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Vollkswagen Passat 2012 review

While the boom in SUV sales in Australia has knocked station wagon sales for six, some brands, including Volkswagen and its Audi and Skoda cousins, are persisting with keeping both SUVs and wagons in their model line-ups. The latest offering from the people at VW is the Passat Alltrack a car designed to bridge the gap between the traditional wagon. One that can take on a bit of the rough stuff for adventurous families.

VALUE

The Alltrack comes with a value-for-money $47,790 price tag and generous standard-kit inventory. As well as its leather trim and heated front seats, buyers can look forward to 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime running lights, automatic lights and wipers, a clever electrically operated tailgate, an electric parking brake, front-and-rear parking sensors and a rear-vision camera, dual-zone climate-control “air,” a 6.5-inch touch screen with satellite navigation and a 30GB hard drive, one-touch up-and-down electric windows and Bluetooth mobile-phone and music streaming.

Also standard are a leather-wrapped, multi-function steering wheel, fog lights, cruise control and an automatic-dimming electro-chromatic rear-vision mirror. Options include metallic/pearl-effect paint ($700), a panoramic electric glass sunroof ($2000), park-assist 2 ($900), a driver-assistance and visibility package ($3300), adaptive cruise control and front-assist with city emergency braking ($2000) and the sport package ($2800).

If you want more-sporty, more-bolstered seats it will cost you $2800 as part of the Sport option that includes other goodies such as steering-wheel-mounted gear-shift paddles. The Alltrack’s competitors include the new $69,900 Audi A4 Allroad and the much-cheaper $43,990 Skoda Octavia Scout. Then there’s the $46,990 Subaru Outback Premium that also comes with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine but cannot at this stage be specified with an automatic transmission.

TECHNOLOGY

The new VW is a slightly beefed-up version of the standard Passat wagon and uses the same 125 kW turbo-diesel engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. What sets the Alltrack apart from the Passat wagon is the addition of the Touareg and Tiguan SUVs’ off-road driving program, a less-intrusive electronic stability program and unique front, side and rear body-kit features.

On surfaces such as unstable gravel, the off-road driving program automatically remaps the ABS, shift points, throttle response and electronic differential lock to deliver even more traction than when the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system is in normal mode. An automatic hill-descent-control system adds to the Alltrack’s surefootedness.

DESIGN

Volkswagen Alltrack’s interior is a stylish, classy affair with leather trim as standard, soft plastics and brushed-chrome dashboard/centre-stack highlights. There are black-faced speedo and tacho dials with red needles, clear white numbers and an analogue clock that adds to the overall ambience.

With 588 litres of cargo space with the rear seats occupied and a cavernous 1716 litres when the rear-seats are folded flat, there’s no shortage of storage capacity. Other storage cubby holes include a sunglasses holder, front-and-rear door pockets, a reasonably sized glove box, front-and-rear drinkholders and a bin beneath the centre front-seat armrest.

Alltrack’s ride height has been raised 30 mm above that of the standard Passat wagon, resulting in increased approach, departure and ramp-over angles. A limited amount of front-seat bolstering doesn’t exactly hug you into position during enthusiastic cornering on winding roads.

VW’s engineers have fitted a tough, steel under-body protection shield to look after the engine and gearbox during off-road excursions. One niggle however for this 185 cm tall reviewer is that with the seat right back, there is insufficient outward adjustment for the exterior mirrors.

SAFETY

The Alltrack has a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating and standard safety kit that includes eight airbags, ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, electronic stability and traction control, a driver fatigue-detection system, hill-descent assist and a tyre-pressure monitor. In addition, the tyres come with an internal polymer layer that automatically seals holes made by nails, bolts or spikes up to 5mm in thickness.

DRIVING

Height-and-reach-adjustable steering and plenty of seat adjustment means getting a suitable driving position is easy. Out on the road and irrespective of the road surfaces the Alltrack handles itself with aplomb. Armed with 350 Nm of torque, hills and overtaking are dispatched with ease and even during enthusiastic tight cornering, the car sits nice and flat.

With its 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and new SUV-derived off-road driving program, gravel surfaces were no problem to this surefooted new Volkswagen. Out on the road and irrespective of the road surfaces the Alltrack handles itself with aplomb.

VERDICT

Volkswagen’s new Allroad keeps alive the tradition of the family wagon but it does it with a tad more aggression, an adventurous spirit and greater all-track ability.

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack

Price: from $47,790
Warranty: 3 years/unlimited km
Resale: 50 per cent (Source: Glass's Guide)
Service interval: 15,000km/12 months
Safety rating: five star
Spare: space saver
Engine: two-litre turbodiesel four-cylinder, 125kW/350Nm
Transmission: 6-speed twin-clutch automated manual; 4WD
Body: 4.9m (L); 1.8m (w); 1.6m (h)
Weight: 1704kg
Thirst: 6.31/100km, tank 70 litres; 166g/km CO2

Pricing guides

$12,997
Based on 47 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months
Lowest Price
$9,990
Highest Price
$15,999

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
Alltrack 2.0L, Diesel, 6 SP $10,780 – 14,740 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2012 Alltrack Pricing and Specs
118 TSI 1.8L, PULP, 7 SP AUTO $10,230 – 13,970 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2012 118 TSI Pricing and Specs
118 TSI 1.8L, PULP, 7 SP AUTO $12,100 – 16,170 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2012 118 TSI Pricing and Specs
125 TDI Highline 2.0L, Diesel, 6 SP $11,880 – 15,840 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2012 125 TDI Highline Pricing and Specs
Pricing Guide

$9,990

Lowest price, based on 40 car listings in the last 6 months

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Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.