Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $47,790
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Adaptive Chassis Control $1650; Park Assist 2 $900; Alarm with Tow-Away Sensor $600; Adaptive Cruise Control $2000; Metallic Paint $700
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP & EuroNCAP)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 6.3
CO2 emissions (g/km): 166
Also consider: Mitsubishi Outlander (from $28,990 - $45,490); Skoda Octavia Scout (from  $39,990 - $46,290); Subaru Outback (from $37,490 - $57,490); Volvo XC70 (from $62,990 - $69,990)

High-riding wagons have been a small but consistent part of the Aussie motoring diet for years. The familiar Japanese and Swedish names have stuck around over the past couple of decades, while even local manufacturer Holden has had a crack at the idea with its short-lived Commodore-based Adventra.

Now, ze Germans are having a go Down Under with the Volkswagen Group launching a multi-pronged offroad attack. Sharing a similar ethos, we find the Audi A4 and A6 allroad, Skoda Octavia Scout (okay, Czech) and Volkswagen Passat Alltrack adding extra ground clearance and all-wheel drive capability to the humble family station wagon.

The idea is to offer a little extra flexibility without resorting to the purchase of an SUV. The reasons for this are as personal as the car buying decision itself -- perhaps you don’t want to be seen as another SUV buyer, perhaps the size and height of an SUV evokes certain safety apprehensions, or maybe it’s the vehicle’s physical size and height that is better suited to your family’s needs.

Whatever the reason, Passat Alltrack now ticks those same boxes Mitsubishi Outlander (2001 – present), Subaru Outback (1994 – present) and Volvo XC70 (1997 – present) have for more than a decade.

Passat Alltrack affords owners with the kind of flexibility many SUV owners assume they might one day use, while at the same time being no harder to live with than the regular family station wagon.

It’s a great idea. Accessing those favourite weekend picnic spots, heading bush for a spot of kayaking or taking the mountain bikes to your favourite track are all tasks well within reach – and so is the roof. Have you ever tried getting a mountain bike off the roof of an SUV?

But there are pros and cons to the Passat Alltrack.

The 165mm of ground clearance is plentiful for the vehicle’s intended purposes as is its offroad geometry (approach 16.0°; break-over 12.8°; departure 13.6°). The 4MOTION all-wheel drive system provides considerable grip under acceleration and the electronic driver aids (including hill descent assist, hill hold, stability control, traction control and anti-lock disc brakes) seem well calibrated for use off the beaten track.

Likewise Volkswagen’s strong yet linear 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel offers a capable output of 125kW/350Nm via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. It’s equally efficient, too, and on test returned 8.4L/100km through a mix of city, highway and offroad use.

However, the vehicle’s low-profile 17-alloy wheels and wide tyres (225/50) accentuate every bump and have a tendency to ‘skate’ across loose surfaces. The MacPherson strut (front) / multi-link (rear) suspension arrangement is too firm for even moderate offroad use, and this with the optional Adaptive Chassis Control ($1650) set in its softest mode.

It’s a good thing then that the quick-acting electro-mechanical steering rack endows the Passat Alltrack with nimble footing. You can pick your way around potholes with little fuss, the commanding view from the driver’s seat offering an excellent view of the road ahead.

We did, however, find the driver’s relation the pedal box was a little compromised with the angle of the pedals obtuse, and the height off the brake pedal disproportionate to that of the throttle.

It’s a shame considering the adjustment of the steering column and the seat itself are entirely accommodating. The leather-clad seating too is both comfortable and supportive.

With a generous level of equipment and amenity the Passat Alltrack should appease even the most demanding buyer. Sat nav, Bluetooth, a powered tailgate, electric seat adjustment, auto headlamps and wipers, electrochromatic mirror, trip computer, front and rear parking sensors and an electronic parking brake with auto hold function are just some of the many features found within.

Passat Alltrack offers 588 litres of storage to window height with the rear seats in place. Your luggage is secured under a two-stage retractable cargo cover. The rear seats can be split 60:40 to reveal as much as 1716 litres of space – though you must first raise the rear bench to achieve a completely flat cargo floor. A ‘mobility tyre’ is offered in lieu of a matching alloy spare.

While the Passat Alltrack might not offer the supple dirt road ride of the Subaru Outback, it does hold up better on the sealed stuff. The level of equipment and technology – and the presentation of the vehicle itself – is also markedly better than most of the competitors listed atop this review.

If you’re after a vehicle suited to the occasional trip down a dirt road, or just something a little better suited to a weekend at the snow, then the Passat Alltrack could just be the ticket. Just don’t expect it to match the offroad ability of a proper four-wheel drive.