-based 4Motion all-wheel drive is standard, meaning up to 50 percent of available torque can be shuttled to the rear axles when slippage is detected, but under normal conditions, the Alltrack behaves like a traditional front-wheel-drive car.

 

[kippyman]

Just had a look at one at the Toronto Autoshow, nice little wagon

 

[noobytoogy]

Like it. Want one!

 

[Spiegelglatt]

Nice! Too bad about no likely TDI l, would have been a slam dunk.

Seems VW may have also just killed the regular Golf Sportwagen in the US, no idea who (other than dry climate folks) would opt for a FWD when an AWD can be had for close to the same price. Speaking of price, better than what I read long ago (thanks diesel scandal!).

Lastly, amen on later offering it in a six speed manual!

 

[182RG]

no idea who (other than dry climate folks) would opt for a FWD when an AWD can be had for close to the same price.

Stand by...you are about the receive an incoming lecture from Northerners about how only clueless Yuppies buy AWD. FWD with snow tires is far superior....

 

[Spiegelglatt]

Stand by...you are about the receive an incoming lecture from Northerners about how only clueless Yuppies buy AWD. FWD with snow tires is far superior....

Funny you mention that, when I was reading the article I was disappointed with the wheels offered (they bear low profile tires). VW needs to sell this with some serious tires and forgot about the bling. I don't like seeing the YouTube videos of Touaregs with stock or OEM tires trying to offroad against LR's with BFG TA KO's. Put some real tires on it from the factory and there wouldn't be these shenanigans! I guess they could have a bling package for those yuppies who only care about a badge.

I love rocking my oversized BFG's on my Treg, I get glared at by other Treg owners (when out and about) but have gotten a lot of complements from the domestic truck crowd. These tires are fantastic offroad and I would never want to be anyplace without them (except when I run my studded winter tires).

Maybe I am just a country boy in a city folk crowd.

 

[JettaGetUpandGo]

I'm just happy there's another awd option besides the Golf R that isn't an SUV. The 2.0T or TDI would be a great addition to this and enough to make me strongly consider trading the Touareg in for one.

I never understood why the Jetta was never available with awd here (US) and why it was pulled from the Passat with the current generation (again, US). I don't think this would impact Audi sales. They're completely different cars at this point.

 

[sydneytreg]

i think it looks good, Perhaps the Mrs needs an upgrade....

 

[FSJ Guy]

Looks VERY nice!!!

But do I really need a THIRD VW???

Probably not the best question to ask on this forum!! LOL!

 

[TREGinginCO]

The US will not be getting the TDI, not because of dieselgate, but because it would require a urea tank and the car was not designed with one and the rear suspension the AllTrack gets.

I just saw one last week at the Denver Auto Show...... nice ride

 

[noobytoogy]

Looks VERY nice!!!

But do I really need a THIRD VW???

Probably not the best question to ask on this forum!! LOL!

Why not?

The answer is, you don't.

VW are charging premium prices for, thanks to the accountants, average quality cars designed by world-class cheating bastards.

At least we have always known the people who build KIAs might eat dogs as well as build them!



































But I still like that Golf!

 

[Spiegelglatt]

VW are charging premium prices for, thanks to the accountants, average quality cars designed by world-class cheating bastards.

Yeah, and we all know how well it worked out for the empire in the end.

If they wouldn't have screwed up so bad, then this (Alltrack) could have had the TDI and this would have been called "the return of the Quantum"

But I digress...

 

[noobytoogy]

We do, but it's fun digressing, isn't it?!

 

[Black Grouse]

The US will not be getting the TDI, not because of dieselgate, but because it would require a urea tank and the car was not designed with one and the rear suspension the AllTrack gets.

I just saw one last week at the Denver Auto Show...... nice ride

They may need to re-engineer the position of the urea tank as other markets will need SCR and 4Motion.

 

[Oregon TDI]

Some details on the Alltrack's AWD system. Is this superior to what Subaru uses?

VW says Golf Alltrack wagon has improved all-wheel-drive

Volkswagen is showing the all-wheel-drive version of its Golf SportWagen ahead of the New York Auto Show. And it says that the system is more sophisticated than most four-wheel-drive arrangements.

It's called the Volkswagen Alltrack, and it will come to showrooms in the fall.

“We heard from dealers and customers that they wanted to see a Golf SportWagen with the all-terrain capability that comes from an all-wheel drive system,” said Joerg Sommer, a Volkswagen of American vice president, in a statement.

Volkswagen says the Alltrack's "defining characteristic" is an all-wheel-drive system that acts like a front-wheel-drive in normal driving for gas savings, but ships power to the rear wheels whenever it senses any wheel slip -- such as a car might experience when it hits a patch of ice or ventures onto a dirt road.

When it does, the electronic differential makes the front and rear axles work together, VW says. It also locks the wheel that is slipping and transfer power to the opposite wheel to power drivers out of trouble.

There is also the ability to select an "off-road mode" which adds hill descent control and also fine tunes the traction control for dirt.

 

[182RG]

Is this superior to what Subaru uses?

It doesn't list any features that most modern, "Intelligent" AWD systems already use, including the Subaru Symmetrical system. The system in my wife's 5th Gen Ford Explorer has the same list.

This is not the Outback killer. Smaller, less power, lower ground clearance. Maybe a Forester killer......

Now a Passat based AllTrack would be more of a contender, but the price point would be way too high.

Subaru is the resale value king in this market, and ranked significantly higher in reliability ratings. VW, well...it's a VW.

 

[m-fine]

I would definitely not say it is superior to what Subaru uses on the Outback as they are able to maintain a full time AWD and not just a reactive system that only powers the rear wheel after a slip has occurred. Normally there would be some loss of mileage with the full time AWD, but Subaru has a straight and efficient drive train with the boxer engine layout which helps offset that.

The Alltrack system is going to have pretty much all of the front wheel drive characteristics (good and bad) until after slippage has started to occur. The system will help you get moving and stay moving on snow, ice, and dirt roads which is all 99% of the target market will ever ask of it.

The "also locks the wheel that is slipping" is marketing speak for "we use open differentials and electronic braking to direct torque instead of a limited slip differential to save weight and expense" and this is true for the Alltrack and most Subaru models.

 

[PL69]

This looks like basically the same thing I had in my Tiguan, except for the Off-Road mode.

I can tell you its nothing special but it works good for added safety.

 

[Black Grouse]

That description fits almost every soft-roader that's been made since TC and ESP became standard - it's certainly not superior to the Subaru Outback 2003-on model and I doubt Subaru have decontented their AWD since then - indeed it's inferior as the Subaru system transfers drive from front to rear in response to throttle position so acting even before any wheel slip occurs - thinking about it, it's not superior either to the Hyundai Santa Fe 2006-on model.

It's just the standard VW Group 4wd system that's been used on their transverse-engined cars for a long time.

VW Group don't make an Outback killer - none of their Allroad/Alltrack models match the Outback's ground clearance or it's flat belly so able to slide over obstacles anyway.

 

[Spiegelglatt]

Subaru makes some good AWD systems. That said I do think VW's existing traverse setups are better than other "soft roaders" that are popular. The Honda CRV and Toyota Highlander come to mind.

There are plenty of videos out there demonstrating this. In fact one in (I believe) Sweden...or Norway indicated the CRV couldn't even transfer power to the rear (period).

VW's largest obstacle is the competition using videos of their vehicles with ESP still turned on to try and climb (which won't work). There is one out there for the Acura MDX versus a Q7 where the driver cuts throttle on climbs while the Acura drives straight up.

I can live with the minor disadvantages of the VW system versus the Subaru. There are benefits such as all tires don't need to be 100% the same on a FWD / AWD system. Also I believe in the end the VW will get better mileage than the Suby.