Used Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2015-2020 review

Opt for a used version of the 2015-2020 Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and you’re basically nailing the sole of a hiking boot to a regular brogue. The top half of the Alltrack looks as reassuringly businesslike as the regular estate, but underneath you get four-wheel drive, increased ground clearance and skid plates to conquer even the muddiest boot-sale car park.

Just to let everyone know you’ve spent more on your Alltrack in order to channel your inner Bear Grylls, you also get flared wheelarches, SUV-inspired bumpers and a set of big alloy wheels. There’s only one engine option; a 2.0-litre TDI diesel with 187bhp, and four-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic gearbox are standard.

Apart from the sprinkling of SUV touches, the rest of the Alltrack is much the same as any other Passat Estate. That means a classy and well screwed together interior, a commodious boot and refined diesel engines. Its rivals include the Audi A4 Allroad, Skoda Octavia Estate Scout and the BMW 3 Series Touring.

Even with the added weight of its standard four-wheel drive, the 2.0-litre diesel with 187bhp still feels particularly strong. It pulls well from low revs and makes for easy progress along motorways or country roads, even with a full load. It’s not particularly refined, though, and sounds a little strained at higher revs. It doesn’t bring any additional towing capacity, but even so, its potential to drag a 2200kg braked trailer should be enough for a big caravan or trailer and is more than a Skoda Octavia Estate Scout or BMW 3 Series Touring can pull.

It comes exclusively with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that proves smooth in the majority of situations, only hesitating if you ask for a sudden burst of pace, such as when quickly inserting yourself into a gap in the traffic at a roundabout.

The handling is much the same as the regular Passat but the Alltrack has a raised ride height of 27.5mm and is set up with a focus on comfort. So far we’ve only tried an Alltrack with the optional adaptive dampers – Dynamic Chassis Control in VW speak – that provide a relaxed, if slightly floaty, gait in Comfort mode, a bit more body control in Normal mode and good resistance to body lean in Sport.

Only over particularly craggy roads does the Alltrack become fidgety, although the optional 19in wheels of our test car won’t have helped. Whichever mode you pick, the handling is safe and secure but not at all exciting. That said, the slightly numb steering is precise and it isn’t at all unpleasant to drive. As for off-road ability, it copes well with slippery surfaces but its limited ground clearance and road-biased tyres mean it’s better suited to broken road surfaces than serious cross-country expeditions.

As the Alltrack is towards the top end of the Passat range, its interior really is very plush. Areas you touch regularly feel of high quality while attractive trims and ambient lighting are standard. The interior can’t quite match the quality of the A4 Allroad, but then the Audi is a fair bit more expensive.

It’s very easy to get comfortable, too. The steering wheel has plenty of adjustment for both reach and rake while the seat has plenty of movement as well. You even get adjustable lumbar support as standard to make particularly long journeys less taxing on your back. Visibility is impressive thanks to slim pillars and standard fit parking sensors.

All the major controls fall easily to hand and feel reassuringly solid when you operate them. A multifunction colour display between the dials is standard but you can have a fully digital instrument cluster instead if you’re feeling really flash. This can be configured to show all sorts of driving data and makes it easier to make calls, change music or enter destinations into the sat-nav on the move.

Another standard item is a 8.0in colour touchscreen with super-clear graphics and very user-friendly menus, plus gets DAB radio, Bluetooth and wireless smartphone mirroring, so you can use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without plugging your phone in. It’s only beaten by the premium systems in the BMW 3 Series Touring, which uses a rotary dial controller and is easier to use on the move. A larger 9.2in system is available, but it’s quite costly and arguably unnecessary.

There are two cupholders behind the gearlever, and deep door pockets will take a 1.0-litre bottle. Move to the rear and two adults will be able to get comfortable, even if they’re particularly tall.

Try to squeeze a third back there and there may be complaints about the sizable centre tunnel that they’ll have to straddle. Storage is similarly impressive with big door pockets that can each take a 1.0-litre bottle and a central armrest with a pair of cupholders.

The Passat Alltrack’s boot is uniform in shape, cavernous and has a usefully square opening with a low load lip. Adding to the practicality are 40/20/40 split rear seats that can be folded from the boot and a variable height boot floor. For this sort of money, only the Skoda Octavia Estate can beat it.

If you're interested in finding a used Passat Alltrack, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices start at £12,000, for an early 2015 car with an average mileage for the year, bought from an independent dealer. Moving up to the £12,000-£14,000 level will get you a 2016 or maybe 2017 car. Up your budget to £14,000-£16,000 and you’re seeing 2017 and some 2018 cars, with a full history and an average mileage, from a franchised dealer. Spend upwards of £18,000 on a post-facelift 2019 car, and between £20,000 and £26,000 on a 2020 one.

Understandably for a four-wheel-drive car of such size and space, the Passat Alltrack is not as economical as its regular Passat Estate cousin. Post-WLTP engines were tested under a different system and their figures are a lot lower, but earlier cars were rated officially at close to 50mpg and just above 40mpg under the later tests. Expect to see around 35mpg in real-world use.

Annual road tax (VED) is charged according to CO2 emissions on cars registered before April 2017, and at a flat rate for cars registered after that date. The current rate is £155 a year.

Servicing costs are reasonable, with a service plan that offers you a discount on your next two services at £468, or a fixed-cost maintenance plan that allows you to choose your annual mileage and how long you’re going to keep the car before computing a monthly payment for you.

There is only the one engine option, and that is the 2.0 TDI 190, which is punchy and flexible enough for overtaking and refined on the motorways.

Trim-wise, the Alltrack sits near the top of the Passat tree when it comes to equipment. You do get an awful lot of equipment including four-wheel drive, three-zone climate control, the infotainment with sat-nav and Bluetooth connectivity, plus parking sensors at both ends.

Our favourite Volkswagen Passat Alltrack: 2.0 TDI 190 Alltrack

Among these raised-up estates, you could consider rivals like the huge and plush Mercedes E-Class Allterrain, the competent Skoda Octavia Scout and the good-value Seat Leon ST.

Among regular estates, the Ford Mondeo Estate was once the go-to car in this class, as it’s big, great to drive and reasonably refined. It’s good value for money, too, whether new or used, and reliable and relatively cheap to run. Although the Skoda Superb Estate has stolen some of its thunder over recent years, being bigger in the rear, the Mondeo is still a force to be reckoned with.

The regular Skoda Superb Estate offers an unbeatable mix of space and, new or used, value. It’s massive inside, even bigger than the Passat and the Mondeo, with a class-leading boot. It’s great to drive, comfortable, well equipped and good value used.

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If you're interested in finding a used Passat Alltrack, or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.