Volkswagen Passat Alltrack ON THE ROAD

Review & Photographs by Rob McSorley

The Volkswagen Passat is one of those cars that is often the default choice for both private and fleet buyers who want a no-nonsense family car offering plenty of space and refinement. But what about those who like the reassurance of all-wheel-drive for driving in trickier conditions? Volkswagen is widening the appeal of the Passat Estate with this, the new Alltrack. It comes with permanent four wheel drive, raised suspension and beefy body mouldings and rivals the likes of the Audi A4 AllRoad and Volvo XC70 by offering similar levels of space and kit. Its trump card however is its price which undercuts both rivals by over £5,000 kicking off at £28,580. We find out if its a credible rival.

The standard Passat estate could hardly be described as sharply styled but it does ooze premium sophistication, it's also aged incredibly well . The Alltrack builds on this with its new body mouldings and larger bumpers with matt chrome under trays and mirror housings. The projector headlamps, gorgeous 18 inch wheels and large chrome grill make for a confident looking machine that would make anyone proud to park it on their driveway.

It's the same story inside as you open one of the sturdy feeling doors. The cabin is simply laid out, thoughtfully designed and holds plenty of visual appeal. In particular the analogue clock in the centre of the dash looks like a high end gentleman's pocket watch. All of the controls are crafted of quality materials and are simple to operate. It's the quality of the interior that really sets this car apart, great attention has been given to the choice of materials used which are all of very good quality from the soft touch materials on the upper dash and doors to the aluminium trim elsewhere. It certainly feels like a premium product.

Space inside is more than ample for five adults and thanks to the increased ride height getting in is a little easier. The boot too is cavernous and the rear seats fold flat with a simple tug of the levers conveniently situated in the boot. There are also plenty of family friendly storage areas dotted around including a large glovebox and equally useful area under the central armrest.

Equipment levels add to the high levels of comfort. Front and rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, dual zone climate control, electronic parking brake, cruise control, all round electric windows, electric seats, tyre pressure monitoring system and a touchscreen navigation system with Bluetooth and USB connectivity all come as standard. Our car has some pricey options adding up to a total of nearly £6,000 which includes the sumptuous Vienna ribbed leather seats with massage function, metallic paint, and an upgraded navigation system with 30 gb hard drove for storing music. Particularly impressive is the full proof Automatic Distance Control (ADC), including Front Assist, radar sensor controlled distance monitoring system and City Emergency Braking System and Side Scan Lane Change Assist which provide an added sense of safety on the road.

Fitted to our test car is Volkswagen's tried and tested 2.0 TDi unit producing 138 bhp which is perfectly suited to shifting the Alltracks large body around. Mated to a seriously smooth six speed manual gearbox it's always eager to rev with useful mid-range grunt to make swift progress. What's most impressive is the Passats unruffled, relaxed nature thanks to its superb refinement even when the engine is pushed. Economy as you would expect is rather good returning around 45 miles per gallon over a mixture of driving whilst with us. It is also reasonably cheap to tax falling in Band F equating to an annual cost of just £135 per year. 

The rest of the driving experience is equally laid back with a superb ride that smothers everything in its path and decent body control in corners. It is just a shame more connection with the driving experience couldn't have been engineered in not helped by the uncommunicative steering although it is nicely weighted. The handling also lacks sparkle despite the high levels of mechanical grip there isn't quite enough poise and precision that keener drivers will crave.

Those looking for a car with serious off-road potential will need to look elsewhere are the Alltrack lacks the low range locking differentials you would find on a dedicated four wheel drive vehicle. It does however come with Volkswagen’s proven 4MOTION four wheel drive system with an off-road setting and hill descent function. When we tried the Alltrack on a couple of muddy tracks its coped admirably although anything much more challenging would have highlighted its limitations. However for most it will be perfectly suited to driving in snow and mildly muddy conditions which is after all what it was designed to tackle.

Tech Data

Price as tested: £34,389
Engine: 2.0 litre 16v 138 bhp - 0-62 mph: 10.3 secs - Maximum Speed: 123 mph -
Economy: 40.4 mpg (urban) –56.5 mpg (extra-urban), 49.6 mpg (combined) - Emissions: 150 g/km (Band F) - VED (12 months): £135
Dimensions: Length: 4771 mm - Width: 1820 mm - Height: 1550 mm - Wheelbase: 2710 mm

*data from VW UK

DriverVIBE Verdict

The Passat Alltrack leads Volkswagen into previously uncharted territory but it seems to have paid off. It's a very convincing package that both looks and feels premium and has a brilliantly practical cabin that comfortably accommodates five adults and a large amount of luggage. On the road it's a wonderfully relaxed cruiser that is luxuriously refined managing to isolate occupants from both wind and road noise very effectively and also rides very smoothly. The powerplant is well up to the job being both punchy and very economical. It all adds up to an impressive package that given the much lower asking price than its closest rivals makes an excellent case for itself even if it isn't the most engaging car to drive.

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