Volkswagen Golf Alltrack (2015 – 2020) Review

If you're looking for the newer model, you'll need our Volkswagen Golf Alltrack review.

Given the huge success of the Volkswagen Golf, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s impossible to stand out in the ubiquitous family car. But you’d be wrong, because the Golf Alltrack is a rare beast. Launched in 2015, it’s based on the practical Golf Estate, but Volkswagen added a tough bodykit, raised the ride height and fitted 4Motion all-wheel drive as standard to make it a credible rival to a compact SUV. The result is a highly appealing, practical and rugged estate car that’s a welcome tonic to the plethora of crossovers on sale in 2020. You just need to find one.

You’d be forgiven for having no recollection of the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. It sold in such small numbers that you might struggle to find one on the used car market, especially since the Mk7 Golf has been replaced by the all-new Golf Mk8.

But what is it? Put simply, the Alltrack is a more rugged version of the Volkswagen Golf Estate. Launched in 2015, then facelifted in 2017, the Golf Alltrack features body cladding designed to tackle the great outdoors, a raised ride height to cope with rough roads, and 4Motion all-wheel-drive as standard. If your daily commute involves rutted tracks, green lanes and inclement weather, this is the estate car for you – especially if you don’t fancy an SUV.

Rivals are few and far between. The Skoda Octavia Scout and the discontinued Seat Leon X-Perience are competitors from within the Volkswagen stable, but the Ford Focus Active is another SUV-inspired estate car. There’s also the larger Volkswagen Passat Alltrack, which has been axed in the UK due to slow sales.

The Golf Alltrack stands out thanks to its chunky and upmarket styling. It looks like a Golf R on stilts, which is no bad thing. Unfortunately, the cabin is a little more conventional, but you do get a pair of Alcantara-trimmed seats. Elsewhere it’s standard Volkswagen Golf, which means a rather sombre design but the use of upmarket materials.

At least it’s practical. The 605-litre boot is much bigger than a Golf hatchback and a similar-size SUV. Fold the rear seats and you’re greeted with a cavernous 1,620 litres of luggage capacity, which is ideal for mountain bikes or whatever lifestyle things you get up to at the weekend.

It’s big in the cabin, too, with enough space for five adults. Thanks to the estate’s longer roofline, there’s also more headroom in the back, so you have to wonder why the Golf Alltrack didn’t sell in big numbers. Price was its biggest problem. The Golf Alltrack cost around £35,000, so many buyers opted for the more affordable SUVs on offer.

Thanks to the raised ride height, the Alltrack is the most comfortable Golf in the range – the complete opposite of the Golf R. Not that you can chuck the Alltrack into a corner in the same way you would a Golf R. It handles in a safe and secure way, but it’s far from exciting. At least the 4Motion running gear provides reassurance, regardless of the road or weather.

It should be cheap to run. Although insurance is relatively high, the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engines provide excellent long-legged economy, plus plenty of torque for towing and off-road duties. Of the two engines, we’d favour the 2.0-litre unit, especially if you intend to make use of the Golf Alltrack’s 2,400kg maximum towing capacity.

If anything, the raised ride height makes it feel even more comfortable than the regular Golf Estate, while the 4Motion running gear provides more traction on greasy surfaces.

Stylish 17-inch alloy wheels are fitted as standard. The ride quality is excellent on these rims, but it gets a little bouncy if you opt for the larger 18-inch wheels. Overall, the Golf Alltrack is nicer to drive than a larger SUV, thanks in no small part to the lower centre of gravity and the excellent 4Motion system. It’s also excellent over rough surfaces and on green lanes.

You even get an off-road mode, which engages a hill descent control function. Optional adaptive dampers were available when new – these are worth looking for when buying a used Alltrack.

The 1.6-litre TDI turbodiesel is a tried and tested engine, but it’s merely adequate in the Golf Alltrack. Just 110hp in a relatively large car, weighed down by the all-wheel-drive running gear, means progress is far from rapid.

The 2.0-litre TDI is a better all-rounder. With a manual gearbox, it produces 150PS, which improves the acceleration. It’s a bit noisier than the 1.6-litre, but the larger engine is more relaxing on the move because it has more in reserve.

Both models use a six-speed manual gearbox. The automatic alternative is a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. This is a great gearbox, and pairing it with the more powerful 184PS version of the 2.0-litre diesel simply enhances its appeal. It creates the fastest Golf Alltrack (0-62mph in 7.8 seconds) with the most in reserve.

Euro NCAP crash-tested the regular Volkswagen Golf hatchback in 2012, giving the car a maximum five-star rating. Although the Alltrack wasn’t tested, it’s likely that it would have achieved the same result, while the security of an all-wheel-drive system provides added reassurance.

There are multiple airbags, standard seatbelt pretensioners in the front (optional in the rear), plus load limiters on all five seats. Isofix points are fitted to the outer rear seats. Stability control is standard, along with a speed assistance device as part of the standard cruise control. Facelifted cars also feature extra active safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking.

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack has a maximum towing capacity of 2000kg, so it’s ideal for caravan owners. It shines as a tow car thanks to its torque diesel engines, relatively high kerbweight and all-wheel-drive system.

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is more practical than a similarly-sized SUV. There’s a massive 605 litres of space with the rear seats in use, but fold the 60/40-split rear seats and the available space is increased to 1620 litres. The Golf Alltrack also benefits from a low loading lip, a wide opening and a metre wide space between the wheelarches.

It’s also more practical than the standard Golf hatchback, helped in no small part by the longer roofline of the Golf Estate. This means there’s more headroom for rear seat passengers, along with a rear bench that’s just about wide enough for three adults.

We’re also delighted to report that Volkswagen had the sense to fit a spacesaver spare wheel. This might come in handy if you venture off-road.

The Alltrack feels even more upmarket than the standard Volkswagen, which is no mean feat. There’s a smart leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls, tactile climate control dials, plus the soft-touch feel of the Alcantara seat bolsters.

It all feels very… ‘Golf’. The doors shut with a reassuring thud, and there’s a suitable amount of soft-touch plastics and lavish materials in all the right places.

Crucially, everything feels built to withstand the rigours of outdoor life. The Alltrack should be able to handle whatever you throw at it. Our only complaint would be that the interior design looks a little sombre, but this is no deal-breaker.

All models are fitted with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an array of buttons either side, and two rotary dials for volume and scrolling through menus. Sat-nav is built in and smartphone connectivity is available through a USB connection and Bluetooth. The system is easy to use, but the display is looking a little dated.

Golf Alltrack models from 2017 benefitted from a revised system with a larger glass-covered screen. It’s a big improvement, and includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB digital radio.

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack cost in the region of £35,000 when it was new, which may explain why it was never a big seller in the UK. There’s also the rise in popularity of SUVs, which has led to a drop in demand for estate cars.

At the time of writing, we could find just seven examples of the Golf Alltrack for sale on a popular online car marketplace. Prices are a bit random. For example, we found an early 2015 car for sale at a dealer for £15,000. Meanwhile, a private seller was offering a 2017 facelift car for £13,000.

If you’re quick, it’s still possible to buy an unregistered Golf Alltrack from Volkswagen. You won’t be able to choose the engine or add any options, but you’ll save between £5000 and £10,000 on the list price. Prices range from £25,000 to £30,000.

Direct rivals are few and far between, but the Ford Focus Active costs between £24,000 and £28,500. Buying an unregistered Golf Alltrack could make more sense. You’ll get more choice if you opt for the Skoda Octavia Scout, with prices ranging from £2000 to £25,000.

The 1.6-litre TDI averages just over 60mpg, which is good for a car with all-wheel drive – and much better than a comparable SUV. The 2.0-litre TDI is even more impressive, with a 58.9mpg average despite its extra power. Even the 184PS diesel will return over 54mpg, all of which helps to keep fuel costs down.

All Golf Alltrack models registered on or after 1 April 2017 attract a standard rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) of £150.

For earlier models, the rate varies according to the CO2 emissions. The 1.6-litre TDI is the cheapest, with its 124g/km CO2 giving a bill of £125. The 2.0-litre TDI matches this cost as CO2 emissions are barely higher, rising to no more than 129g/km. The 184hp 2.0-litre TDI has a £150 annual VED cost, courtesy of CO2 emissions ranging from 132-137g/km.

It should prove to be an affordable car to insure, particularly the 1.6-litre TDI, thanks to its lowly group 10 insurance rating. The 2.0-litre TDI pushes up to group 17, while the 184hp diesel is in group 20 – rising to group 22 for facelifted cars.

Specs TBC.