2017 VW Alltrack review from Family Wheels
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2016
- Volkswagen has jacked up its Golf SportWagen for 2017, given it a more aggressive look and aimed it directly at the Subaru-buying, outdoorsy set. It's called the Alltrack and it's loaded with features. But can it coax loyal Outback owners over to VW? Check-out our review and click here for our bullet point report card on the Alltrack: familywheels.ca/2016/10/2017-v...
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I have been driving VWs since 1972 and got my wife a 2017 Alltrack. She has put 65k miles on it and it has worked well and gets around 29mpg. The only problem so far is the driver side window control switches broke which cost about $60 to replace. I'm surprised the Canadians have to buy the loaded model. We paid under $25k for ours. I wouldn't buy one with the noisy problematic sunroof or leather interior. The vtex (quality vinyl) is the greatest vehicle fabric ever. When we sold back our 2009 Sportwagen with 140k miles the vtex fabric was still like new. If you want an Alltrack time is running out.
Awesome, love your review, you cover stuff the other guys don't, and you do it like a pro. Thanks!
Thanks, Jeff. Glad we're standing out from the crowd!
You are the only reviewer who didn't compliment the cabin isolation and found it noisy from the road. Interesting.
Weirdly enough I test drove 2 of these the other day and one was super quiet and one had noise! I don’t know what’s up with that
Great review! I'm a sales rep and already put 40k on my 2017 and will never buy another Subaru.
Love my 2017 Alltrack..
great honest reviews. do you have a favourite 7 seater ? we are leaning towards the 2016 Honda pilot.
Thanks, Andrew. The Pilot is solid. I also really liked that new Mazda CX-9 we reviewed last month. And if you have the dough, the XC90 from Volvo is gorgeous. We've driven all of those so you can peruse those reviews at your leisure. Thanks again for tuning in.
There are three trims... The S,SE and SEL
Please try to review the new Honda Civic Hatchback, keep it up!
Test drove one and I love the way it drove. I did see what you meant by a smaller crammed back seat. I wish a Subaru dealership was closer so I could test drive an Outback
Outback read seat space is larger if that's what you need. Two six foot passengers fit fine in the Alltrack if the front seat driver/passenger are 5'8". The Outback does have more space since it's larger.
Great car, but as a family of four I may have to go with an outback due to the rear facing car seat issue. I have a 2014 Jetta sport wagon now and it’s the same, very cramped with the car seat. Too bad we don’t get the Passat estate Wagons they get in Europe
Wow. I have been searching for a "family orientated" car review. I am so glad I found this! I just totaled my 2010 Jetta SE, and I'm devastated. I love the feel and look of VWs, and I struggle to find any other companies compare at their price point. We currently have one baby and one dog, but who knows what the future holds. My husband owns a Forester, but it's more of a "work" car, so it's pretty messy. He's really pushing me to get more space, but obviously the Alltrack will be giving me more space than the Jetta. Once the kids are out of car seats, do you feel the Alltrack would be a great option? I just don't know that I can leave the VW family, and I'm pretty unimpressed with the Tiguan. I was thinking the smaller cargo area might just force me to stop overpacking. Also, for reference- how tall are you?
Hi Amy, you'll find your husband's Forester has more room than the Alltrack, I think. Yes, it worked great for us with our son in a front facing car seat - just a bit tight for rear facing kids. I'm 6'2. Thanks for watching! Glad you found us.
There are 3 trim levels in the USA on a Alltrack- S/SE/SEL The basic starts at $26K, and includes Blindspot, Forward Collision and Front/Rear Cross Traffic, and Back Up Camera, Options include 6spd DSG.
It's weird how the trims can be very different between USA and Canada.
To offer one trim seems silly!
Hey Paul, what's the quietist car you've tested so far?
BTW love your videos. keep it up!
If memory serves me correctly, so far it's been the new Audi Q7 and, believe it or not, the high-end limited trim of the Ford F-150.
Anoop, Interesting question, one I have though much or noticed in years. Most newer cars are so much quieter compared to say 20 years ago. I think for me it was either a Mercedes or Cadillac. I was impressed enough that I researched and the car had double pane glass.
forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?7012603-Cars-with-Dual-Pane-Glass
Be nice if there's a "Alltrack GTi" with the 2.0TSI in the future, that would be awesome!
Oooh, that would be great! A great alternative to the WRX with a bit more space.
A bit? The space in the WRX compares with the Golf hatchbacks.
You can get an APR tune; for new VWs, the APR Plus tune ($995) comes with a warranty and is offered through some VW dealers. That basically gives the Alltrack/GSW power/tq just a bit above a GTI.
Apparently the blind spot monitoring was not fully calibrated for the increased ride height in the US and Canada. I expect it to come in the next model year maybe?
Interesting. Thanks for writing.
Love the Seiko 5!
Looks like a Rolex Submariner to me...
There is nothing wrong with a bit of old school 😎
Good review! Too expensive, no manual option for a golf? I don't mind if they offered a less expensive FWD manual version, I like the look and additional ride height to the standard golf sportwagen.
Yep, love the ride height and the 'option' of a manual would be great!
Odd. I have watched and read every review I could find on the Alltrack. None of the others have mentioned noise as an issue. Many were exactly the opposite. I didn't notice any mention that you used Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on this car. I am looking to buy one of this class and won't buy one without that feature. Thus the Alltrack. Great review though.
It depends what you compare to. Audi A4 Allroad is quiter and more comfortable to drive but also cost a lot more.
So still up in the air about it cause the All track has options not available on the sport wagon like the pass thru for ski's even though I don't ski anymore its still a good option for resale later on!
Interesting. So you might wind up going with the Golf SportWagen with AWD instead, Stephen? Have you had a chance to drive them both? Curious how you'd compare the two.
Family Wheels I haven't driven the Alltrack yet but hope to soon. Hight isn't a big issue since I use my truck but the wife and her 3 daughters need the room for Nanaimo shopping days and awd for the problems we have with hydroplaning etc. Our other option could be the new Tiguan with its longer wheelbase. She's 110% #VW or Benz..... Women and their toys are worst than men with theirs!
It's called Golf Alltrack. It's a Golf. I'd take this over a Subaru anytime! Greetings from USA
Before shooting the review, I asked VW Canada about this and they said officially it was named the Golf Alltrack but that it was widely just being called the Alltrack - even by the company itself.
I didn't read VWdeni's comment as a criticism of your post but rather a recommendation of a Golf.
nice video, but as always Canadian customers are getting robbed by VW Canada with poor models selection and atrocious pricing .. My next car will be either a Subaru Outback or a Forester but i'm leaning more on the Outback because it has more space an a bit less noise inside .. keep up the good work ..
I don't see a date listed but yes, the north america's are always short changed with options compared to the Rest Of the World. Subaru also does this.
Love your reviews, keep them coming!! Could you please review a Dodge Charger, thanks and hello from Miami FL :)
Thanks for watching. The Charger, definitely great for cruising the Miami strip!
I thought a boat would be better in Miami?
This guy is exactly like every other Canadian............nice guys.
Should I take that as a compliment?!
Absolutely, Canadians are wonderful people, polite, kind and considerate. Unlike most Americans these days.
AirAmerica What a stupid comment...Canadians are ALL nice people..Americans not so much.
Boring.
I have this car. It's very quiet. More so than my Dads Outback 3.6 limited. The outback is bigger and taller, those are the only things I'd give to the Subaru over this car. Maybe reliability but will see. This definitely is a tighter build on doors and interior quality. The leatherette is very nice looking and feels good. It was also on sale for $6500 off. Subaru pretty much wouldn't budge on price in the metro area I live in. They have more customers than they need. Do still like the Outback and Crosstrek though.
