Watch This Before You Buy a Golf Wagon: 2018 Golf Sportwagen & Alltrack TFL Expert Buyer's Guide
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- Опубліковано 19 тра 2018
- ( www.TFLcar.com ) The Golf Wagon has many flavors available in Europe. However, the US only gets two variants: The 2018 Golf Sportwagen & the 2018 Golf Alltrack. Michael breaks down all the features and trim levels in this TFL Expert Buyer's Guide!
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Buddy, we can get the trim levels online. Tell us how the wagons drive!
VW should post this video, it is much better then their own website. Good job.
No point in advertising the 6-speed manual though, because for all intents and purposes its a special order only item. Search all the popular car search engines and you'll find there are only 3-4 manual transmissions in the whole country, mostly near Canada.
@@BoopSnoot that sucks but pretty typical.
the vw website is the worst. all the manufacturers websites suck, but vws doesnt even have an option to compare trims ffs
Very, very well done sir. I was seriously considering buying one of these a few months back and this comprehensive look at options is a great resource.
2017 Alltrack Owner: No issues in our year of ownership. DSG is a good transmission, but does require a bit of learning in stop and go due to what the computer has to predict it can be "annoying" as there is a small hesitation from start sometimes but not often and its little, the car is still very fast for what it is. The key to the DSG is to flip between sport and normal transmission modes as you drive through traffic, its basically a manual transmission car being controlled by a computer, just remember that.. it shits all over subarus 3.6R and it shits on their CVT's With a JB4 the car has come alive. I do not ever notice a jerkiness from the car.
I run the car in sport mode for the suspension as well. There are TWO sport modes for this car but people do not realize that. Normal and Sport for suspension and normal/sport for transmission, sport firms up the steering and makes the car feel tight.
The alltrack can be pushed through corners a lot harder then you expect.
Driving is something I do, its what i do for a living, its what i do for fun, its what do as a hobby etc. From a 118hp honda civic to a 550 Maranello i've had a chance to drive some awesome cars.
We cross shopped a lot of cars, staying away from crossover mostly as we wanted a wagon. We love the VW. But we also found the Mazda3 hatch to be a good alternative and a little cheaper, ultimately it was Mazda's use of hardplastics and inferior interiour design along with lack of space and awd that pushed us to the VW. The Mazda3 was a fun drive though.
People who say Mazda interiors are better than the VW, I do not understand that. Mazda still uses excessive amounts of hard plastics, the dash is hard plastic, and the rubber bits feel low grade. VW is guilty of using hard plastic too but the entire dash is a soft dash, oddly this was very important to me.
Thats why I had to go 6speed manual. Whenever I'm in a dsg it annoys me. But they are quick
I wish they had kept the TDI engine in America. Pair that with the 4 motion, I would never consider another vehicle.
same. i was looking forward to it back in 2015 right before dieselgate hit. such a shame.
Don't forget TDI with a stick even better!
I loved the low revs and high torque of the 2012 TDI wagon i tested. Highly pleasantly surprised in the driving experience for price.
Lately been thinking that the newer , 1.8t wagon is not too dissimilar. How much less cost effective fuel wise is it? (Only requires 87 octane and owners have reported up to 35 or so on Highway, which is 10 less than TDI but cheaper fuel.)
TDI had more toque out of the box, but for $500 and minor electronic modification (ECU Stage 1 ) to the 1.8t wagon , torque reliably reaches 250+, with much more HP that TDI .
Seems like nice compromise to make in order to avoid the catastrophic fuel systems failure.
Great details covered in the video! Glad to see more Mike and more wagons. Excited to see more videos on it.
Good information Michael! We have a 2009 Jetta Sportwagen and we love it!
Got my 6 speed, Great Falls Green, SE, Heated seats/ Panoramic sunroof, with additional warranties for under $30K, with 42 miles.
I own a 2017 Alltrack SEL with 30,000 miles and I love it. Drive's better in the snow then my 4X4 pickup!
Great video! The clarity of the explanations is impressive.
Thank you for the informative video! I am actually in the market for one right now and specifically looking for AWD, and 7-Speed DSG. One option I'm trying to avoid is to not have the panoramic roof because they are very known to leak and cause issues. So, if I can get the Alltrack/Sportwagen w/ AWD, 7-Speed DSG minus the roof, I would be completely satisfied and this video has helped me with my search. Thank you!
Great job!!! Definitely explained it well . I currently own a 2017 Passat 1.8 SEL and love it. However I never use any of the park assist systems except when I’m showing a friend how cool it is. The fender audio systems rocks. I live in ohio and I’m missing two things. All wheel drive and a manual transmission. My options are limited between Audi, BMW, and VW. Definitely going with the VW and getting a APR Tune. Obviously much better price point. Thanks again.
Great video, just want to give a Canadian perspective on this and share some differences that we have. First, in Canada the Alltrack only comes in one model and that is the top trim and you can get it with a 6spd manual which is new for 2018. I believe that in 2017 there were 2 models and you could only get the manual on the lower trim. Colours are also slightly different, we get the same colours plus we do get the White silver metallic along with a Tungsten silver metallic which sits between the WS and the PG. We don't get the option for the brown leather interior only the beige and black. Lastly we need to add the driver assistance package in order to get all of the new tech safety features like ACC, AHBC, PA, PD,BSDw/RTA and LC. There is also a light package which gives you the dynamic HL range adj and LED HL. Before adding these packages the price for a manual is $34,345 cdn + D&D, $36,890 fully loaded for manual and auto is $1400 more. one thing I wish this did have for us Canadians and seems to be a common feature now in almost all segments is heated steering wheel and rear seats. I rented a Golf a few weeks ago and one thing that I thought was funny is that the Odometer is not always visible, if you have your cruise on then it overrides the ODO. Just thought this was weird as I have never driven a car that didn't have the ODO always displayed lol.
I own a 2017 Alltrack se and love the car. Great balance between practicality and fun to drive.
Love that Great Falls Green and Marrakech Brown seats!
FYI - my 2017 Alltrack S with 6SPD Manual has XM radio on the smaller screen display. I wish that VW would build more of the Alltrack in the SE package with the 6spd manual. I would like to have had some of the extra features the SE offers. They are nearly impossible to find on the dealer lots. I only know they exist because VW sends them to car reviewers like TFL. Getting an S was hard enough. I had to drive to Denver from Billings to get the used one I have. Barely beat a person from Connecticut on getting a deposit on the car before the dealer even had pictures if it up on their site. I'm happy with the Alltrack so far. Very fun to drive.
NICE! my wife an I bought a 2016 sportwagen an we love it!
Nice review. BTW, you do not get LED headlights on the S sportwagen (or on any Sportwagen trim for that matter), only on the SEL Alltrack.
Should do a buyer's guide for Canadian versions. All sportwagen versions in Canada with 4motion can equipped with 6 speed manual.
You are the first to show all the colors of the car with their name. BRAVO
Has VW fixed the "exploding sunroof" on these? The Golf S/W looks like a really worthy upgrade from my parents' hand-me-down Odyssey
It's funny how the base models look more premium than the upgrades in some ways, since going to forward collision detection means giving up a real three-dimensional chrome badge in favor of a picture of one on the sensor suite's plastic cover (which'll probably age like headlight lenses do now).
very helpful, Thanks
Excellent presentation!
S
Would you change your recommendation for a 2019 Alltrack to the SEL package now that the SEL is available in a manual transmission?
Love that color
Can you guys make a expert buyers guide for new diesel cars sold in the USA? Please I really want a diesel car! Another for economy diesel trucks?
I'm a proud owner for a year now. In Europe. I'm just drueling when i hear that you guys over sea have a 1.8 L option. We only have either a 1.0 3 cylinder, or 1.4 4 cylinder engine option. Or the GTI :)
Wish I watched this prior to my purchase, I learned the fwd auto tiptronic is not compatible with stage 2 tune. Now I’m buying a 4motion gsw
Before choosing a car with the 6 sp DSG, do a thorough test drive. It’s very jerky when taking off from a stop. Sadly, the slower you take off, the jerker it is, so it’s terrible in bumper to bumper traffic.
The new 7sp DSG is a bit better, but it’s also still a bit jerky and it’s so far only available in the Golf R and Audi A3/S3/RS3.
With paddles, why the hell would you want manual? I can feel like a GT3 driver.
I test drove one with the DSG a few months back and was curious about this very thing. I did numerous stop and go starts even on hills and I noticed no shuttering or jerking at all. I was just telling a friend that the other day how impressed I was with it and that 99.9% of consumers out there who drove this car would think it was a normal automatic. My only concern is depreciation
Very helpful thank you. Could Apple CarPlay + Waze eliminate the need for Nav? And what are the actual paid prices people are paying for the SE and SEL trims. Seems some strong discounting out there
Yes.
You said the se is only auto and front wheel drive but I have one (comfortline) that's awd and manual
Nice informative video. Thanks. I love my 2018 Golf Sportwagon which I've had for 8 months. I am getting 40 MPG combo city/hwy in Ohio.
I would pick the same, SE manual.
Ask Nathan: Why does the wrangler have 2 tow hooks at the front but only 1 at the back?
is the golf sportwagen s 6spd/auto reliable?
I test drove a SE 4motion the other day and the one thing I didn't like was to get the car to lane merge you have to put the accelerator to floor . I think personally the 1.8 is under powered
not an issue in my manual :P agree though, i have had a loaner alltrack that was automatic and def need to step on the gas all the way. Very slow response in the automatic version. So glad i went with a manual, it is so much fun!
I like that he's in Colorado @7:46 but has tagged the car in Michigan @7:49, gotta save on that state vehicle tax you know.
Great cars
So, when you say "all wheel drive" is it a part time AWD system like 4WD or is it full time AWD like an EVO or STI? Thanks and good info👍
Full time AWD
What about servicing cost any difference in older model or golf model? What’s go with no diesel model?
I just traded my 2006 Golf/Rabbit on a new '18 Golf SE.I got 12 years out of it without one major repair.It ran like new,the AC(I live in Florida)was still glacial.The only real costs were fluids and fuel.I never had to replace so much as one light bulb.
Great cars (wagons ) I wish some manufacturer's would bring them back. Not large wagons, we'll leave that field to GM and their Suburban's. I'm thinking of the smaller ones,..just picture the Corolla as a wagon, and the Ford Fusion, etc. etc.
Well done Michael.
That one got by me,..but then again I don't 'shop' at Toyota so there's why I missed this one.
The Fusion (Mondeo) wagon, Corolla (Auris) wagon and Civic wagons are all sold in Europe. The iM is merely a hatch.
Right Lane Hog, you do have a very valid point here. ( Maybe that's why I didn't notice it.)
Reg Sparkes yes! Fusion Wagon!
Toyota has wagon. Called fielder.
I considered buying one with my buyback money. Then I saw A 2018 Subaru Forester Limited. Love a first sight!!! LOL!!!!
Kind of a shame that the dealers near me only have one of each on site.
I hadn't heard about that new backup camera regulation. That's cool, and a really good idea.
MultiPurposeReviewer *BAD idea. It makes cars more expensive, and doesnt help the retards who still wont pay attention when they backup
Given the quality of most backup cameras, it's not THAT much more, and they're a big help for the people who DO try to park properly.
MultiPurposeReviewer if you need a backup camera to park or put your car into reverse, you shouldnt be driving to begin with. Stay off the road, and take a bus or a cab.
All I'm saying is that it's a good supplement to the driver's eyes. It's impossible for you to see exactly where the rear bumper is in relation to what's behind it with just your eyes. A camera lets you see what's directly in your rear blind zone.
3:13 You only get LED daytime runners not headlights. But then you have the option of getting full LED headlights.
Should do this type of video for 1\2 ton trucks.
