Test Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2.0 TDI 190 4Motion, who needs an SUV?

This week, in Highmotor’s road test section, our star is one of the most versatile vehicles on the market, the Volkswagen Passat in its Alltrack variant.

Equipped with a 190 CV diesel engine combined with a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox and a 4Motion all-wheel drive system, the Alltrack lets us use the car for whatever we can think of.

Exterior design, robust and seamless

The current generation of the Passat was launched in 2014, becoming the eighth in the “line of succession” of this illustrious model. Indeed, the Passat has been sold around the world for more than 40 years, skilfully offering a perfect blend of elegance, build quality and versatility.

The eighth Passat is no exception, and from the moment of its launch its design was praised following a very well-judged modernisation. Following in the footsteps of the Golf, the Passat was the second model to adopt the current Volkswagen design trend, with sharper lines.

This unit, in Alltrack trim, features certain aesthetic modifications that enhance the overall figure. The Alltrack trim can only be combined with the estate body, offering colours and wheels that are not available in any other version.

The front stands out for the perfect integration between the grille, less bulky than its predecessor’s, and the light clusters. At the bottom of the bumper we find the housing for the fog lights, as well as a kind of “protection” in metallic colour which, although it is plastic, visually reinforces the robustness of the whole.

The silver-coloured details are part of the Alltrack’s personality

The side view is defined by clean lines, with all the contours very well defined. The alloy wheels are 18 inches, with a design specific to the Alltrack, and are mounted on Continental ContiSportContact 5 tyres in 245/55/18 size. As a good estate car, the roof bars, in anodised finish, complete the ensemble. The wheel arches, as well as the lower sills, are finished in grey plastic, joining the metal-finish sill protectors. The mirror caps are also finished in the same material.

At the rear we find tail lights with Full LED technology completely flush with the bodywork, in a horizontal layout, that extend onto the tailgate. Small black mouldings on either side of the rear window act as a “fairing”, improving the finish and the aerodynamic efficiency of the whole.

The bumper is finished at its lower part with the same grey plastic mouldings, also including a metallic-finish strip, as well as two reflectors. As a negative point, the two trapezoidal mouldings that simulate the exhaust outlets. They are not even hollow, since the real outlets point towards the ground. It is not the best solution.

The Volkswagen Passat Alltrack measures 4.77 metres long, 1.83 wide and 1.53 high, with a wheelbase of 2.79 metres. These dimensions represent an increase of 1 cm in overall length. In addition, the Alltrack features a suspension that raises the ground clearance by 2.75 centimetres compared with the equivalent Passat Variant, bringing the final figure to 17.4 centimetres.

Interior design, perceived quality and space in equal measure

Inside, the change is more evident than on the bodywork which, as is typical of a Volkswagen, favours continuity. The cabin adopts the same trend of straight lines found on the exterior, but even stronger and more pronounced. There is no trace left of roundness or curves on the dashboard.

The materials used in its construction have taken a step forward, being clearly superior to those of its predecessor. Thus, we find padded plastics on the upper and front part of the dashboard, as well as on the four doors at their upper part. The door pockets are lined with anti-slip fabric.

There are numerous details that demonstrate Volkswagen’s obsession with perceived quality in its vehicles, among them, of course, the Passat. These are elements that normally go unnoticed by customers, but which sink into the owner’s subconscious. This is the case, for example, of the finish of the indicator and wiper stalks, their precise locking into each of their positions, the smoothness with which the DSG selector moves through each of its positions, or the correct ambient lighting of the dashboard and doors.

As a negative point, we should mention some creaking in the upper roof console, as well as the absence of a moulding on the inside of the doors covering the upper perimeter. This Passat therefore leaves the metal sheet exposed, an inappropriate solution for a saloon costing more than 45,000 euros, especially when a “simple” Ford Focus has that moulding.

Although this unit came with seats as standard, with mixed cloth and Alcantara upholstery, the sense of quality and warmth is evident. Speaking of seats, the Alltrack variant comes as standard with “ergoComfort” seats, the same ones fitted to the Passat in Advance trim, which feature an extendable cushion and lumbar and height adjustment for the front seats, as well as electric operation for both mechanisms in the case of the driver’s seat.

The Passat’s interior space is one of the best in its class

The instrumentation also stands out, since the Alltrack comes as standard with the VW Digital Cockpit system, that is, a large high-definition panoramic screen that acts as a traditional instrument cluster, also capable of offering numerous additional data. It makes the interior look very good, giving, together with the large 8″ central touchscreen, a futuristic touch to the whole.

