Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Review 2024

While most potential buyers will opt for the default choice of a SUV of some sort, the Golf Alltrack like a bit of a well-kept secret. 

If you can live without the raised ride height of an SUV (the Alltrack's 15mm raised height over the standard car means it won't tackle huge slopes or deep ruts) then the VW Golf Alltrack is an appealing proposition. Thanks to the 611-litre boot it's extremely practical and you'll be hard pushed to find a larger boot on a similarly priced SUV, while the 4Motion all-wheel drive set-up means it's ready to take on a variety of tricky terrain. 

If you need a comfy and upmarket family car that won't let you down when the weather gets iffy,  then the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack could be the car for you.

You don't get so much as a choice, but a single Alltrack option. That keeps things nice and simple as your biggest decision will be what colour to choose and what options to spec. Luckily that shouldn't take too much time as the Golf Alltrack comes with a decent array of standard features. 

It's the same story with the engine. While the old model offered a choice of three diesel engines, the latest Golf Alltrack is offered with just one. Luckily this punchy 200PS 2.0-litre TDI has plenty of lowdown grunt and suits the car well. This is paired with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, while the 4Motion all-wheel drive system is fitted as standard.

After the original Golf Alltrack was launched, the Volkswagen Group sister cars followed - the SEAT Leon X-Perience and Skoda Octavia Scout. With the launch of new versions of the Leon and Octavia, neither kept their 4x4 variants.

Until recently that meant you had to look at the pricier Audi alternative, the Audi A4 Allroad. Again, that's no longer available to order new (despite the Audi A4 on which it's based still carrying on), though there's a range of used examples to suit a range of budgets. That just leaves the Volvo V60 Cross Country, but at £10,000 more than the Golf Alltrack, it might be a hard one to justify.

Overall the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is very well finished. The minimalist approach to the controls in the cabin, with two bright and crisp displays deliver a great first impression as you step inside. 

There's a tactile leather steering wheel, comfy cloth seats that offer a decent amount of support and plenty of soft-touch materials used throughout the cabin. The doors also close with a reassuring thud and other touch points operate smoothly. 

Perhaps we've come to expect too much from a Golf's cabin, but there are a couple of areas where there feels some penny-pinching has taken place. None more so than the centre console that uses a big chunk of relatively cheap-feeling plastic. This could be overlooked if it was used elsewhere, but in such a prominent position, it does detract from the whole experience. 

That said, you'd have to dig quite a bit deeper and splash out on something like an Audi A4 Allroad to find a better quality cabin in a car of this type.

Ah, the infotainment system. Just like the standard Volkswagen Golf, this is a little too reliant on its touchscreen for our tastes - while the sliding touch-sensitive climate control buttons are pure frustration. It might sound like a small thing, but we'd almost suggest hunting out a previous generation Volkswagen Golf Alltrack just for its physical controls which are much more intuitive to use while on the move.

There's a DAB radio as standard that's supported by six speakers, while there's also Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. There are also two USB-C ports in the front and a further two USB-C charging sockets on the centre console. 

For audiophiles there's also the chance to upgrade to a Harman Kardon sound system with nine speakers, as well as a 12 channel amplifier and subwoofer that delivers a total power output of 480 watts.

Front and rear parking sensors are standard, but you'll have to pay extra for a rear parking camera, which seems a bit mean on a car of this price. 

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is 4639mm long and 1795mm wide, making it a touch shorter and narrower than the Audi A4 Allroad, Skoda Octavia and Volvo V60 Cross Country, but when you're behind the wheel you won't notice this.

As with the standard car, there's bags of headroom up front, while we really like how the pedals have been separated and it means there's ample space to rest your left foot on those longer journeys. There's also a good range of storage spaces in the front of the Alltrack's cabin as well, with large door pockets (that are carpet-lined), space to store a phone and two well-proportioned cup holders. There's also a handy little compartment underneath the arm rest, too. 

The ISOFIX points are easily reached when attaching child seats, while there's a good amount of headroom in the back for older children or adult passengers. Unlike some posher rivals the rear seats don't recline or slide forward, but there do offer a 60/40 split and fold down via handles in the boot.

If you're thinking about buying a car like the Golf Alltrack, then boot space is probably one of your primary concerns. The Golf Alltrack doesn't disappoint here - the boot's bigger than the older car, with aboot capacity of 611 litres when the seats are place. That's a little shy the Skoda Octavia Estate's 640 litres, but almost 100 litres more than what's available on the Volvo V60 Cross Country, and significantly more than the 495 litres you get with the Audi A4 Allroad.   

Drop the seats down and the Alltrack's boot space increases to 1642 litres, while the large tailgate opening makes access a breeze and it's a genuinely useful space - more so than an equivalent SUV that tends to have the height but not the surface area.

Whereas the older Mk7 version of the Golf Alltrack was offered with the choice of three diesel engines (a 110PS 1.6-litre TDI, a 150PS 2.0-litre TDI and a 184PS 2.0-litre TDI), Volkswagen's streamlined things with the latest Golf Alltrack.

Now there's just a single diesel engine - a powerful 200PS 2.0-litre TDI. While it might seem odd in 2023 to not offer as petrol alternative, diesel engines have never been better and the one in the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is a surprising gem. It's refined, superbly economical and packs quite a punch. A hefty 400Nm of torque probably helps here, allowing the Golf Alltrack to sprint to 62mph in just 7.1 seconds. It's surprisingly fun.

There's no longer the option to spec the Golf Alltrack with a manual gearbox, with only the option of a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. If need be, you can use the paddles behind the Alltrack's steering wheel to change up or down manually, or simply let the DSG 'box do all the decision making for you. 

Just as we found with the standard Golf, refinement levels in the Golf Alltrack are very good. At motorway speeds you'll be nicely cocooned in the cabin, with wind and road noise not being an issue. 

The VW Golf Alltrack can be specified with the optional Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) which allows you to manually adjust the stiffness of the suspension by a press of a button. Put it in Sport mode and the damping is firmed up to reduce body roll when tackling corners. Combine this with the optional 18-inch alloy wheels and you'll certainly notice the bumps and lumps in a road more. We'd definitely recommend sticking with the standard 17-inch alloy wheels if you're looking for a softer ride as these have an extra bit of tyre sidewall to help soak up uneven road surfaces better. 

You certainly won't mistake the punchy diesel engine for a petrol or hybrid variant either, but you're isolated well from the noise, while the DSG automatic gearbox is nice and refined. There's little to no noticeable jerkiness when changing gears, though there can be a little hesitation pulling out of a junction as it tries to pick a gear. 

While the Golf Alltrack hasn't been tested by Euro NCAP, the Golf hatchback was tested in 2022 and awarded a full five-star score, with 88% for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 82% for safety assist and 74% for pedestrian protection.

You'll have to pay extra for rear side airbags, but otherwise there's a comprehensive suite of airbags fitted to the Golf Alltrack, and ISOFIX is fitted as standard on the two outer rear seats. There isn't one on the front passenger seat, though there is an airbag cut-off switch which will allow you to place a child seat next to you if needed. 

There's plenty of safety tech as standard on the VW Golf Alltrack, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that can detect both pedestrians and other cars at city speeds. As well as this, the Golf Alltrack also comes with adaptive cruise control that will keep you a safe distance from the car in front. There's also blind spot assist and lane assist, while at lower speeds the Golf Alltrack uses the City Emergency Braking System (up to 19mph) to automatically apply the brakes for you if you don’t react in time.

As a brand, Volkswagen made it into our top 10 of car brands in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index. 88% of VW owners (not just Golf owners) were satisfied with their purchase, finding Volkswagens to be both dependable and well-made. 

The VW Golf has plenty of tech and early examples did suffer from a couple of irritating software glitches. These should all be resolved now, and just like your phone or laptop, software updates can add further improvements and stability. Mechanically the diesel engine in the Golf Alltrack is well proven, while there's little else of not that should be an issue. 

The Mk8 and latest Golf Alltrack is now more expensive to insure than the older model. While these topped out at group 22 for a 2017-facelifted car with a 184PS 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, it's now a little higher, falling into insurance group 26. 

Unlike the previous generation Golf Alltrack that offered three different engines, the latest model's single engine offering sees CO2 emissions is 150g/km. This currently sees a first year rate of £230, followed by a yearly cost of £165. 

If you're generous with the extras when spec'ing a Golf Alltrack, you can easily go over the £40,000 threshold that will see you pay and extra £355 for the first five years since the car is registered (from the second time the vehicle is taxed).

The latest VW Golf Alltrack uses the stylish R-Line trim of the standard car as it's base, but with some subtle variations. Comfort seats replaces the sports seats of the R-Line car, for example, while the roof-lining is a light grey compared to a darker charcoal finish.

The VW Golf Alltrack enjoys a leather-wrapped, heated, multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles, ambient interior lighting, LED front fog lights (with a 5-honeycomb design), front and rear parking sensors, 3-zone climate control, a 10.25-inch digital dash and a number of drive assistance features (including Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist). There's obviously VW's 4Motion all-wheel drive system and there's also what Volkswagen calls XDS, an electronic differential lock for improved traction and handling. 

To differentiate the Golf Alltrack from other trims, there's a distinctive Alltrack styling pack and 17-inch Ronda alloy wheels. You can also spec 18-inch Mount Vernon alloys if you're looking for a slightly more uncomfortable ride, while the Golf Alltrack also comes with an additional front underbody guard.