Volkswagen is introducing a cousin to its sport utility vehicles by adding an all new all-wheel drive wagon to its 2017 lineup.
The 2017 Golf Alltrack will hit the market later this year and will offer consumers the option of a car-based, all-wheel drive vehicle.
“The Golf Alltrack is an all-new model for 2017 and shares its underpinnings with its Golf family siblings, from MQB architecture to the turbocharged and direct-injected powertrain,” information from Volkswagen indicated. “The Alltrack will offer an affordable, yet upscale, alternative to existing all-wheel drive wagons that are on the market.”
Under the hood, the Alltrack has a 1.8-liter TSI turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine, which makes 170 horsepower and 199 pound feet of torque. The Alltrack will initially come with a six-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, but will be available with a six-speed manual transmission later in the year.
During normal driving conditions, the Alltrack will perform like a front-wheel drive vehicle, providing consumers with better fuel efficiency. If the system detects any unfavorable road conditions that may cause wheel slippage, up to 50 percent of the drive torque is moved to the rear wheels.
Compared to the SportWagen, the Alltrack is about an inch higher, giving it a higher ground clearance.
Other differences from the SportWagen are body styling which includes a honeycomb grille, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels on the S and SE trim levels and 18-inch wheels on the top-of-the-line SEL trim level. Inside, the Alltrack has an upgraded interior compared to the SportWagen.
Other features on the Alltrack include an off-road feature, which includes hill descent and off-road terrain controls, and standard safety features seen on most Volkswagen models such as lane-departure warning and parking assist, among others.
For the regular Golf model, Volkswagen has added a new Wolfsburg edition trim, which provides higher-end features such as keyless entry, smart technologies and other safety features.
Besides the new Alltrack, the other major announcements for Volkswagen in 2017 concern the Beetle and the hybrid Jetta.
Volkswagen made major revisions to the Beetle including adding an all-new Fuchsia Metallic pink limited edition Beetle called #PinkBeetle. On the classic Beetle model, Volkswagen upgraded the exterior by adding such features as 17-inch “circle” aluminum-alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and an upgraded infotainment system.
The #PinkBeetle is also available as a convertible. In addition, the new Dune convertible is available, along with a retro-look Beetle. The convertible has a revised front and rear bumper styling new for 2017.
The big news for the Jetta is Volkswagen has decided to discontinue its production of the hybrid, and now offers four trim levels – S, SE, SEL and SEL premium.
Check out this TFLcar Hot or Not video featuring the 2016 Volkswagen GTI:
