Beefed-up Golf a winner

Thanks to some clever and useful extras the Golf Alltrack is more than just a pretty face, says

It’s a simple recipe that Volkswagen has cooked up. Take one Golf estate, add 20mm of ride height, four-wheel drive and a dedicated off-road mode, garnish with a sprinkling of plastic body trim add-ons and serve. It’s a recipe that has proved popular with buyers looking for the most rugged, distinctive and premium version of cars like VW’s own Passat, Audi’s A4 and A6 and Volvo’s XC series. Looks and image In the flesh it sits slightly higher on its extended suspension than it appears to in some of the flattering press images, but it still looks great. But what matters is that this is a new Golf that takes the most premium elements it can to create a new flagship, right up there in a three-pronged assault with the rapid Golf R estate and the amazingly rounded GTD estate. People are going to want the Alltrack. Space and practicality The estate boot is obviously a

Matt Kimberley handy thing to have, turning the Golf hatchback into a truly practical car. But genuine offroad ability comes courtesy of four-wheel drive with electronic differential locks and a special DSG gearbox mode that, in a way, imitates a lowratio gear and makes it easy to carefully overcome obstacles. Behind the wheel It doesn’t seem blessed with any greater ability to absorb bumps than a standard Golf estate, but the oh-so-familiar cabin layout is instantly welcoming. The Alltrack’s aces up its sleeves are its instantly recognisable looks and increased skill in the rough stuff. Value for money You’re buying one of the most premium model variants from an increasingly premium Golf range, so a bargain it isn’t. Consider the fact that fourwheel drive and speciallydeveloped off-road systems are standard and it doesn’t look so bad. Plus, of course, there’s the fact that the Alltrack stands out much more than an ordinary Golf estate – and standing out is one area where lesser Golfs fall flat. Who would buy one? Anyone who likes the Audi A4 Allroad but recoils in horror at the price will have to take a good, long look at the Golf Alltrack. There’s competition from within the Volkswagen Group in the shapes of the Seat Leon Xperience and the Skoda Octavia Scout, which follow much the same light-off-roader ethos as the Alltrack, but for less cash. The Golf’s buyers simply want more quality in the detail touches than either of the sister cars can give.

ONE WORD This car summed up in just a single word: Price: £30,595 Engine: 2.0-litre turbodiesel producing 181bhp and 280lb/ft Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch automatic driving the front wheels Performance: Top speed 136mph, 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds...