Don’t do what I did, and accidentally mistake the 2017 Golf Alltrack for some sort of all-terrain GTI… you’ll be let down.
It’s an easy mistake to make. The Alltrack has cool & adventurous trim. It sparks some curiosity. It seems maybe a little separated from the herd.
But get behind the wheel, and it’s definitely ‘the herd’. The exciting stops at red with silver trim. The interior feels over-sanitized and under-comfortable. When it comes to power & performance (particularly throttle response & downshift response time) – it’s too little too late. A yawn in a neat costume.
If you live in a region that gets some snow/slush, this all-wheel-drive Volkswagen station wagon will probably keep you mobile. Or if you want to live the Subaru stereotype with a twist. But coming from a guy who owned a MK6 Volkswagen GTI – this Golf Alltrack is no GTI. And coming from the same guy who owns a JKU Wrangler – it’s no Jeep either.
So what is it? It’s basically an underpowered, so-so car with all-wheel-drive in slick gift wrap. And while that might work for some people, I can’t really see it making it past a test drive with most car enthusiasts.
I was impressed with the way the Golf Alltrack handled basic gravel/dirt roads comfortably & smoothly in ‘Off Road Mode’. It does well on the bunny slopes… but I’d keep it to the bunny slopes. And the extra cargo space is nice. So hey, there’s that.
