Volkswagen Passat Alltrack

The Alltrack interior comprises of the height-adjustable driver and passenger seats with adjustable headrests as well and an added electric lumbar for the driver. The gear knob, steering wheel and seats (partial) are dressed in leather while the dashboard, centre console, gear shift gate, door inserts, and instrument surrounds sport a metallic finish. Noteworthy tech mentions include the  Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink support (allows operation of selected apps from your smartphone through the car’s touchscreen and voice control), Discover Pro navigation and infotainment system (9.2-inch display, gesture and voice control, DVD drive with 10 GB storage) and the RVC Plus - Rear View Camera (live rear display with dynamic guidance lines and multi-angle views). With foldable rear seats, this family car also offers an impressive cargo space of 639 litres.

Main highlights of the model’s exterior include body-coloured bumpers and door handles, chrome finished door mirrors, air vents surrounds, window surrounds (exterior) and grille, 19-inch Albertville alloy wheels, bodyside moulding and electrically heated plus anti-glare mirrors. Alongside also comes automatic light-sensitive and level adjustable headlights, daytime running lamps, rain-sensing wipers, and a sensor-equipped tailgate.

The 4MOTION four-wheel drive promises high traction, a responsive steering and comfortable handling of the Alltrack on almost any given road condition. You can also opt for the ‘Off-road mode’ from the driving profile selection to optimise control when required. This mode activates the hill descent speed control to safely overcome steep drops.

The Volkswagen runs on a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI (turbocharged direct injection) diesel engine wedded to a 7-speed DSG (direct-shift gearbox) transmission with sports automatic dual-clutch that takes it to 100 kmph in 8.7 seconds. The engine generates a power of 188 hp at an rpm of 4200 and achieves a torque of 380 Nm at 1750 to 2500 rpm. With a compression ratio of 16 and a power to weight ratio of 102 hp/t, the car offers an appreciable fuel economy of 5.6 litres per 100 km (according to laboratory testing based on Australia Design Rule). 

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) approved Volkswagen Passat Alltrack comes with a wake-up call feature, an interesting innovation that continuously studies the steering movements of the driver and alerts the driver with a recommendation to take a break if any sign of fatigue is detected. Counting the front for driver and passenger, curtain for front and rear, side for front and rear, and driver’s knee make up a total of nine airbags in the Alltrack. The seatbelts pack consists of lap/sash for five passengers, pretensioners, load limiters and height-adjustable for the first row and pretensions in the second row as well. Vehicle control attributes include electronic stability, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), traction control, EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), hill holder and hill descent while a front and rear parking distance alert, a graphical display park assist and rear cameras array up to form the set of driver assistant features in the Volkswagen.

A reliable all-wheel drive, top-notch towing capacity, an elegant interior, and several other impressive additions to the Volkswagen for only a small rise in price justify the close to nine ratings of the Alltrack. However, a lesser than expected ground clearance, inability of the DSG to serve as the perfect automatic transmission and a slow engine response might irk some buyers.