Let's see... 1989 Jetta, 1990 Jetta, 1992 GTI, 2006 GTI, 2010 GTI, 2013 Jetta TDI, 2016 GTI. Add in a few Audi's as well. Only car I had problems with was the TDI (beyond just the buyback, it blew 2 hpfp's. A 7,000 dollar repair). Every other car was solid with no unexpected repair bills beyond wear and tear items once you get into the 100k range (or the Audi's 300k range)
Why can't the SEL come with a manual?
Sportswagen means Sports car. Why don't they just use Variant as in Europe -_-
Would be intresting to see a video comparing the Golf Variant and Škoda Octavia Combi on your next visit in Europe :)
Excellent summary, thank you.
Sadly both these models will be discontinued for the USA market in 2020. Also the 2019 sport wagon has a different engine available now which is a 1.4 turbo and an 8 speed Aisin automatic.. which gives it a huge gas mileage bump over the 6 speed. This 8 spd is not available on the alltrack nor is the 1.4 turbo.
Jeff Eppenger will the new models have remote pop trunk action?
Are they going to be bringing back the diesel?
Pureservize1 VW has been banned from making diesel in the US for now
Man, I wish the Alltrack SEL came with the manual transmission...
It does now
@@CurtisStuart27 lol Beat me to it.
Is there lumbar support on the SE trim?
Yep,for both front seats.
Alltrac S trim all the way. No 'safety' bullshit, no need for an auto trans, no need for a backup camera or touch screen. Just basic, bare bones, reliable transport with the ability to load lots of objects in the backyard.
Gray plastic flares and cladding = the new fake-wood paneling.
Toyota and Honda , Where are your wagons?
The Toyota Auris, (Corolla in the US), and Toyota Avensis are wagons. But I think they only sells them in Europe. Toyota Auris Hybrid wagon is actually pretty good.
Jon Ivar Betten, Yes I know they sell them in Europe. This makes me angry because VW has no competition from the more reliable manufacturers in the reasonably priced wagon
category.
Hmm... That's kind of weird. It's pretty much the same size as the Golf wagon, and it's more reliable than the Golf. Here in Norway the Auris, (Corolla), wagon is one of the best selling taxies, besidethe Prius seven seater. It wouldn't do any bader than the Golf wagon in the US I think. Sounds weird that Toyota USA don't want to sell it.
Jon Ivar Betten, Thanks for reminding me that I have one more reason to be jealous of Norwegians. The fact of the matter is, the citizens of the USA generally despise station wagons. As a result Canadians, like myself, who still favour wagons, have minimal access to traditional non-AWD wagons due to the fact our car market offers 98% overlap with the USA. The only good news at the moment is that high end manufacturers are starting to bring wagons back to North America which means mainstream wagons might follow some day. As for VW, I would not touch one with a 10 foot pole.
in Europe!
Is this shared platform? MQB or something Tiguan?
It's on the MQB platform.
It's essentially just a stretched Golf.
I am still royally pissed at VWoA for discontinuing this in North America. I snagged a 2016 Sportwagen last year, and we like it.
great summary but not 100% correct.
3:17 : None of the Sportwagen trim levels have LED headlights. they only LED part in the headlight assy are the DRLs. Only the Alltrack SEL has true LED Headlights
6:28 : The Alltrack SE does not have rear traffic alert nor blind spot monitoring. It is missing the ultrasonic sensors in the bumpers needed for that
7:15 : The SE does not have the Offroad info display. this is only available with the Navigation system in the SEL
Why the hell are the EU versions 180 HP and US 170? I see this everywhere.
Tuning for US emissions requirements.
The monotone of this video kinda kills it. Good info but I had hoped to see more than I can find in a spec sheet. I very easily can search for basic specs and had hoped you would show more about the car itself, it's personality and driving characteristics.
Why is the world did they not give the awd all the features like sun roof and the upgraded radio…
For about the same price one can have a Subaru Outback. That's what my wife wanted after looking at a few other vehicles. 2 years later she's still in love with it. Yeah, it has a CVT. She is far from an enthusiast and I don't drive it, so it doesn't irritate me. It has all the goodies, it's smooth and quiet, all I can ask for of a vehicle in this segment. The VW is just a tad too small, but rather nice.
The Outback is a compelling offering. There have been several in my household and they've been great vehicles. Their handling is shockingly good for what they are and their acceleration feels much more adequate than spec sheets detail. I can't speak to the VW wagon offerings, but I know that the golf generally drives very well and VW's new 6 year warranty is interesting.
Robert D. Outback is so long it is ridiculously looking. Vw is just right.
If subie would ditch the rubbery transmission, that car would be a lot of fun to drive. Subie needs to upgrade the interior Materials too
For a vehicle in the 26 - 36k price range, what materials should be upgraded in that cabin? And, yes, a DSG could be interesting. As it stands, that CVT is pretty good for what it is.
The interior quality is very nice in her Outback. At this price point I have zero complaints. It's hers, she loves it and while not a car enthusiast she know quality and value when she sees it.
Love Germany car ...love vw
They actually dropped the AWD option for the S Sportwagen for 2018 :/
I mean yeah, but most dealerships didn't carry them as they didn't sell very well. Even up here in the NorthEast.
Naw, they still sell the AWD S Sportwagen for 2018. I just test drove one this past weekend.
Huh, thats bizarre. My local dealer told me they were discontinued and then I went online and you couldn't build it anymore either. But now its online. Strange.
Do a Google search for leaky panoroof before you buy. My 2017 Alltrack suffers from soggy headliner syndrome.
my Mk1 rabbit had the same problem
I would have bought a alltrack SEL if it didn’t have that 1/10 ownership reported problem, now I have to build a 4 motion S GSW to my liking
VW. The car for the alt-middle. 🤔. 😆😜 I look forward to watching more content with VW!
Can the rear hatch area hold a large dog? Like 100lbs?
It depends: is that dog wet or dry? 😉
TFLnow.. Dry....? I guess... Lol
I would say yes. I dog might not have enough room to stand comfortable, but sitting and laying would be fine. The rear area can be set up so it is flush when the rear seats are folded down. Or rear floor can be lowered a few inches for more volume. Perfect for a dog bed and one large dog.
Bradley Sargent... Thanks Bradley... Yea she's tall.. Great Swiss mountain.. I'll have to see.. Seems shallow.. Maybe a used Mercedes wagon again
I would say yes. I take my 70lb German Shepherd and 80lb Pit mix to the park all the time in the back.
Wait...did he say Great falls "green"? Either my monitor is out of calibration, or this video is being beamed from a different multiverse Earth than this one.
I'd buy it if it was a golf R wagon
Alltrack in S trim is a bargain for what you get. The SEL is grossly overpriced.
Man！U have something wrong with black?
My mom has a 2017 SE alltrack with a manual. It's ok but they have already had it back to the dealer for check engine lights and not starting. The driving dynamics aren't as good as my mazda 6 and interior quality isn't as good either. Personally in not impressed.
Brent it's not uncommon to spend time at the dealer with problems.if you have v.w. never again for me.
Owned four vws in our home: 2001.5 Passat glx 4Motion; 2007 Passat wolfsburg, 2015 Passat Wolfsburg and a 2015 Jetta SE 1.8. All have been bullet proof, zero problems. My 2015 Land Rover Discovery HSE is a rattlebox with wonky electronics, and will be replacing it with an Alltrack SEL. MQB platform, ea888 motor and dsg transmission. All solid and best in class.
I have owned a 2001 Passat V6 4motion, 2001 Jetta VR6, 2004 Touareg V8, 2013 Tiguan, 2008 Golf R32 and a 96 Passat wagon VR6. The only one I’ve had issues with is the 04 Touareg, the rest have been fantastic and very reliable
Picked up one of the last 2017 Mazda6 GT premiums here in Ontario Canada this last April. I love it and I don’t intend to leave the Mazda brand ever again.
When looking for a new car, after deciding against rebuilding my previous 1.8t after 5 years of ownership and about 9k into the car...I got a Hyundai. Never thought I would, but the warranty is actually something, it's faster, and better driving and much better feeling than my Audi with the 1.8 which I find hilarious
good video
So about £4500 cheaper than the UK. OK first edit you just put 5k of extras on that you pay for in the UK. Second edit I think the Golf SV GT is a better option.
So thars about the difference between British and American dollars. VW would not make it cheaper in our market. They're adjusting the price accordingly.
2:42 😂
Seriously you need Hill descent control on a Volkswagen station wagon? That's like putting line lock on a Toyota Yaris!
A useless video as one can get these info. on VW's web. Based on the click baits title, one would think he was going to comment on the handling etc.
Ugh VW USA needs to take a lesson from VW canada. None of this crap S SE SEL crap. Trendline Comfort line Highline. Btw your Alltrack sold down there is stripped. In Canada we get it loaded only. So the equivalent to the SEL but you can get manual which you cannot get in the higher trim of the Alltrack. Ugh just go up to Canada and get it there.
Warranty won't work doing that.
raleighman3000 i feel bad for yall then. You get the crap versions. Sad
to much nonsence with the trans choices vw.....good video
Who made you the "expert"?
I bought a Sportwagen in SEL trim approximately a year ago.
I have had nothing but problems with it.
Plus VW service is incompetent and very expensive.
I cut my losses and traded it for a Buick Regal Tour X.
A larger more powerful and comfortable car for a similar price.
William Egler, Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you have better luck with the TourX.
This makes no sense, these comments are lies they have to be. What problems? Your losses? A year ago huh? Soooooooo tell me, how did you run out of warranty so fast? Liar.
Be more specific
absolute this guy is a lier i have the Volkswagen Sportwagen and never had a problem and i still have my 2011 volkswagen Jetta and i didn't mayor have problem the car have 110,000 miles ,i have to replace the struts and coils because the salt here in Ohio is horrible and the coils with the years the get wear fatigue and have to fix the latches on the driver side because in winter the driver side don't unlock and after 100,000 miles replace the water pump timing belt selpertine belt but those parts have to be replace by the manual and i did that in other cars you go by the mileage but my Volkswagen jetta is a very reliable car and same my Volkswagen sportwagen we are dealing with the dealer to get the alltrack . Another thing the Volkswagen service are the best they know there job
@Axel, I don't think you can say VW service, or for any brand for that matter, is good or bad. I've owned about seven VW's during my lifetime and I've dealt with some great dealers (Loveland VW near Cincinnati) and terrible ones (Hewlett VW near Austin). I've had similar experiences with BMW's I've owned as well.
Not exactly worth a "Watch this before you buy" title. More or less just reading the brochure sitting in front of the car, I was waiting to find something out about the car that volkswagen weren't going to tell me. Nice background watching though
👍🏾👊🏾✌🏾🇳🇬🇺🇸
I wish your Vans were more dirty
The Alltrack ALMOST checks all the boxes for me. Turbo? Check. AWD? Check. Manual transmission? Check. Panoramic sunroof? Check. Heated seats? Check. Android auto? Check. So why am I not in love you ask? Compared to the new Jetta, this just looks ehh. Also, to get into a manual SE means I don't get the good options like the sport seats and LED headlights, which REALLY annoys me. My ten year old Mazda has xenon headlights and LED taillights, and was $26k. I expect better than ancient lighting tech for a $30k plus car in 2018. I'll pass.
You lose 15 foot pounds of torque with the 5 speed manual? No thanks. So much for wanting this option
ZZZZZ DRIVE THE DAMN THING.
that was sooo boring
I've owned 4 VWs and will never own another.
Volkswagen keeps all their best cars for Europe :(
Tiny interior
SHIT LOOKING TOO
Robert Montgomery have you been in one?
Marcel Tansie sure have it’s just an ordinary golf with boring interior
Yes
Jesus can we get rid of this guy
Design looks 15/20 years outdated. WV should pay for a designer, maybe.
It looks technical and elegant, no flamboyance whatsoever. That's good because in 5 years this thing will look 5 years old, its competitora will look 15 years old.
Agreed looks like a 2001 model
Good looking interior, you're being ridiculous.