1700 km on Golf Alltrack. What are our observations?

We took the Golf Alltrack from Krakow to the northernmost point in Poland. This is a real crossover, i.e. slightly off-road passenger car. Is it suitable for long distance travel? Keep reading.

From Krakow, located in the south of Poland, we went to the northernmost city in Poland - Jastrzebia Góra. This is 640 km one way, and the route is almost entirely on motorways - first A4, then A1. Add to this the return and sightseeing of the northern part of Poland, and we get the distance that we covered during this trip - just over 1700 km.

Our Golf Alltrack is, of course, a facelifted version with a 2 hp 184-litre diesel engine.

This trip was supposed to answer two questions. How the Golf Alltrack behaves over long distances and how it behaves off-road. We already have the answers.

1. Fuel consumption higher than expected

To be able to talk about fuel consumption, it's always a good idea to add a bit about road conditions, vehicle load and driving style when measuring. Two people on board and, as always, too much luggage - but there is still a lot of free space in the trunk. We left early in the morning, but quite late for the holiday season, so we had quite a few traffic jams throughout the route. Hence the average speed of 69 km/h.

We walked at a steady pace, so when for some reason we lost speed, we wanted to quickly return to cruising. One school of eco-driving says that you need to accelerate efficiently, but do not overdo it with pressing the gas pedal. Another advises reaching a constant speed as quickly as possible. We followed this second advice.

And fuel consumption from the 1709 km highway was 6,9 l / 100 km. Volkswagen reports fuel consumption at 4,8L/100km on road in its data sheet and perhaps in classic, undeveloped off-road we would get close to 5L/100km, but as you can see the higher speeds are effectively increase fuel consumption. .

Well, we were expecting a slightly lower result, but in terms of driving style there is definitely room for improvement.

2. The seats are really comfortable!

Car seats in the C-segment are generally quite comfortable, but they are definitely nowhere near those in the higher segments. That's because compacts are the kind of cars that have a little bit of everything at a reasonable price. For road trips, by definition, higher segments are better suited - more spacious, more comfortable, and so on.

The Golf Alltrack's seats are inconspicuous and a bit firm, but we felt very comfortable in them. We got there in about 7 hours without any sign of much fatigue. It's really good!

3. Power is enough for almost everything

Of course, this is not a Golf R, but the Alltrack, like one of the more expensive versions of the Golf, only comes with more powerful engines. We have a choice of petrol 2.0 TSI with a capacity of 180 hp. and 2.0 TDI with 150 or 184 hp.

We tested a more powerful diesel. This car accelerates from 100 to 7,8 km/h in 219 seconds and has a top speed of 140 km/h. It was not even close to the maximum speed, but it must be admitted that in the speed range, that is, up to XNUMX km / h, there is no shortage of pairs.

Overtaking doesn't impress him much, and he has no problem jumping into the faster lane in denser traffic. Range also often affects whether we leave the car refreshed after a long journey. If we do not have to strain every overtaking, we drive more relaxed and, as a result, we tire more slowly.

4. Luggage compartment Option is sufficient

The Alltrack is, of course, an elevated variant of the Golf, so its bodywork has basically the same benefits. The 605-liter trunk without folding the backs of the second row of seats should be enough for most tasks.

We didn't really think about going on a week-long trip, so of course we ended up with too many bags and backpacks. Surprisingly, however, it did not end badly. We fit into the roller shutter level, and have not yet occupied the entire floor. A few more small items of luggage could have been forcibly squeezed in here.

Although I'm not a big fan of station wagons, I can't tear myself away from them - they are very practical.

5. Eco mode comes and goes

If in a car with a manual transmission, the Eco mode does not give more savings, then with a DSG gearbox, it matters. When this program is selected, the car shifts gears earlier, selects the highest gear faster and can move in sail mode, i.e. temporarily in neutral.

I would like to complete the entire route in economy mode. In fact, I think I even beat him. However, every time you turn off the engine and restart it, the Eco mode should be on, but the transmission is in D mode. You have to select another mode and return to Eco.

Perhaps this is for security reasons, but I sincerely doubt it. "This guy has" but sometimes it's annoying.

6. Driving in the field? Why not!

Once we went to the rock in Mechelinki. The inhabitants of those places, of course, know how to get to the top, but we had to fight a little. The road shown by the nav was something I would probably try to drive on something with really high ground clearance. Or very cheap to repair.

The second route took us along a dirt forest road to a place that, perhaps, could still be tried in Krakow, but 640 km from home, in the forest, it is unlikely.

The third one was more relaxed but required to go through a sandy section and drive through many deep holes.

The Alltrack's ground clearance came in handy, but when it was about to rain, the all-wheel drive felt more confident. On very steep slopes or when we think they are very steep, you can use the Hill Descent Assistant. Things are going well and will improve safety, especially for less experienced drivers who will find themselves in difficult situations off the road.

Summation

Czy Volkswagen Golf Alltrack was it made for off-road driving? I do not think so. Is it for long trips? Neither one nor the other. It is simply the most versatile Golf that will come out unscathed in almost any situation.

So if you often go somewhere without a plan and purpose - Golf Alltrack has proven to us that it is a great companion for this kind of trip. He is just like that ... just right.