Almost a quarter century ago, Volkswagen tried and failed to jump-start the crossover segment in Europe. The Golf Country, an ultratall version of the second-generation Golf, was launched in 1990 and killed before 1992.
It obviously didn’t catch on. Perhaps that’s why Wolfsburg has waited until now to bring another crossover version of the Golf to market. (The CrossGolf, sold from 2007 until recently, doesn’t count. It was based on the Golf Plus, which has an entirely different body and was offered only with front-wheel drive.)
The Golf Alltrack—making its first public appearance at the Paris auto show this week and set to reach the European market early next year—comes exclusively with all-wheel drive and is based on the station wagon model known in the U.S. as the SportWagen. There are three Alltrack TDI versions (a 1.6-liter with 110 metric horsepower and a 2.0-liter with either 150 or 184) and a 1.8-liter TSI gasoline engine with 180 horsepower. The most powerful diesel and the gasoline engines come only with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. It seems VW aims to relegate manual transmissions to bargain-basement status.
- Comparison Test: 2015 Volkswagen GTI vs. 2015 Subaru WRX
- First Drive: 2015 Subaru Outback
- Volkswagen Golf Research: Photos, Reviews, Info, and More
The Golf Alltrack will do fine in many off-road surroundings, thanks not only to all-wheel drive but also to its higher ground clearance (raised 0.8 inch) and an “offroad” setting that tunes the car to cope with slippery and uneven surfaces.
Visual changes include black wheel arches, matte-silver decor, and “skid plates” of dubious usefulness. The interior features marginal tweaks, as well.
We doubt that this Golf Alltrack will come to the U.S. market: Most of our Golfs come from Mexico, and VW doesn’t make the all-wheel-drive ones there. Ought they?
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/1rKs4q2
via Agya
