VW always seems a bit late to the game. Next year, the German automaker is the model we need to bring Alltrack just moved to the United States; It is a sports car with all-wheel drive Golf kidnapped and off-road style equipped air. This comes almost two decades after the segment model, the Volvo XC70 and Subaru Outback, first appeared. What most Americans do not know is that VW has been selling this type of field since the early 1990. But the age of the Golf Country was never sold in the US, and it’s so funky looking, it was likely to scare the typical buyers of these Alltrack.

To compile this review, we tested the European version of Alltrack in Germany, where they are already qualified. Beginning later in 2016, are models in Mexico, where they have made significant investments in the VW plant in Puebla to the installation of all-wheel drive vehicles destined for US take.

Only in combination with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, the Alltrack moves a step beyond mere appearance package and provides some real ability. VW aim of increasing efficiency by decoupling the rear axle transmission when driving every day, which means giving the car feels very much like a typical front-wheel-drive field much of the time. If necessary, the traction of four-wheel drive, a Haldex coupling asks the backs of duty, and can be sent to almost 100 percent of par.

The drive mode selector, throttle settings and transmission settings, among other things, adds an “off-road” setting in the Alltrack. This allows Hill Descent Control and ABS pulses continues to gravel, dirt or snow accumulate in front of the wheels, to shorten the braking distance when braking hard on loose surfaces. The chassis is 0.8 inches, which does not seem much, but rose to be useful in several two-lane dirt roads ahead.

The aesthetic package brings redesigned front and rear ends with aggressive fascia and counterfeit protection plates. There fender flares that are VW claims for protection, but of course they are too pretty to risking scratches. Meanwhile, 17 or 18-inch wheels are look good, but they really want to do some kind of field through a steel wheel option preferred not larger tire sidewalls, none of which are available to be mentioned. Within the Alltrack it is equipped with model-specific, but rather plain, fabric and cut. Otherwise, there is a golf cart, which means restricted handsome good looks inside and out, plus a dash of functional design and ergonomic controls. The Alltrack suffers from the same singular demerit we have seen in his brothers, however, despite configuration information and entertainment frustratingly slow. Here it’s hoping Volkswagen adds a bit of processing power to the line of Golf arrive here by the time the Alltrack.

Given all this, one can expect that the principle Golf Alltrack also handles like any other golf course, and you’d be right. It also offers a refinement of what can reasonably be expected in its segment, with a good mix of ride quality consistent and able to handle easily exploited. Although most attention Alltrack controls accurately responds quickly to inputs and hugs corners almost as good as their comrades.

In the US, Volkswagen Alltrack will be mounted recently adopted EA888 180-hp 1.8-liter TSI four-cylinder gasoline, which automatically with a dual clutch transmission with six gears. Europe has three diesel options as well: 110-hp 1.6-liter TDI and 2.0-liter TDI with 150 or 184 hp. We like the diesel, whose character is robust for Alltrack occurrence, but we will not come here for the moment, because our models TDI require a purification system of urea injection emissions that can not be packaged with the Gulf with all wheel drive and rear axle multilink setup. (US-spec Golf and Golf TDI sports cars have a rear torsion beam axle.)

But the 1.8-liter engine is good and provides acceptable performance for the type of tasks you can expect most Alltracks made, and should be able to accelerate the car to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds We its estimate and reaches a maximum speed of 125 mph or so. 1.8 We also know that to be perfectly habitable as it is the same engine as a hatchback Golf are in our long-term fleet.

Better late than never, we say. The sports car Golf Alltrack is a welcoming entrance, and could be more boring than a real headache for Subaru Outback larger models, and a number of crossover SUV.