2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack S Review

2019 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack S Rating: 7 / 10
  • Year: 2019
  • Drivetrain: AWD
  • Trim: S
  • Doors: 4
  • Transmission: Manual (6-speed)
  • Seats:
  • Power (hp):
  • Torque (lb-ft):
  • Type: Wagon
  • Country: US

The interior: Nice enough interior. The base S trim is decently comfortable, with standard cloth seats. I'd probably spring for the leather and the sunroof in the higher trims, but the cloth is fine. The back seats seem to have about the same amount of space as the GTI, which makes it feel small for a wagon. The trunk area has plenty of space, as expected.

Driving: it definitely has more pep than my Forester, which checks out with the higher torque numbers. The horsepower is slightly down on the Forester, but it's not really a noticable difference there. I think the clutch is just a little bit lighter (I prefer a little heavier) and I actually prefer the shifter in the Forester. Both are perfectly fine for a daily and a family hauler though.

The tech: Backup cam, bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto. Overall pretty easy to use infotainment system, but I honestly didn't play with it too much.

The value: At this time, 19s are heavily discounted, so the S trim is about $23k. That's a solid price for a decent hauler with a stick and all-wheel drive. Fuel economy is in the mid-20s for mixed driving, which is comparable to the Forester. The 19s also have 6 year / 72k mile bumper to bumper and powertrain warranties.

Overall, it's a solid option if you really want all-wheel drive or you really need the hatch space. I think the Forester is more spacious in the back seat, but the Alltrack is slightly more fun to drive, and is easily tunable, giving it much more potential. Plus it has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which the Forester doesn't have.

If i hadn't bought the Forester, this would have been a serious consideration, but i can't justify the cost of dumping the Forester and buying new for something that i like slightly better.

More from Jason