Last week I had the chance to
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.