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Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015) Review

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015) At A Glance

4/5

+More rugged off-road version of the Passat Estate. Higher ride height. 4MOTION four-wheel drive as standard.

-Expensive for a Passat.

Insurance Groups are between 21–26
On average it achieves 84% of the official MPG figure

Turning an estate into something a bit more rugged and useful seems pretty straightforward. You basically take your standard car, jack up the suspension and fit it with four-wheel drive. Then finish it with some extra body cladding including underbody protection panels. It’s a formula that has worked for Audi with its allroad models and even Skoda has got in on the act with the Octavia Scout.

So not to be outshone, it’s Volkswagen’s turn with the Passat Alltrack. In fact it’s surprising the company hasn’t done this before. The Alltrack is essentially the latest Passat Estate with 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a 30mm higher ride height, to make it more capable on rough roads and perhaps even the odd farm track you might venture down.

As well as the increased ground clearance it gets an off-road mode, similar to the one in the Tiguan Escape. This has hill descent assist which automatically brakes the vehicle when you’re going downhill (if it’s steeper than 10 degrees) plus it alters the ABS so it’s better when braking on loose surfaces.

The Passat Alltrack has plenty going for it but one sticking point may be the price. It's expected to start at around £28,500 but the 170PS version with the DSG gearbox is likely to be more than £30k. That's not far short of an Audi A4 allroad with the 2.0 TDI 177PS engine that costs £31,375 while a Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI 140PS is less than £23k. Like the Alltrack both are 4x4s with raised ride heights. 

That said the Alltrack is a good package and one that makes plenty of sense if you regularly have to venture onto rough roads or do lots of towing. Our test route took us up into the Austrian Alps in winter with plenty of snow and ice to negotiate and here it dealt with everything that was thrown at it with no problems. If you don't want a full-sized 4x4 like the Touareg but need more than a normal estate, the Alltrack could be the perfect compromise.

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2012 Road Test

Reviews for Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015)'s top 3 rivals

Audi A4
4/5
As good to drive as standard A4 Avant but with quattro four-wheel drive and raised ground clearance....
Volvo XC70
3/5
Smart-looking 4WD estate with more off-road ability than the previous XC70. Comfortable, safe and practical.
Subaru Legacy/Outback
3/5
Capable and solidly built. Spacious interior. Works well with Lineartronic gearbox. Revised from late...

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015) handling and engines

There are just two models to choose from, both fitted with the trusty 2.0 TDI engine. The 140PS model comes with a six-speed manual gearbox while the top 2.0 TDI 170PS gets a six-speed DSG automatic as standard. The common rail TDI unit is quiet enough and has decent torque with 320Nm and 350Nm for the two respectively, so it pulls well enough in-gear. Both models are economical too with claimed figures of 49.6mpg and 47.9mpg.

Unsurprisingly, driving the Passat Alltrack is very much like driving a Passat. In normal driving the 4MOTION system sends 90 per cent of its power to the front wheels, which saves on fuel and means that it’s essentially a front-wheel drive car. The steering is a little over assisted, but the Alltrack handles well enough in corners and despite the raised suspension there's little bodyroll and good front end grip. Sitting at motorway speeds it’s quiet, refined and all very civilised.

An offroad mode is featured, which is activated by a button on the dashboard. In offroad mode the settings for ABS and EDS are altered to better cope with muddy or loose surfaces, and hill descent assist is activated to automatically brake the wheels on steep descents.

While it’s no full blown 4x4 it’s still pretty capable on rutted lanes or gravel tracks. You’re unlikely to go properly cross country in it but that’s not really what it’s designed for. However if you live off the beaten track or in a fairly rural area, the extra traction of four-wheel drive and the better ground clearance means you’re a lot less likely to get stuck where others would. If need be the 4MOTION system will send 100 per cent of the engine power to the rear wheels to help get you out of tricky situations. It’s a good tow car too and can pull 2000kg which is more than an equivalent Passat Estate.

Engine MPG 0-62 CO2
2.0 TDI 50 mpg 10.3 s 149 g/km
2.0 TDI DSG 48 mpg 8.7–8.9 s 155 g/km

Real MPG average for the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

84%

Real MPG

35–50 mpg

MPGs submitted

35

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015) interior

Dimensions
Length 4771 mm
Width 1820 mm
Height 1550 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm

Full specifications

The changes aren’t just underneath though. To add to the outdoorsy image, Volkswagen has given the Passat Alltrack some extra bits on the outside. There’s black plastic cladding on the wheelarches and bumpers, chrome roof rails plus the obligatory front and rear underbody protection panels in a nice stainless steel look. It’s fairly subtle and actually works very well on the Passat, especially in contrast to a strong colour like red.

Apart from that it’s pretty much business as usual and that’s also the case inside. Aside from the Alltrack name emblazoned on ashtray, it’s like a standard Passat with an interior that’s comfortable and well finished. It certainly feels like a quality product and comes well equipped with Alcantara seats, two-zone climate control and a touchscreen sat nav system with Bluetooth all as standard.

It has the same 603 litres of bootspace as a normal Passat Estate plus it gets a space saver spare wheel rather than the less than handy can of foam sealant that’s commonplace now.

Standard equipment includes Alcantara upholstery, 2Zone climate control, cruise control, a tyre pressure monitoring system, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and 18-inch alloys.

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack (2012 – 2015) models and specs

Dimensions
Length 4771 mm
Width 1820 mm
Height 1550 mm
Wheelbase 2710 mm
Miscellaneous
Kerb Weight 1706–1726 kg
Boot Space 603–1731 L
Warranty 3 years / 60000 miles
Servicing -
Spare Wheel
Standard Space-saving spare wheel
Costs
List Price £29,385–£32,160
Insurance Groups 21–26
Road Tax Bands F–G
Official MPG 47.9–49.6 mpg
Euro NCAP Safety Ratings
Adult -
Child -
Pedestrian -
Overall 5

On sale until September 2014

Estate
Version List Price MPG 0-62
Alltrack 2.0 TDI 4MOTION BlueMotion Technology 140 5dr £29,385 49.6 mpg 10.3 s
Alltrack 2.0 TDI 4MOTION BlueMotion Technology 177 DSG 5dr Auto £32,160 47.9 mpg 8.7 s

On sale until April 2013

Estate
Version List Price MPG 0-62
Alltrack 2.0 TDI 4MOTION BlueMotion Technology DSG 5dr Auto £31,135 47.9 mpg 8.9 s

Model History

November 2011

Volkswagen revealed the Passat Alltrack

Based on the popular and versatile Passat Estate, the Passat Alltrack adds 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a raised ride height that give it greater agility off-road, along with stylish body enhancements that also provide some protection from scrapes when covering rough terrain. These include stainless steel-look front and rear underbody protection panels and flared side sills. Other features include matt chrome roof rails, window surrounds, grille and exterior mirror casings.

At 4,771 mm, the Passat Alltrack is exactly the same length as the Passat Estate, and despite flared wheel arch protection the vehicle’s width also remains the same at 1,820 mm. The suspension is raised to increase ground clearance from 135 to 165 mm, which also improves the ramp breakaway angle (significant when crossing the crest of a hill) from 9.5 to 12.8 degrees. Ruggedly styled front and rear bumpers increase the approach angle from 13.5 to 16 degrees, and the departure angle from 11.9 to 13.6 degrees.

As with other Volkswagen vehicles featuring 4MOTION, on the Passat Alltrack the front axle is usually driven, with only 10 per cent of propulsive power going to the rear axle. This saves on fuel. If necessary, almost 100 per cent of power can be sent to the rear axle, through use of an electrohydraulic Haldex clutch.

The Passat Alltrack also features an off-road mode, similar to that on the Tiguan Escape. When switched on (via a dashboard-mounted button), this activates hill descent assist, which automatically brakes the vehicle when the descent angle is greater than 10 degrees. The ABS function is also altered, with higher thresholds for operation on loose surfaces, along with faster-reacting electronic differential locks (EDS) to prevent wheelspin. For vehicles fitted with DSG dual-clutch transmission, the shift pattern is also altered when off-road mode is engaged, with higher shift points to give more power, a flatter and easier to manage accelerator pedal movement and no automatic upshifting in manual mode.

In the UK, the Passat Alltrack is available as a 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS with six-speed manual gearbox or a 2.0-litre TDI 170 PS with six-speed DSG transmission. Standard equipment will include Alcantara upholstery, 2Zone electronic climate control, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, MDI iPod connectivity, Bluetooth telephone preparation and 18-inch alloys.

What to watch out for

11-01-2013:

Warranty on DSG extended to 5 years or 150,000 kilometres in Russia and China then later Australia.

21-09-2013:

Problems reported with electric parking brakes of 9,000 mile 1 year old (September 2012) Alltrack. W orst case not holding on a steep hill after stopping at traffic lights. Handbrake warning light showed handbrake on but it did not hold the car until driver the footbrake hard, then it engaged. Also sometimes sticky to come on and jumps when coming off.

27-10-2015:

2014 Passat Alltrack DSG reported as suffering hesitation after take-off from junctions.

06-11-2017:

Issues reported with 2013 Passat Alltrack 2.0 TDI DSG at 76k miles. NOx emissions fix carried out at 74k miles. Now (in colder weather) the temp gauge sometimes fluctuates to the extent it can take anything upto 10 miles to get upto normal (90) operating temperature. On downhill roads the temp drops very quickly. The cabin temperature seems ok. After emissions fix, economy took a 10-15% hit and the DPF regenerates much more often. The VW dealer has checked the car FoC. Nothing shows on the diagnostics and otherwise drives fine. DSG and Haldex services carried out on time. Owner always uses Super grades of diesel. Owner found this is a known fault as a result of the failure of an in-line thermostat between the DSG gearbox and oil cooler. It is an easy fix (15 mins).

25-08-2018:

Report of intermittent 'shudder' for a few seconds (a little like a misfire) when 2013 VW Passat Alltrack 2.0TDI is under very light throttle (just enough to maintain speed), or backing off very light throttle into deceleration. Car has 106,000 mioes, had the NOx emissions software update and a new EGR that failed 2 months after the update. R ecently had cam-belt and water pump changed. Has always been regularly serviced and run on Super-diesel. Problem seemed to have worsened since the cam-belt change, but owner had that re-checked by the garage (a very good reputable independent) and timing etc is all OK. Fuel consumption is unchanged and fine (c. 44 mpg on a run) and the car pulls and runs well under normal acceleration. Local VW dealer then had it for a week running numerous tests to try and identify / eliminate possible causes. Turned out to be what they described as a ‘back-flow’ issue on three of the injectors. They were replaced (at eye-watering cost) and the car is now running better than ever.