2017 VW Golf Alltrack and SportWagen are made for the Northwest

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 14, 2016

If you look around Portland and the Northwest generally, you’ll quickly notice that we like our activity vehicles. Whether that activity involves the Gorge, the coast, the mountains, or just frequent trips to the home improvement store, we like vehicles that can get us where we want to go, in any weather every month of the year.

All the major automakers offer an assortment of crossovers and SUVs designed to meet that need, but if you want an all-wheel-drive compact wagon, your choices were very limited. That’s why Volkswagen is now offering two AWD vehicles to compete for the compact wagon buyers. The all-new 2017 Golf Alltrack, and 2017 Golf SportWagen 4Motion are both set to hit the market at attractive price points.

The two Golf wagons are fundamentally the same, with some differences in ride height, bodywork and interior features, and the availability of VW’s off-road driving mode. The Golf Alltrack rides a little over half an inch higher than the SportWagen, but it makes a noticeable difference in both looks and access when you’re getting in and out of the car. The Alltrack also gets some extra body protection against rocks and debris. Most importantly, the Alltrack has a special Off Road mode that adjusts the traction and stability controls to a trail-oriented setting — allowing a little more side-to-side motion and engaging the AWD more aggressively.

One more difference worth mentioning is that the Alltrack has VW’s new hill descent control when off-road mode is engaged. Unlike prior implementations of hill descent control by various manufacturers, VW’s hill descent does not require any action on your part to engage. When the car is in off-road mode and detects that it’s headed down a hill, the descent control simply manages the brakes and power to make the descent smooth. If you want to slow down or stop, you just step on the brake. In some other implementations, that action would disengage hill descent just when you needed it most! Conversely, if you want to descend a little faster, just give the Alltrack a little more gas. When you reach the bottom of the hill, descent control disengages automatically.

Both the Alltrack and the SportWagen are powered by VW’s proven turbocharged 1.8-liter engine, rated at 170 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. Additionally, both vehicles offer VW’s 4Motion on-demand AWD system, and your choice of a 6-speed manual (due to arrive in 2017) or the advanced 6-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission (available now). Fuel economy comes in at 22 MPG city and 30 MPG highway for both vehicles.

On the road, both the Alltrack and the SportWagen are fun to drive. The SportWagen offers a lower center of gravity and more sporty feel on paved roads, but the Alltrack is almost as good. The engine and drivetrains offer good acceleration and VW has been making sport sedans and hatchbacks long enough to get their vehicle dynamics just right. The rule you want to follow is, if your life includes gravel roads and the occasional trail scramble, you’ll want the Alltrack for sure. If your world is mostly paved, the SportWagen is a great choice.

If you get the right option packs, both the Alltrack and SportWagen can be purchased with adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking, along with the usual array of safety equipment one expects on a family car, plus a full complement of modern infotainment technology, including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support.

The 2017 VW Golf Alltrack starts at $27,770, and the 2017 Golf SportWagen 4Motion starts at $25,750. For those prices, you’re getting your choice of very well-equipped and comfortable cars that are good for all weather conditions and versatile enough to meet your needs. If you’re shopping for a crossover or wagon this year, you need to be sure to visit the VW dealer and check out the new Golf wagons.

2017 VW Golf Alltrack

Base price: $27,770

Price as tested: $27,770

Type: Compact station wagon

Engine: 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder (170 hp, 199 lbs-ft)

Transmissions: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic or 6-speed manual

EPA estimated mileage: 22/30

Road noise: Average

Overall length: 179.6 inches

Curb weight: 3,358 pounds

Final assembly: Puebla, Mexico