I agree, the build quality and fun to drive factor does circles around the Outback. But you miss out on a lot of extra space and a renowned AWD system. So it all comes down to what you need. In fact, I find the Outback/Alltrack comparison to be a bit off... I've heard it a lot. The size puts them in different categories altogether. Thanks for the views!
Yeah, the CVT in the outback helps give it a bit better fuel consumption numbers but man the Subaru’s have gotten more and more boring to drive. Sportwagen is a better handling more enjoyable drive. Depends what people like and many people in North America are ok with SUVs or Crossovers that don’t handle that well. Maybe they feel safer being up a little higher. I feel safer in and enjoy a responsive car with good handling. So the Sportwagen/Alltrack are what I like.
Thank you! Good review as usual, but maybe for future videos you can get someone within 5'7-6'0 in height to give your viewers a sense of leg room, shorter passenger versus taller passager. Specific with rear-facing car seats. You're a tall adult, but in your reviews it seems that the rear legroom is always questionable. Except for larger cars or SUV. Just a thought!
Thanks for chiming in, Anderson. I'll see if I can talk my wife into jumping into the second row from time to time!
Save 5k and go for a tiguan 4motion. the wolfsburg edition sells for 30k and I bet you can get a deal since there will be a brand new tiguan for 2018. For less you get a better engine with that 2.0l turbo and you get an audi like premium feel imao. Is the tiguan on your list for a review !? I would like to see what you think of it space wise...
That's a really interesting perspective, Frank. Some people just really love wagons, though.
Test drove a 2017 Tiguan, smaller inside cargo wise and for me too high and didn't handle well enough compared to a car type vehicle. I think the 2018 improves the cargo space.
I wonder why Canada gets leather seats. Even in the high end series, only leatherette is available in the US.
Good question!
Especially since leather seats aren't terribly comfortable when it's real cold or hot. I've had them in 3 cars in colors from beige to black. For comfort cloth is the nicest but least practical in terms of wear or spills.
Thank you for an honest review. Fun to drive is not enough for the short comings that this VW has. The interior is tight and the trunk or "boot" is smaller than the Outback and the price is expensive. What I do like is the pass thru, but the rear seats don't fold flat, what's with that. As an 09 Forester owner with no problems since new, I would buy an Outback before this VW. The Outback is made in Indiana and Subaru has never cheated like VW did.
Yes, size-wise and for general usability, the Subaru wins out. We did enjoy the styling and sportiness of the Alltrack, though. Thanks for watching.
Besides the seats not folding flat and that I paid far less than an equivalent Outback the smaller size and lower height is exactly why I choose the Alltrack. The 3.6 engine would come closest to the Alltrack in performance and the VW's better mileage it was an easy choice for me since snow and off-road is less than 10% of the driving I do.
one thing to note that the top trim of alltrack in Europe has better equipment.
Beautiful 8 inch touch screen, electronic parking brake (=more storage space), 5 driving modes incl the Eco mode and other things
Lucky lol
There are 3 trims? Maybe they don't have that many trims in Canada, but in the US, there are S, SE, & SEL.
That's not an option in Canada - which is the focus for this channel. Perhaps we'll have more choices in the next model year.
Conor C Here in the US you can also get the AWD system on the Golf sportwagen. So in theory there are 4 trims.
Yes, that's an option in Canada, too. Which starts at just over $26k. It won't have the ground clearance and more aggressive styling but it's a heck of a lot cheaper.
Also, the lower the car, the better the handling. The Sportwagen reviews from Car and Driver rated the Sportwagen 1st in it's class above the Alltrack and the Volvo and the Outback.
Normally I would agree with you. However, the Alltracks slightly stiffer suspension and ability to set driving modes, specifically sport steering nullifies the difference IMO. I've driven both and found that the off center null steering feel in the Sportwagon 4motion was something I couldn't get past. The Alltrack, once setting up the custom driving setting seemed to make that null feeling less obvious. i know that is the opposite of what some testers in the U.S have claimed, but that was my experience and why my wife replaced her Mk6 GTI with an Alltrack.
Terry, Lower definitely helps and while not the best handling car I've owned or driven I was incredibly impressed with my 2013 TDI Sportwagen. I suspect they've only improved. Compared with a 2003 Jetta 1.8T with the sport suspension the Sportwagen was an upgrade in handling and overall comfort. Both were equipped with the same wheels and tire size 16x7 and 205/55's.
I didn't test drive the Sportwagen since I wanted the leatherette seats and 55 series tires but comparing the Alltrack to the 2013 there is more lean even with the Sport setting but it's very small, the Alltrack leans less than the 2003 Jetta sedan. The stock model S 17" wheels and 55 series tires grip as well. I don't race but tested with on/off ramps without proper banking and have been very impressed. Once entered what I though was a 55 mph ramp at that speed, turned out to be a 25 mph ramp and the Alltrack kept control and drifted very evenly front to rear.
The Volvo I haven't driven but the Subaru's and Outback did not compare. An Audi Allroad if price were no issue I'd consider.
Local Dealer here in Minnesota has it for $26,740. And yes it is the 2017 Alltrack. They must have added some to the line up. Im actually going to look at it today.
I'm talking in Canadian pricing here, Chad. Also, I think you're getting more trim options in the states. Let us know what you think of the test drive.
loved it. Got an extra thousand of for loyalty. ended up buying it for $25,114 US. I loved it from the get go. Very sure footed in town, and out on the twisties. Very responsive engine in comparison to the I5 in our Passat. Also very easy to get in and out of due to taller stance. Perfect height for us. Not so tall as a standard suv, but not sitting on the ground like most cars. 4motion is seamless and smooth. Looking forward to putting some miles on this great little vehicle. Also, i ended up getting the white w/brown interior. Love the fresh color options on the interior. Standard black/beige was getting old.
Good for you, Chad! Enjoy it and check back in after a couple months, would you?
I have had this car now about two months and i love it. I highly recommend this to virtually anyone. for its size it has a lot of space, though you loose rear passenger foot space over say the Passat. Not surprising as the Passat is larger. Very responsive on the highway as well as in the twisties. The AWD(4motion) works great in the snow and less than ideal driving conditions. It is not what i would consider an "offroad" vehicle, but a great go between when you dont want an suv, or a minivan. Height is great. you dont crawl out, or jump down to get out. It is in my opinion a keeper. Now, i just wish they would bring the Passat wagon back.
Thanks for the review after a couple months of driving, Chad!
I would love too see a comparison between the Alltrack and the Sportwagen. The Sportwagen AWD option DOES NOT come with leatherette seats. A game changer IMHO. Yet the higher trim models don't come with AWD! So strange!
Yep, I've heard this from a few people. I imagine the decision was made so there wouldn't be two wagons in the company's line directly pitted against each other.
In Canada, the Sportwagon 4 motion (AWD) IS offered with leatherette in the comfort trim.
Nice watch is that a Tudor?
Funny how many people notice the watch. It's a Seiko.
How come nobody ever talks about the long-term reliability of VW's? Are they good in that regard?
Hi Andrew, Consumer Reports puts Volkswagen right in the middle of the pack in terms of reliability. Here's a link to an article written earlier this year for you: www.consumerreports.org/cars/which-car-brands-make-the-best-vehicles/
Thanks for the link and the quick response. Appreciate your help. Good video too. Did a good job of pointing out both the good and bad points of this new vehicle. Very fair and even-handed.
On video at 3:20 look at the driver side fog lamp it's not working and than you see that driver realizes that and turns both of them off. Not sure if just because he talks about the great VW quality and it looks bad with one of the fogs failing
Incorrect Igor...you can enable cornering fog lights...so when the fogs are off the inside fog light turns on when corning at lower speeds. Quite helpful to illuminate the inside of the corner in poor lighting conditions on back roads. It can be disabled if the feature is undesired. I wish people would research for 5 min before sharing misinformation.
Well I bought a 2017 based on past experience with many brands. I'm 64 yo and working on cars is not something I want to do. Over the years I've been the go-to guy and have helped many with problems from a Toyota to Mercedes, VW has become my choice after 20 plus years.
So which one do you like the best? Golf Alltrack or Forester XT or Outback 2.5? Thanks!
I prefer the looks of the Alltrack but for space, fuel efficiency, all wheel drive capability and overall peppiness, I think the Forester XT wins out for us. We haven't tested the Outback yet but plan to have that for you within the next month. Which way are you leaning?
Thanks for the response. I can't decide. The AllTrack has the best fit and finish. Materials quality feels top notch for the price. The ride on smooth pavement feels refined. However, the suspension crashes on rough surfaces like you said. It feels the smallest too. Also, not sure about the long term reliability. The XT Forester is my favorite because of the engine. But for some reason the front seat is not comfortable for me. The Outback has the most room, most comfortable seats, and probably the most capable. But I don't like the engine choices. The 2.5 is slow and revs too much to get up to speed. The 3.6 is about 180 pounds heavier, all over the from axel, so the braking, skid pad g's, and gas milage suffer. Nothing is perfect, but I'm having a particular hard time with this choice. Thanks again and keep up the good reviews.
Yes, the fit and finish in the Alltrack is definitely the winner here. Do you have a family? I think it would be a squeeze with kids and/or a large dog.
One child, 2 years. No dog. The car seat did seem like a tight fit in the VW. I think you're steering me in the right direction. Thanks. Practicality will probably end up winning. Leaning towards the Outback now.
I see you live in Calgary!! Nice to see local reviewers. nice work! We have a 2011 Sportwagen TDI highline and we love it. Since we might have a buyback we are currently looking for the same. We are debating between the same vehicles. Outback, forester, sportwagen (not alltrack) and crosstrek. I think the best value will be in the comfortline 4motion . I wish the back seat would be a bit bigger though. We have 2 kids, 7months and almost 4 years old. we also have a golden retriever. Yes the baby seat being rear facing is a pain but once they will be both front facing there wont be any issues.
I think the Outback is still a better choice than that All track for a SUV station wagon given the available of different engine choices and trim levels. Buyers for this segment of vehicle generally are looking for quiet ride, reliability, fuel economy rather than handling and fun to drive which the All track offers.
Thanks for watching. Should have an Outback review for you in early November.
Keep up the good work. I enjoy your car review very much
You keep saying that this car is missing this and that, but dont forget, How much those options cost. Yes you can have them, but are you going to pay additional 5K for this car. Probably not... Plus it adds weight, And this is Porky as is.
Too bad cladding and 1" more height are selling points and 4,000 more. The inventory in the states is very low on the Sportwagen. Alltracks 68 models vs. 3 at most dealer.
The cost is higher and $4k isn't far from what you will pay after discounts, I'd say closer to $3k.
For that you get upgraded wheels, interior including seats, infotainment center/radio, and lighting. For me I just couldn't see getting and keeping the Sportwagen 4-motion without upgrading the wheels which I figured would cost about $1k.
Inventory definitely varies by region and production I guess, when I was looking the first dealer had more Sportwagens and another 2-3 weeks later had more Alltracks.
New 1.8 turbo burn oil like crazy. Its big problem with this motor in europe. VW no longer offer this engine in golf alltrack. TDI only available.
You should consider reviewing the Passat Alltrack, mate. Cheers
I'd love to... but we don't have it in Canada! Thanks for watching.
Family Wheels Oh bugger! That's really unfortunate mate.
Intel, Not available in North America anywhere. Not sure if your willing to do a personal import from Germany it's possible.
I'm seeing a lot of Audi Allroad references here. It's almost like VW is trying to make a cut-rate version of the A4 Allroad but instead using it from a Golf wagon instead. It's almost cute really at how they did it.
I kind of wished VW used the 2.0T engine instead of the 1.8T, but my guess is VW doesn't want to enroach on the Tiguan or GTI sales with the Alltrack. I'm not sure about the mono-spec decision; it may help simplify choices & ordering forms from VW but $35k is on the high-side especially when compared to competitors like Subaru. I would have preferred a two-tier models which has the loaded car at $35k while the cheaper one with cloth seats, manual sliding seats, smaller screen/optional navigation and smaller wheels at ~$27k.
I think more trim options are coming... you can already get various tiers in the US.
That exactly describes the US model S.
VW has been made in Mexico for over 50 years so it’s funny that people get turned off by that
In The UK we can get the 2 litre turbo diesel, which is a far better engine
For a lot less money a Mitsubishi Outlander v6 might be a better choice. Also Mitsubishis dont have all electrical and the reliability problems that VW has.
I bought a Sportwagen AWD ( four motion) and can't stop thinking about leather seats. Darn.
hate CVT's so no Subura
a crosstreck with leather is 26 grand and its as slow as a dog and a forester with the 2.5 and leather is 30,000
Canadian or US $
VW offers S, SE and SEL models now... If this was the Passat, but I'm staying with the Outback
Only one trim in the Canadian market, which is our focus... but cool you have the option elsewhere. www.vwmodels.ca/alltrack/
Oh yeah man you are from Canada I forgot sorry! Nevermind then...
I believe the interior is leatherette and not real leather.
Denise Barrett. You're correct, for the US market, the Allroad has leatherette (and several trim levels too) but in Canada we get leather only.
I enjoy driving, therefore Subaru is not even a consideration because of CVT and because Subarus look and feel just so incredibly cheap inside and out. I've been eyeing the Alltrack as a up-size for my GTI but will likely go for the Allroad instead because Golf is tight in the back and I don't like the 1.8 engine feel and sound. Even the rumors of Alltrack with a manual coming "later" probably won't sway me.
Yep, the Allroad gives you that bit of extra space and is a far more premium feeling car. Different AWD system, too. Thanks for watching.
I was skeptical about Quattro Ultra thinking it was going to be a rebranded Haldex (FWD with limited AWD capability after significant front wheel slip) system but the proactive aspect of it actually really works.
When you say "tight in back" you're referring to back seat room? That I didn't check but cargo space both seats down and up is larger in the Alltrack by about 10 cubic feet.
Family Wheels, you look like a poor man's Heath Ledger.
ForeignBorn Patriot haha... that is a first. I've heard a lot of Neil Patrick Harris but never Heath. Thanks for watching.
Same price as a WRX STI?? lol
these are Canadian dollars. the base price in USD is $26k
In Canada, this car is the same price as a WRX STI in Canada.
If you are shopping for either the Outback or the Alltrack you don't want a WRX STI.
38k and only a moon roof? Jesus!!
Perfect timing at 3:22 you mention the build quality. Typical VW fashion - you can see driver side fog lamp not working. Brand new car. for that price it is full of electronic and electrical problems. I know as I've been a loyal VW customer in similar from 2003 till now - when we all in Canada got screwed by VW Canada compared to our USA counterparts in the diesel-gate settlement. My last 2 family cars were TDI wagons. Those cars were only good drive because of the TDI engines. You take it off and its an average lame drive with bad fuel economy. I already got myself nice Subaru Outback. For less money it is a better off-road capably, better fuel economy, and way more cargo and leg room. A forgot to mention way better safety features at the higher trim level as an eye-sight. I will never go back to VW. Bad corporate ethics and bad customer relation on top of bad quality. It used to be a good cars long ago. Now its overpriced mediocre car that underperforming.
Igor Cherkasskiy Oh you ignorant piss .... that's because it was a cornering light and when he made that right turn , the right one came on.
Igor = The Clown