On-board space is another of the Passat’s great assets, and by extension, the Passat Alltrack’s. In the front seats there is no space problem whatever the build of the occupants, but in the second row of seats the available space is also one of the best. Anyone 1.9 metres tall will travel in total comfort in the rear seats thanks to generous headroom and plenty of legroom. The centre seat is slightly compromised by a transmission tunnel a bit bulkier than we would like, but necessary to accommodate the all-wheel drive.

The boot has a minimum capacity of 639 litres, which is 11 litres less than a Passat Variant without all-wheel drive. It is still a great figure, more than sufficient for a family’s normal needs. The boot has a floor whose height can be adjusted, while the second-row seat backs fold in a 60:40 ratio simply by operating two handles located on the sides of the boot. The maximum load capacity thus rises to 1769 litres.

Driving dynamics, an engine with punch and a chassis set-up designed for everything

The 8th generation Volkswagen Passat (Passat B8) is built on the already well-known MQB modular platform of the VW Group, a platform used by countless models of the German group, from the Audi A3 to the Skoda Superb, including the SEAT Ateca, among many others. The use of this platform makes possible, besides cost reductions, greater flexibility when building the vehicle. The arrival of this MQB platform has suited the Passat perfectly, improving its dynamic qualities.

The Passat Alltrack range consists of three diesel engines of 150, 190 and 240 CV, as well as a single petrol version, corresponding to the 220 CV 2.0 TSI. In this case the version chosen for the test has been a very well-balanced 190 CV, 400 Nm 2.0 TDI, which matches the car’s character perfectly.

This engine is exclusively paired with a six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission, which delivers power to the ground through a non-permanent all-wheel drive system, engaged via a fifth-generation Haldex clutch. Under normal conditions, the Passat works as an ordinary front-wheel-drive car, but when the vehicle detects a loss of grip, the system sends a variable proportion of power to the rear axle.

A Haldex clutch connects the rear wheels when traction is lost

The engine delivers its power progressively, smoothed by the DSG gearbox, which softens the power delivery. It moves the Passat’s just over 1,700 kg with ease, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 8 seconds. Top speed is set at 220 km/h. With this powertrain, cruising at 130 km/h is effortless, with minimal noise thanks to the good insulation of the whole and gear ratios that keep the engine at around 2,000 rpm. The smooth operation of the gearbox on the move is also reflected in easy, quick overtaking.

The consumption figures for this combination are 6.1 litres/100 km in urban cycle, 4.7 litres/100 km in extra-urban cycle and 5.2 litres/100 km in combined cycle, equivalent to CO2 emissions of 137 g/km. In reality, consumption is not as low, but it is possible to drive on long motorway journeys at around 6 litres/100 km as long as we don’t exceed the legal speeds. On main roads, around 5.5 litres/100 km is achievable, while in town consumption quickly rises to around 8 litres/100 km. During our test, after more than 2,000 km at the wheel, the vehicle showed an average consumption of 6.7 litres/100 km.

In terms of chassis, the Passat is tuned to please all users in all possible situations. This means it has a suspension slightly softer than the Sport variant, which results in some body roll when tackling corners with determination. The brake system responds perfectly, and the steering, although precise, provides practically no feedback to the driver.
The traction system works quickly, allowing the Alltrack to “climb” tracks with little grip without any problem, which helps when planning an escape off the tarmac.

This model comes as standard with the driving modes system, which adds to the existing Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual the Offroad mode, with a specific calibration of the ABS system and of the gearbox’s power delivery, which slightly slips the clutches to soften the take-off and improve grip. It also adds a hill descent control system, operative between 5 and 30 km/h.

How much does the unit you see cost?

The Passat Alltrack 2.0 TDI 190 CV DSG6 4Motion has a starting price, without any discount, of 44,055 euros, to which must be added some extras fitted to this unit, such as the “Habanero Orange” metallic paint (755 euros), the panoramic roof (1,190 euros), white ambient lighting (240 euros), the Park Assist 3.0 parking assistance system (255 euros) and the 360º Area View camera system (475 euros).

In total, this unit dangerously approaches the 50,000 euro mark, as the final bill adds up to 47,065 euros. For this price we get a vehicle that is absolutely for everything, but whose final price may scare off some potential buyers, seduced by other SUV-style models.

Range and versions

The Passat Alltrack range starts with the 150 CV 2.0 TDI with 6-speed manual gearbox, priced at 39,990 euros. The next step up is the 220 CV 2.0 TSI DSG7 petrol version for 43,780 euros. Above that, the engine we tested, with a starting price of 44,055 euros, and as the flagship, the 240 CV 2.0 BiTDi DSG7, for 47,735 euros.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

EstateVolkswagen Passat12 versions · from 41,085 €