Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2016 Review

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack
Local Launch Review
Wolgan Valley, New South Wales

Volkswagen returns to the c-segment cross-over market with its B8-series Passat Alltrack. The latest adds more all-road versatility than its two-wheel drive brethren and new safety and more off-road features than the previous model. The Passat Alltrack is priced from $49,290 (plus on-road costs).

Nothing is quite as image-driven as the cross-over SUV market. The big sellers are not much more than cars with a tall body stuck on top.

Sure, you get all-wheel drive (sometimes) and get to see over the top of some of the other traffic (except for anyone else driving an SUV) and in some cases you can wedge more gear into them and get in and out more easily. Yet you pay bigger fuel bills pushing that blunt instrument through the air and have less performance than a lower, lighter wagon.

Here's where cross-over wagons like Volkswagen's Passat Alltrack comes in. It doesn't pretend to be anything but a slightly raised Passat wagon with better grip. Sure, fuel consumption and performance suffers when compared to its two-wheel drive siblings, but not as much as the tallboys.

The latest meaningful annual sales figures from the previous B7-series Alltrack come from 2014 (because supply shortages hit the B7 Passat in 2015, and later that year the B8-series was introduced). In 2014, Volkswagen sold 956 Passat Alltracks and 3079 Passat front-wheel drives. It's not a hot seller, but obviously it's still worthwhile.

The Alltrack's exterior changes over the two-wheel drive Passat wagon are subtle – the most obvious being the bumpers, wheel arch surrounds and side skirts. But it doesn't shout 4WD. Volkswagen thankfully hasn't gone for big skid plates on the bumper, because we all know they won't protect the lower parts of the vehicle from anything but insect splatter.

Getting into the Alltrack doesn't seem that much easier than the regular Passat – the 27.5mm increase in ride height doesn't make a big difference to hip point – and inside it's all very familiar.

The front seats are supportive without feeling as though they're squeezing you into place, but the lack of power adjustments is curious. The driver's seat gets power lumbar and backrest controls, but fore-aft and height are DIY. The front passenger's seat has no power-assist features whatsoever.

The 40:20:40-split back seat is really well sculpted for the outboard occupants but the passenger relegated to the centre seat will find it a high, too-firm perch; and will have to contend with a high transmission tunnel and long centre console to get into the seat.

The reason for the centre seat being so firm and high appears to be that it incorporates a large fold-down armrest, equipped with three cup-holders (one small, two large).

The luggage compartment, accessed via the power-operated tailgate is a wide, long area with a low loading lip. It has four luggage tie downs, quick-release handles for the rear seat in the sidewalls and a full-size alloy spare wheel under the floor.

Back in the driver's seat, there's the neat and functional Passat cockpit with a few extra features thrown in. Specifically, the off-road information screen, which displays steering angle, a compass and an altitude indicator, and an off-road mode within the driving profile selector. The only downside is that the driving profile selector button is on the left side of the centre console, and you need to have a quick peek to find it.

The Alltrack has good vision out of the cabin, and again, you don't really notice that you're sitting higher than a regular Passat.

Engine noise is well suppressed and once in the mid-range, the turbo-diesel is strong and responsive. However, in other instances, the throttle response is odd – it is as if the ECU receives the electronic inputs from the throttle and has a stop work meeting to discuss the merits of the information and what it intends to do with it. So there's a disconnect between throttle input and how the engine responds. Select the Sport mode in the driving profile selector and it's better, but not a lot.

The dual-clutch transmission does a great job on the open road. It's decisive, boasts super-quick gearshifts, and offers a bunch of well-matched ratios. But when you're loading it up, such as reversing up a steep driveway, the clutches seem to be on the mat with the flywheel, grabbing and releasing, making for a laboured and hard-to-modulate manoeuvre.

On paved roads the Alltrack steers and corners very well; there is no sharp dive under brakes or roll when you turn in. The electric-assist steering has a good amount of feel and doesn't dither with translating steering inputs to the front wheels. The ride is firm and well-controlled.

Thankfully, we didn't have much opportunity to test the new safety gear on offer, save for the active cruise control. The system is easy to engage and doesn't get spooked too easily by traffic moving around the Alltrack.

As we eased onto dirt roads the springs seemed a bit too stiff on initial compression, because the Alltrack jiggles around busily until it has something more substantial to contend with. This it does very well; take larger bumps and undulations at speed, and the suspension soaks it all up.

Not so good is the way the Alltrack negotiated its way over sharp bumps such as potholes. The Alltrack thumped its way over such obstacles, with the 45-profile tyres and relatively unyielding suspension bushes unable to do much to soften the blow.

It always remained stable, however, and you have to remember that this car doesn't have the lush-riding Prado's squishy, tall sidewalls or soft rubber-insulated body-on-chassis... Or its ponderous handling, for that matter.

Modern cars are low-slung and front-wheel drive won't help you much on a slippery track – and this is where the Alltrack make a lot of sense. On farm tracks we briefly explored, the Alltrack kept its underbelly off the track's high crown and the Haldex all-wheel drive system and traction control combo was quick to quell wheelspin.

Of course, driving off-road can turn nasty very quickly even for the most seasoned driver and the most bush capable 4WD. That'll happen even more quickly for the Alltrack, but within its brief it did well.

The Passat Alltrack doesn't have the street cred of a tall SUV, but it has just as much rough-road nous. It's also more civilised on paved roads and offers better economy and performance than its higher-riding rivals.

Add to this the Alltrack's comprehensive suite of safety and convenience gear and a robust fit and finish, and you have an appealing all-road wagon.

2016 Volkswagen Passat Alltrack pricing and specifications:
Price: $49,290 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 140kW/400Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 143g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Volvo XC60 (from $57,990 plus ORCs)
>> Subaru Outback (from $35,490 plus ORCs)
>> Skoda Octavia Scout (from $32,990 plus ORCs)