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When you compare the 2017 Volkswagen Alltrack S AWD to the 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i, it’s clear by the point by point comparison which wagon is better. Or is it? VW Parts Vortex points out in a comparison between the two wagons that the Volkswagen S AWD has several clear advantages over the Outback 2.5i. Most are in the area of performance. Is that what American buyers are looking for in a wagon? Do they even want a wagon?
Volkswagen Alltrack has the performance advantage
The comparison, you can see here, shows the Alltrack is the clear winner when it comes to fuel economy (2 mpg city, 1mpg highway), better overall performance (It’s 1.4 sec faster 0-60), and it’s lighter (280 lbs).
When you compare seating capacity, suspension type and MSRP, the two are similar. The Outback comes out on top when it comes to cargo carrying capacity. Alltrack: 30.4 cu ft (66 cu. ft w/rear seat folded) vs Outback: 35.5 cu. ft (73.3 cu. ft w/rear seat folded).
The US is a different market
In Europe, the comparison would definitely be advantage VW Alltrack, where buyers like the smaller vehicle size and they also love their sports tourers. In the US, consumers prefer larger SUVs with more cargo room for the family. Americans don’t even like wagons. The Outback is more SUV-like and this is a big reason why the 2017 Outback outsells the Alltrack by a large margin.
We’ve driven both vehicles and would agree with VW Parts Vortex that the Alltrack is by far, higher on the fun-to-drive meter. Is that what American buyers are looking for in a wagon? The clear answer is no. Buyers are choosing the Outback because of it’s all-weather capability, superior safety record and because it’s not really a wagon. It’s an SUV-alternative recreation-purposed vehicle that offers superior utility and cargo/passenger room and even higher ground clearance (Outback 8.7-in), (Alltrack 6.9-in) for off-road adventures.
Who is the clear winner?
Consumers are deciding by purchasing more 2017 Outbacks 2.5i with standard all-wheel-drive (109,448 YTD sales), by far over the 2017 Volkswagen Alltrack S AWD (7,544 YTD sales), and this number even includes the Golf SportWagon. It’s clear who makes the better vehicle for US consumers.
Source: VW Parts Vortex
Photo: Spork Marketing
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Comments
Let's see the AllTrack wins
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Let's see the AllTrack wins in every category but cargo room but you declare the Outback the winner. We test drove both vehicles and the Outback handles very poorly and accelerates like a turtle. I guess if you want to use the Outback to store stuff and don't care about ever driving it than you could spin the Outback as being better.
The Alltrack is too low to
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In reply to Let's see the AllTrack wins by atomic (not verified)
The Alltrack is too low to the ground difficult to get in and out of the car it's bad if you have a bad back but the Outback the feel is superior yes the Alltrack drives better and is faster more mobile but overall the Subaru OB is the Adult car for Adults while the VW Alltrack which is just a dressed up Jetta Sportwagen is too compact feels like a teens car.
Actually, I think the fair
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In reply to Let's see the AllTrack wins by atomic (not verified)
Actually, I think the fair comparison would be the Outback 3.6R against the VW. The Outback has way more ground clearance as well. With the 3.6 it's also more powerful and a kick to drive.
You need to wake up !
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In reply to Let's see the AllTrack wins by atomic (not verified)
You need to wake up ! Alltrack will never compare to Subaru's highly refined AWD. Don't take my word for it, see for yourself. There are thousands of youtube videos that show the Subaru AWD easily out-performing all the competition in it's class. You're biased, is basically what's going on here. Are you a Nazi ? LMAO
The Outback is great, not
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The Outback is great, not like a turtle. I don't know about the VW but it looks like a good competitor. For us, the Outback has been a great car, with excellent long-distance road comfort. Since we want a high-clearance vehicle for potential off-road use, the Outback is perfect. Lower road clearance would be a problem. 4WD has been a great feature. It really depends on what you value when buying a car.
Last week I had the chance to
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Last week I had the chance to test the VW Goll Alltrack for a week. Having seen the marketing info I thought it would be similar to the Outback. It is not. These are not real competitors in many ways. The Alltrack is a small wagon with no noticeable ground clearance. Its front bumper is so low it would never be considered "Off-road" in any respect. The Alltrack is much smaller than the Outback. There is about five total inches more legroom in the Outback and the cargo area is much larger in the Outback. The Outback also offers a higher driver position, so it is more of a crossover. Although I loved the Alltrack's drivetrain overall, its DCT is geared in such a way that it is not quick off the line, say 0-20 MPH. Once underway, the Alltrack is the better driver's car on normal days. The Outback would be better in a bad winter when snowbanks were high and one might come home to find the driveway plowed in. The Outback has more hp, but the Alltrack's low-end torque should be an advantage. I didn't feel it. The Subaru 2.5i with CVT would be my pick for these two, particularly since the larger Outback gets better fuel efficiency. In my testing, the Alltrack never exceeded its EPA estimates. Size-wise, the Alltrack is better compared to the Forester, or even the Crosstrek. The Alltrack looked smaller in my garage next to a 2016 Forester and it felt smaller inside. The Outback is bigger and more of a true soft-roader. The Alltrack is a Golf wagon with 4Motion and about one inch of added ground clearance (which is certainly not a bad thing in any respect). Some background: I have owned two Outbacks, a Legacy, a Forester, and also a Passat V6 wagon with 4Motion in the past. Both the Alltrack and Outback are great vehicles and one is not "better." These are just not as similar as we (I) thought.
I have a 2009 Jetta
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I have a 2009 Jetta Sportwagen SE and love the wagon configuration with the panoramic sunroof which was just repaired after leaking rain water. Hate that my dealership no longer honors the 2012 Recall about this issue of leaking sunroofs and am vowing to defect to Subaru. Besides the Outback has been manufactured in Indiana, USA!
Owned a Forester and an
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Owned a Forester and an Outback for 3 years. A set of blown headgaskets on both. Got rid of the Forester, test drove an Alltrack DSG and it was exactly what I was looking for. After 20k miles in the Alltrack it’s a better vehicle than the Outback. I get over 30 on the highway and the handling is superior to the Subaru dead steering feel. 4motion is just as good as modern Subaru AWD with its ECU programming to limit torque in order to protect the CVT. The VW DSG is the best transmission I’ve driven hands down. 1.8tsi is faster than the 2.0, 2.5 and 3.6r Subaru motors. Not sure how it would stand up against the 2.4 turbo. Warranty is better on my Alltrack at 6yr/72k miles and 10yr corrosion warranty.
I've had my Alltrack for 6
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I've had my Alltrack for 6 years now and we had a rental Subaru for about a week out in Colorado. I've never been a big fan of the styling of the latest Subi's but they, like VW, have a big cult like following. The biggest thing for me after driving the Subaru was the interior materials and finish. The VW just seems nicer and I like the more car like driving dynamics vs. the SUV like dynamics the Subaru gave. Like others mentioned, its a apples to oranges comparison. If VW brought over the VW Passat Alltrack, that would be perhaps a closer comparison than the Golf Alltrack. I don't see myself selling the Alltrack any time soon.