Volkswagen decided to spice up the US range of its current Golf Alltrack and announced the introduction of the 2017 version, along with lots of changes for the compact crossover.

The Golf Alltrack is an all-new model for 2017 and shares its underpinnings with its Golf family siblings, including the 1.8-liter, four-cylinder TSI gasoline unit that puts out 170 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. At launch it will be mated to a six-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission and a six-speed manual transmission will be available at a later date.


The Alltrack’s defining characteristic is its 4Motion all-wheel-drive system that uses the latest generation Haldex-5 coupling, activated via an electro-hydraulic oil pump. To tackle difficult roads, it also features nearly an inch higher ground clearance over the SportWagen.

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Cladding for key body pieces, including the unique bumpers, wheel wells and side sills, gives off-road protection and the front fascia incorporates foglights and a unique honeycomb grille. The S and SE trimlines have 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, while the topline SEL trim has 18-inch wheels.

Inside, Alltrack mimics SportWagen in layout but receives a unique brown leatherette option in addition to aluminum pedal covers, door sills with Alltrack branding, unique dashpad trim, and ambient lighting. Standard infotainment features include: a 6.5-inch capacitive color touchscreen with proximity sensor, rearview camera, and VW Car-Net App-Connect connectivity.

Driver assistance systems available on the Alltrack include: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist), Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), and front and rear Park Distance Control (Park Pilot), and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist).