Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2012 Review - International

Volkswagen will bring its own brand of 'crossover' motoring to Australia late in 2012 when the Passat Alltrack arrives, a rugged version of German brand's popular medium car.

Essentially a jacked-up Passat wagon, the Alltrack sits 30mm higher off the ground than its donor car and has been fitted with a few bits and bobs designed to toughen it up and give it an adventurous scope.

The Wolfsburg-based car maker refers to things like its 4MOTION all-wheel drive system and 2.5mm steel underbody bash plate as 'enhanced toughness. The new car will certainly give erstwhile rivals like the Subaru Outback something to think about. The VW looks good, performs well and has a high level of standard features.

Driving the new Volkswagen Passat Alltrack on road and off revealed a couple of things. Firstly, it drives just like a Passat -- almost exactly the same -- but that's a plus. It's easy to get into and drive comfortably thanks to the sensibly layout of the cockpit and easy to use controls. The elevated driving position and responsive turbodiesel powertrain are also benefits. The only downside is its higher ride height and slightly heavier weight means it doesn't feel quite as sharp through corners.

When the first batch of Volkswagen Passat Alltrack vehicles are unloaded at wharves around Australia, only one engine type will be offered. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder (125kW/350Nm) direct injected turbodiesel mill, will come standard with 4MOTION all-wheel drive and a six-speed (automatic) DSG transmission.

It's a well-sorted powertrain, one that ensures strong pulling power from standstill, both on and offroad. It was also perky enough to see us cruising at a leisurely 200km/h on the Autobahn, though we couldn't quite crack the claimed 211km/h top speed. 

The Alltrack TDI 125 is no bantam fighter, weighing in at 1725kg. But it'll haul from 0-100km/h in a respectable 8.9 seconds and can tow a trailer weighing up to 2200kg. The stability control system also detects when a trailer is hitched and adjusts to suit.

Driven with a modicum of restraint the VW is a miserly mode of transport, consuming fuel at a claimed rate of 5.9L/100km, and it bears repeating the new Alltrack feels eerily similar to your garden-variety Passat.

But unlike the regular Passat it has few extra buttons to mess around with...

One of them simply reads 'Offroad' and hitting this button initiates an antilock braking system tuned for looser surfaces and Hill Descent Assist that controls the brakes for you. It worked seamlessly in our tests, crawling down steeper slopes whenever it detected a gradient of more than 10 degrees.

We quite liked the simple execution of the Alltrack's offroad features, which are a first for a Volkswagen passenger car. Previously the 'offroad pack' was only offered on the Tiguan and Touareg SUVs, and operated at speeds of 30km/h or less. As well as offroad ABS and hill descent control it also reigns in the differential locks and lowers the DSG's gearing for easier hill climbing.

Though we didn't get to really crank the car through a challenging offroad track, we did blat around a short boggy course in the Austrian Alps which highlighted the cars improved ride height -- now 165mm (up from 135mm). This extra ground clearance also improves the car's approach and departure angles from 13.5 and 11.9 degrees to 16.0 and 13.6 degrees respectively. The ramp over angle also benefits, up to 12.8 degrees from 9.5.

The all-wheel drive system proved to savvy across muddy, snowy trails, the fourth-generation Haldex coupling sending power to the wheels when detecting there was traction available. Sure there was wheelspin when provoked, but the car never became irrevocably bogged (and not for lack of trying) and generally drove in the desired direction.

Volkswagen Australia has confirmed to motoring.com.au that Australian delivered TDI 125 4MOTION models will be well specified and will arrive as standard with roof rails, the Offroad Driving Programme, a comprehensive safety suite (including stability control and eight airbags, an electronic park brake), climate control, electric everything, and Bluetooth connectivity.

What we don't yet know is the price. Considering the Passat wagon with the same engine fetches $45,990 Volkswagen is unlikely to offer a similarly priced Alltrack. Expect the new crossover wagon to target the Subaru Outback's range-topping R model, which doesn't offer much change from $60,000.

Optional features for European Alltrack's comprise an array of driving aids designed to make motoring safer, such as a lane departure and blind spot detection system, radar-based cruise control with emergency braking, an automatic parking assistant, adaptive dampers, traffic sign detection and dynamic light assist -- though the last two have been ruled out for our market.

Volkswagen’s medium car has been quietly achieving solid sales for the German brand in this country. VGA sold 2603 Passats in 2010, lifting that number to 3422 for the 2011. The majority of those numbers are wagons. It would be fair to say the arrival of rugged and arguably more visually pleasing Alltrack version won't hurt overall sales.

Easy to drive and fitted with a couple of simple but intuitive offroad aids, the Passat Alltrack is shaping up to be a genuine rival for the Subaru Outback. If VW can get the specification and pricing right, it's clear from our brief taste that the new Alltrack will be a vehicle to watch.

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