Volkswagen Passat Alltrack Wolfsburg 2017 Review

What’s it all about?
Volkswagen Australia concedes that SUVs now represent “the biggest opportunity” for growth in Australia.

However, that hasn’t stopped the local arm from rolling out a series of compelling and conventional alternatives to the high-rider, particularly in wagon form.

The latest instalment is the Passat Alltrack Wolfsburg Edition. As the name suggests, this limited edition model is based on the regular Passat Alltrack wagon. Just 250 examples have landed in Australian showrooms, each bringing a host of extra standard equipment.

Visual enhancements include ambient interior lighting, 65 per cent light absorbing tinted rear windows, black headliner, aluminium ‘wave’ dash inserts, piano black centre console and Wolfsburg crest badging.

The Wolfsburg Edition retains the Alltrack’s 140kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, six-speed DSG transmission and 4MOTION all-wheel-drive.

How much will it cost?
The Wolfsburg Edition costs at $54,990 drive-away, whereas the regular Passat Alltrack costs $50,790 plus on-road costs – so the overall price difference is negligible. The Wolfsburg makes up any difference with an active info display similar to Audi’s virtual cockpit, Adaptive Chassis Control, 19-inch Albertville alloys, LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights, gearshift paddles and an electric tailgate with foot-close function.

These features are on top of an eight-inch colour touchscreen, sat-nav, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors and five-star safety.

The only option is a panoramic sunroof ($2000) and either pure white, Iridium Grey metallic or exclusive Crimson Red paint.

On the warranty and servicing front, Volkswagen offers three-year/unlimited kilometre coverage along with 15,000km/12 month servicing intervals. The first three years of servicing will set you back $1706, Volkswagen says.

Handily, it is also possible to explore publicly-listed customer ratings of each Volkswagen dealer if you choose to service at an official centre.

Why should/shouldn’t I buy it?
The Passat is a compelling alternative to the SUV crowd.

It steers, rides and handles on a level most SUVs simply can’t match, but is also practical with its slightly raised ride height (27.5mm over regular Passat), all-wheel drive grip and electric functions including Hill Descent Control. The ride is well-controlled, following road imperfections faithfully and resisting the temptation to crash, despite the large alloys.

The engine produces a decent whack of power while offering excellent everyday economy. We saw 7.5L/100km in a mix of conditions, including an extended dynamic tilt.

Being a four-cylinder, the diesel feels a little elastic in its power delivery, all within the context of the Passat’s 1671kg tare mass. The automatic transmission, while smooth and intuitive on the move, is also prone to some hesitation from a standstill.

Push a little harder and the Passat impresses with surefooted and composed characteristics. The body tightens through bends with the sportiest adaptive damper settings in place, the steering is well acquitted with excellent accuracy, feel and feedback,

The diesel is also surprisingly engaging, despite its tendency to fizz out at the top end of the dial, bringing a zero to 100km/h time of eight seconds. The clutter factor is almost non-existent, too.

Who will it appeal to?
The Passat Alltrack covers a wide range of duties.

Officially, Volkswagen claims it’s a “boardroom to board shorts” vehicle, and we reckon that sentiment is pretty on the money.

Its 639-litre boot, which folds out to 1769 litres with the rear seats folded flat, teams with excellent first and second row proportions. The boot houses a full-size spare, along with a 12-volt outlet and levers to flip down the rear seat backs from behind.

Storage is well thought-out, there are rear air vents and the cabin is impressively presented, with a tasteful mix of materials and surface treatments. We were especially enamoured with  the active info display, a 12.3-inch display screen neatly conveying important driving functions and navigation in the instrument cluster.

The back seat is ideally suited to two adults on longer trips, thanks to a high-perched centre pew. It is also relatively flat, but it does boast three top tether anchor points team with ISOFIX points on the outer rear seats.

The 2200kg braked towing capacity bolsters the car’s everyday amenity, as does the standard suite of safety technology, which incorporates city emergency brake and adaptive cruise control.

The Alltrack’s front seats are comfortable, but lack the support of sportier rivals, particularly when charging through the bends. Horses for courses.

Where does it fit?
The large car segment is shrinking, thanks in part to the meteoric rise of the SUV.

In saying that the Alltrack still has a couple of like-minded rivals in the Subaru Outback and Skoda Octavia Scout.

So, what do we think?
Volkswagen’s wagon game remains strong. The Passat Alltrack is already an impressive number, offering a compelling, high-riding alternative to the SUV.

The Wolfsburg edition only helps to reinforce this first impression. Sophisticated, practical and refined – this is a reminder of why it’s occasionally nice to divert from the trend.

2017 Volkswagen Passat Alltrack Wolfsburg Edition pricing and specifications:
Price: $54,990 drive-away
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/400Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 143g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP