Paris show: Volkswagen rides high with Golf Alltrack

VOLKSWAGEN has unwrapped its all-new Golf Alltrack wagon ahead of its Paris motor show debut next week, revealing a higher-riding all-wheel-drive version of its top-selling model that will roll into Australian showrooms mid next year.

The chunkier Golf is the second Alltrack to be introduced to the German brand’s range, following the mid-size Passat that arrived in late 2012 to take on high-end versions of the Subaru Outback, as well as some dedicated medium/large SUVs.

The Alltrack will have few rivals when it joins the extensive Golf range next year, although Subaru’s rugged-looking XV and the forthcoming and mechanically related Skoda Octavia Scout are obvious contenders, as well as a number of compact SUVs such as the Nissan Qashqai and Hyundai ix35.

Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system will be standard on the Golf Alltrack, which gains an additional 20mm of ground clearance over the regular load-lugging Golf.

In Europe, VW will offer the Alltrack with a choice of four turbocharged engines, including a new 1.8-litre TSI turbo-petrol unit that produces 132kW of power and 280Nm of torque to be the meatiest petrol powertrain in the range.

Matched with a six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission, the Alltrack 1.8 TSI can dash from 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds and return combined-cycle fuel economy of 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres.

Three turbo-diesel engines will be offered in Europe, starting with an 81kW/250Nm 1.6-litre unit that takes a leisurely 12.1 seconds to reach 100km/h but returns a useful 4.7L/100km, while the mid-range oil-burner is a 110kW/340Nm 2.0-litre unit that reaches 100km/h in 8.9 seconds and sips 4.9L/100km.

The range-topping diesel uses a tweaked version of the 2.0-litre unit from the Golf GTD hot hatch, producing 184kW and 380Nm to be the most powerful engine ever found under the bonnet of a Golf wagon.

This variant completes 0-100km/h in 7.8 seconds, consumes 5.1L/100km and has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, which is equivalent to (or better than) the towing maximum of a number of compact SUVs including manual diesel versions of the Mitsubishi Outlander and Honda CR-V.

Australian specifications will be confirmed closer to launch next year, however it is unlikely that all four powertrains will be offered here.

SUV styling cues differentiating the Alltrack from the regular Golf wagon include black wheelarches and black mouldings running along the side into the redesigned front and rear bumpers, while the side sills have a matte silver finish.

Silver detailing continues under the side windows, on the external mirror caps and the roof rails.

At the front, the Alltrack has a honeycomb insert in the grille and lower air intake, the latter featuring a prominent ‘Reflex Silver’ crossbar. The model also rides on unique 17-inch alloy wheels.

The cabin includes a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearshift lever, custom seat covers with ‘Alltrack’ embossed on the front seatbacks, aluminium-look foot pedals, LED reading lights, automatic climate-control air-conditioning, the ‘Composition Touch’ infotainment system and Volkswagen’s driver fatigue warning system.