VW’s Golf SportWagen Wins Car Connection “Best Wagon Buy” Honors

Volkswagen, whose fortunes have turned around substantially since last year, was awarded The Car Connection's Best Buy Award for its 2018 Golf SportWagen.

Following two years of trouble with Dieselgate, things have turned around for Volkswagen. For example, last week Audi’s A5 Sportback and the revised Audi Q5 crossover received prestigious “Best Awards” from Kelley Blue Book. Now the Volkswagen Golf SportWagen has just been named The Car Connection’s “Best Wagon to Buy 2018.”

According to The Car Connection, the SportWagen has managed to “stay true to” its roots by “offering practicality and comfort” at a “reasonable price.” The editors at The Car Connection called the SportWagen out for some reasons, not the least of which that “underneath it, all” is “a wagon, which means that it is comfortable for four or five people.”

Powerplant is a 1.8-liter turbocharged four

The SportWagen, which starts at a tad over $22,000 and climbs to $27,000 when you add AWD capability, uses the automaker’s proven turbocharged 1.8-liter four that cranks out 171 horsepower and 199-pounds-feet of torque. And, while the turbocharged four has plenty of power, it still manages to average 25 mpg or better.

In a sense, one variant of the SportWagen might be considered a compact all-wheel-drive crossover – the AllTrack edition. The AllTrack uses an all-wheel-drive system manufactured by Haldex. It works well on both in light rough terrain and adverse weather conditions. Though it doesn’t have the capability or ground clearance of, say, an Outback, it is fun to drive. Its conservatively styled interior is nicely understated.

The SportWagen shares its exterior styling with the rest of the Golf range, forward of the A-pillar. The SportWagen comes with a standard manual transmission or a six-speed automatic on the Alltrack AWD version.

SportWagen is a very versatile vehicle

In many ways, the SportWagen is a very versatile vehicle. For example, with the rear seatbacks in place, two to three can sit comfortably in the back seat. In this instance, it shares a lot with sedan versions of the Golf line. At that, the SportWagen still offers 30.4 cubic feet of cargo-hauling capability – more substantial than some crossovers. With the rear seats folded, cargo-hauling ability jumps to 65.5 cubic feet. One nice feature many are sure to appreciate is too low load floor and the easy-opening hatch which should make it easy to get kids or groceries in or out quickly.

For a buyer looking for a crossover but who may not need the all of the features or the size, the VW Golf SportWagen – especially the AllTrack version – is worth a close look.

Source: The Car Connection