Back in the 1990s, Subaru and Volvo showed us what a truly multifunctional car looks like – one that combines the strengths of a family wagon and an off-road vehicle, while avoiding their typical weaknesses. Gradually, this concept gained popularity, and today more and more manufacturers offer such cars.
So what happens when you combine this, in my opinion, brilliant concept with one of the most popular wagons on the European market? I get behind the wheel of the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and head towards the Alps to find out.
Design
I’ve always found Volkswagen models rather dull when it comes to design. The Passat Alltrack is no exception, although I have to admit – either I’m getting older, or the current generation Passat has made some progress in this regard.
What I do like is the front-end design, which now feels more distinctive compared to previous generations, even if it still leans towards a clean and pragmatic look. Move your eyes further along the car, and you’ll find shapes that haven’t changed dramatically for decades – a classic wagon silhouette with familiar proportions. Is that a bad thing? It depends on your perspective. What’s certain is that this shape is necessary to deliver the generous space the car offers.
As for the Alltrack specifically, the differences compared to the standard Variant include an increased ground clearance by 2.9 cm, now reaching 17.4 cm, along with some SUV-inspired styling – wheel arch extensions, protective cladding, and decorative elements. There are also minor changes to the grille, satin chrome mirror caps, Alltrack badges, and so on.
The result is actually quite good, as these additions bring more character to the otherwise conservative Passat design.
There is, however, one styling detail I genuinely dislike – the fake exhaust tips. Chrome on the outside, black plastic inside. In fact, you can clearly see the real exhaust pipes tucked away on one side. I know Volkswagen isn’t the only brand doing this, but to me, it feels like unnecessary gimmickry.
Interior
Step inside the Passat, and you immediately understand why this car is so popular. It’s all about space – something many buyers truly value. Roominess is generous both front and rear, and with a 639-litre boot, practicality is taken seriously.
Once again, functionality takes priority – large door pockets in both rows, big cup and bottle holders, and a design that borders on being dull. The only element I find visually interesting is the horizontal line connecting the air vents on the passenger side – a detail also seen in Audi models.
In terms of build quality, everything feels solid and well assembled. However, I do have an issue with the materials used. There’s simply too much hard plastic, even in areas you frequently touch. The worst offenders are the climate control knobs – poor-quality plastic with an unpleasant texture, and they feel cheap even in operation.
I have a few more complaints. The buttons for controlling the infotainment system and adaptive cruise control on the steering wheel are small, awkward, and unintuitive. This is frustrating, especially since the infotainment system itself is actually good (aside from average sound quality) and easy to use – as long as you avoid those buttons.
Overall, I expected more from the interior of the Passat Alltrack. Still, when it comes to space utilisation, the car is a clear leader.
On the road
One not-so-early morning, we packed ski equipment for three and a half people (the “half” being me, since I don’t travel without my second pair of skis), along with all the luggage, and set off westwards. The car we would cover 2,800 km with over ten days was equipped with the well-known 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 190 hp.
Power is sent to all four wheels via a somewhat old-school six-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission (nowadays replaced by a seven-speed unit). Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes exactly 8 seconds, top speed is 214 km/h, and official fuel consumption is 6.5 l/100 km – though one might question how realistic that figure is.
Soon enough, we were cruising on the motorway towards Belgrade at 130 km/h, and I began to get acquainted with the car. My impressions were mixed. I like the suspension – well balanced, offering a good compromise between comfort and stability. I also like the engine – it feels distinctly “non-diesel”, meaning quiet and unobtrusive.
However, there’s one significant issue – the car is noisy. Not wind noise around the A-pillars, which is normal, but road noise. It’s noticeably higher than expected for a car in this class and reminds me more of something from the Golf segment, which isn’t ideal.
Back to the positives – I appreciated the ability to connect three phones simultaneously to the infotainment system. It may seem unnecessary, but during a long day of driving, it proved genuinely useful for quickly switching between music sources.
The more interesting part of the journey came towards the end of day two. Somewhere in Austria, I left the motorway and headed into narrow, winding mountain roads. Perfect.
Of course, I wasn’t going to drive aggressively – this is still a diesel family wagon, loaded with luggage and passengers. A few fast corners would have sent everything flying across the cabin, and no one wants to feel sick on a road trip.
Still, the empty mountain road allowed me to explore the car’s handling. It was engaging, and the scenery didn’t hurt either – at least until night fell.
That’s when I noticed another strong point – the headlights. In this case, full LED and adaptive (an option costing around €1,430), they perform excellently.
Here I can finally talk about the handling in more detail. The Passat performs surprisingly well. It feels smaller and lighter than it actually is, and the steering is fairly direct, with good feedback. It may not match something like the Renault Talisman, but it’s definitely more engaging than the Ford Mondeo. That was unexpected.
The gearbox, however, reveals some flaws. Downshifts can be abrupt, with noticeable jolts, while upshifts under steady acceleration are lightning fast – the typical dual-clutch advantage.
And what about fuel consumption? Surprisingly, Volkswagen might not be exaggerating. An average below 6.5 l/100 km is achievable, and with careful driving outside the motorway, you can even drop below 5 l/100 km.
Conclusion
The Volkswagen Passat Alltrack is a car that can do many things well. It may not excel in any particular area, but it performs strongly across the board and offers outstanding space.
Its weaknesses are mainly related to a lack of attention to detail and, at least in my view, a rather conservative design.
Prices start at around €39,000, with the tested model costing approximately €43,000, while a well-equipped version can reach around €46,000. I consider the pricing reasonable. In this range, you could opt for a premium-brand wagon, but none will offer the same level of interior space or the added versatility that comes with increased ground clearance and all-wheel drive.
Eng. Tsvetan Iliev
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