Volkswagen Golf Alltrack (2015-2020) Review

Those who need to guarantee being able to get where they’re going, no matter what the weather, road conditions or other obstacles, will err towards an SUV. But those who need to carry large loads may find the lack of estate car practicality a hindrance. For such people, the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack ticks many boxes.

It’s the yawning great boot at the rear that makes it, particularly the way it extends so enormously when the seats are folded. It even has a maximum load capacity of over 600kg, so can lug heavy-duty loads to the top of a mountain.

All the usual Golf luxuries are present and correct. It feels upmarket, refined and comfortable, and is easy to drive and good on fuel. It’s also likely to shrug off whatever heavy-duty use you inflict upon it, thanks to Volkswagen’s tough build quality.

It’s easy to run through the range of Volkswagen Golf Alltrack variants, as there are only three of them. They’re all called Alltrack, with just one level of specification offering plenty of extras as standard. The Alltrack is positioned at the upper end of the Golf range – consider it the off-road alternative to something like a Golf R hot hatch.

The 1.6-litre TDI is the most fuel-efficient engine, while the 2.0-litre TDI 150 will be the best all-rounder, particularly if you’re planning to make full use of the enormous load capacity. The easiest to drive will be the 2.0-litre TDI 184 with the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

Unlike with some SUVs, you don’t have to worry about accidentally picking one without all-wheel drive as standard. The 4Motion system is fitted to every version of Golf Alltrack sold in the UK.

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack was a bit of a trend-setter. When new, it didn’t have many rivals, but now it seems to be inspiring some brands to follow suit. Perhaps the most obvious alternatives are its two Volkswagen Group sister cars: the Seat Leon X-Perience and Skoda Octavia Scout.

The Subaru Forester is a larger rival (the Subaru Levorg is smaller, but petrol only), while Ford has been developing its Active range of Focus variants – although they’re rather more of a styling exercise than the all-weather Alltrack. 

Finally, why not check out the posher Audi alternative, the Audi A4 Allroad? You’ll have to accept either a higher price or an older vehicle, but then you’ll get the four Audi rings on your driveway, along with similar tenacity to the Golf when the weather turns. Similarly, you can go for the Volvo V60 Cross Country.

The quality of the interior is very high, just as in all Golfs. The plush equipment of the Alltrack enhances it further. We like the smart leather steering wheel with its array of buttons, the tactile climate control dials on the centre console and the soft feel of the Alcantara seat bolsters.

It’s packed with soft-touch plastics that feel premium and expensive. The design itself might be a bit dull, but there’s no questioning the finish. This is underlined by a nice solid thunk when you close the doors, and even details such as the muted whirr of the electric windows and the smooth, sleek action of the sliding cubby lid in the centre console.

The robust quality of the Golf Alltrack means it will prove a long-lasting machine, and certainly one able to shrug off the rough and tumble of life away from the beaten track.

All Volkswagen Golf Alltracks are fitted with the Composition Touch infotainment system. This uses a 6.5-inch colour touchscreen with an array of hard keys either side, and two rotary dials for volume and scrolling through menus. Navigation is built in and smartphone connectivity is available through a USB connection and Bluetooth. It’s looking a little dated these days, but the system still works well.

Later Golf Alltracks from 2017 benefitted from a revised Discover system with a larger glass-covered screen. This looks really smart, and includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, extending the usefulness of the Alltrack’s infotainment. DAB radio is standard, and Volkswagen still fitted an SD card for digital music lovers.

Front-seat comfort is excellent. Volkswagen serves up an extremely well laid-out driving position, with a terrific amount of seat adjustment both front to back, and up and down. The driving position is already raised up over a standard Golf Estate, thanks to the 15mm suspension lift, and this means you can have a slightly more commanding driving position while still feeling like you’re sitting nice and low in the car. Naturally, pedal position is perfect, and the steering wheel has a good range of four-way adjustment.

In the rear, it’s just like a normal Golf Estate. Most people should find plenty of legroom, and there’s ample space for feet under the front seats. The longer roofline of the Golf wagon actually opens up a bit more rear headroom, while the bench seat is supportive and just about wide enough for three people. Occupants don’t quite get the raised-up feel of being in an SUV, but they do get a better view out than a normal Golf offers.

It’s boot space that will be the clincher for many Golf Alltrack buyers. The 605 litres of space it offers with the seats up is not only larger than a similarly-sized SUV, it’s also a lot more practical thanks to its squared-off shape and deep load bay. With the seats up, there’s more than one metre of load length, and it’s at least a metre wide between the wheelarches: maximum load width towards the rear of the load space is 1.25 metres. 

There’s a flat load lip, so it’s easy to slide things in and out and – praise be! – a spacesaver spare wheel beneath the boot floor. Volkswagen knows that Golf Alltrack owners need guaranteed mobility if, for example, they puncture a wheel on a remote road.

Fold the rear seats (they’re split 60:40) and boot space opens up to 1,620 litres. This is an enormous amount, almost on par with larger executive estate cars. The load space length extends to over 1.8 metres and you can also pack in up to 611kg in there – as well as towing up to 2,000kg. There’s a ‘ski hatch’ behind the rear-seat armrest, so you can slide in long and thin loads without having to fold down the rear seats. 

There are Isofix mounts on the outer two rear seats and, while they’re not fitted to the front passenger seat, there is an airbag cut-off switch.

Volkswagen’s efficient 1.6-litre TDI turbodiesel is a well-known engine: smooth-revving and well isolated from clatter and rumble. But it isn’t fast against the clock.

A 110PS output in the big Golf Estate, further weighed down by the 4Motion running gear, means 0-62mph in 12.1 seconds. It is better once up to speed, when the driver can make use of its reasonable pulling power – but if you’re planning to put the Golf Alltrack to heavier-duty use, it’s perhaps not the engine to pick.

The 2.0-litre TDI is a better all-rounder. With a manual gearbox, it produces 150PS, which cuts the 0-62mph time considerably, to 8.9 seconds. It grumbles a touch more than the 1.6-litre, but there’s not much in it, and the larger engine is more relaxing on the move because it has more in reserve.

Both regular models use a light, precise and easy six-speed manual gearbox. The automatic alternative is a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto. This is a great gearbox, and pairing it with the more powerful 184PS version of the 2.0-litre TDI further enhances its appeal. It creates the fastest Golf Alltrack (0-62mph in 7.8 seconds) with the most in reserve. It really is appealingly effortless.

Refinement is pleasingly impressive. The Golf is a quiet car anyway, and the Alltrack does little to alter that. If anything, the extra suspension travel may make the ride over bumps a touch quieter, particularly on models with the regular 17-inch wheels. It doesn’t patter or chatter, and tyre noise at speed is kept at bay. There’s more noise with the 18-inch wheels, but that’s the price you pay for good looks.

The engines are refined – we’ve mentioned the 1.6-litre TDI might just be a tad smoother than the 2.0-litre – and excellent design of the bodyshell and aerodynamics means wind noise is isolated at speed. You sense that Volkswagen builds in just that bit more noise isolation into its cars, quelling the sort of background noises you get in some other cars, and this gives it a nicely premium and luxurious feel.

Euro NCAP tested the regular hatchback version of the Golf back in 2012. It was awarded a full five-star score, with 94% for adult occupant protection, 89% for child occupant protection, 71% for safety assist and 65% for pedestrian protection.

There’s a full haul of airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag and head airbags for front and rear passengers. Seatbelt pretensioners were standard in the front and optional in the rear, although all five seats have belt load limiters as standard. Isofix is fitted to the outer two rear seats, but not the passenger seat. There is, however, an airbag cut-off switch.

Unusually, the seatbelt reminder only covers the front seats, not the rears. ESC stability control is standard on all Golf Alltracks, along with a speed assistance device as part of the standard cruise control.

Facelifted cars from 2017 also feature extra active safety equipment, including autonomous emergency braking that can detect both pedestrians and other cars at city speeds.

The Golf Alltrack will prove to be an affordable car to insure, particularly the 1.6-litre TDI. Its modest power means a lowly group 10 (out of 50) insurance rating. The 2.0-litre TDI pushes up to group 17, while the TDI 184 is in group 20 – rising, unusually, to group 22 for 2017-on facelifted cars.

The cheaper insurance costs of the 1.6 TDI in particular are another reason the Golf Alltrack appeals alongside a conventional all-wheel-drive SUV.

Low CO2 emissions across the range mean affordable VED (road tax). The 1.6-litre TDI is the cheapest, with its 124g/km CO2 giving an annual bill of £125. The 2.0-litre TDI matches this cost as CO2 emissions are barely higher, rising to no more than 129g/km. 

The 2.0-litre TDI 184 has a £150 annual VED cost, courtesy of CO2 emissions ranging from 132-137g/km.

The Golf Alltrack is based on the upper-range Golf GT trim, so it has a good amount of standard equipment. All models have a leather steering wheel and gear knob, Alltrack-branded seat upholstery, dark magnesium dashboard inlays and ambient interior lighting.

Dual-zone climate control, LED interior lighting, Composition Touch infotainment and cruise control with a speed limiter are standard, as is the ‘Off Road’ driving profile that includes hill descent control. 

All models also get the full Alltrack styling pack, alloy wheels and, of course, 4Motion all-wheel drive.