Volkswagen Golf R and Alltrack 2015 Review

Volkswagen's Golf wagon is pushing its cousin the Skoda Octavia for the title of most versatile model in the Volkswagen Audi stable.

Joining the local Golf wagon range are the Golf R Wolfsburg Edition (also available in hatch form) and the Golf Alltrack, two bookends to ensure Volkswagen's small car has a large number of small-car buyers covered, whatever their needs and desires.

Despite the difference in price – the Golf R Wolfsburg Edition wagon is over $20,000 more than the Alltrack – it's the performance variant that is the more appealing of the two. Granted, more time spent with the Alltrack reveals it offers plenty of substance at a reasonable price.

But the Golf R is the sort of car to make you chuckle as you whip it around the race circuit at Wakefield Park in southern New South Wales.

A thumping four-cylinder turbo engine delivers a hearty WRC-inspired soundtrack with plenty of bass and warble at lower speeds, plus a pop from the exhaust as the transmission shifts up to a new gear. The turbo boost comes on strong just before 3000rpm; it's an irresistible surge from there through to the redline.

Whether on the track or on the road from Canberra, the six-speed DSG (dual-clutch) transmission behaved itself and went about its work without fuss. One thing that quickly became apparent on the race track was the way the DSG operated in conjunction with the engine. The DSG would change up automatically once the engine reached redline – even with the accelerator buried deep in the carpet and the transmission in sequential-shift mode. Then, if it happened that the driver should flick the right paddle for an upshift at the same time, the DSG would shift up just the once, not twice as can happen with other self-shifting transmissions in high-performance cars.

Of note during the punt around the track, along the straights the heavier Golf R could not haul in the Golf GTI hatch (a Performance Pack model in the role of pilot car) in higher gears, despite the wagon's higher engine output. And the wagon felt like it was carrying a bit more weight into the corners than the shorter, lighter GTI, which seemed a little more stable and steadfast through the bends.

That's not to say the Golf R lacks for dynamic competence. Steering response is impressive for a small wagon with an east/west engine, even after driving a BMW M135i for a couple of days prior. The steering feel is great, allowing very precise placement on the road or the track. In handling terms, the Golf R is neutral with power off, but even with power applied through all four wheels via the (XDL) locking diffs and the Haldex 5 wet-clutch coupling at the rear, the Golf R tracks very neatly.

Volkswagen offers the Golf R with different 'Driving Profile Selection' modes to suit different situations. Even in Race mode, the Golf R's ride was firm, but not stiff. Most owners will have no cause to complain about ride quality in any mode other than the track-focused one. The Alltrack also features the same set-up, but with an additional mode for off-road operation.

A very refined auto-stop/start system ensured the engine fired up immediately and almost indiscernibly as soon as the foot was lifted off the brake pedal. It would have helped keep fuel consumption lower, but the trip computer posted 11.6L/100km on the drive program around Canberra. That figure did drop, however, to 9.0L/100km on the open-road run to Wakefield Park in southern NSW.

Tyre noise was strongly in evidence on coarse-chip surfaces, but once the road turned from flat to ascending the engine overpowered the road noise. Few owners will object however, because the Golf R's engine is music to the ear.

Behind the wheel both cars feel like a Golf 7 wagon, and that might be a shortcoming for some who feel let down by the switchgear and instrumentation from a 90TSI hatch bolted into a $60,000 sports wagon. Another surprise, along similar lines, was the traditional key start for the Golf R, especially with the Alltrack offering a keyless (press-to-start) set-up, with an Audi-style button on the centre console. Volkswagen Australia advises that the Golf R test vehicles for the drive program were 'first builds'. Customer cars will come with keyless entry/start.

Otherwise, the Golf R's driving position was commendable. The seats were terrific. Well contoured and supportive, they weren't so hard-core that they were uncomfortable or the occupant needed to be a gymnast to enter or exit the car. Rear-seat accommodation was fine too, offering room enough for adults, and face-level vents.

In contrast with the spirited Golf R, the Alltrack was softer and more compliant in its ride quality, but still a tidy handler on the bitumen. Like the R, the Alltrack was communicative through the wheel, although the wheel and tyre combination, allied with the raised ride height, left the Alltrack more at home on the road than the race track. In overall demeanour, the Alltrack feels very much like Skoda's Octavia Scout.

The Alltrack was quieter on the road than the Golf R, principally due to the reduced road noise and straight-laced exhaust for the dual-injection engine. That dual-injection system – high-pressure direct injection under load and during the warm-up phase, or low-pressure port injection at other times – led to lower turbo lag than was apparent at times in the Golf R, and the fuel consumption was better in similar driving conditions... as low as 9.0L/100km. Despite a displacement deficit, the Alltrack was delivering useful torque from 2000rpm, but like the Golf R it would pull all the way through to redline.

The Alltrack comes with a hill descent function bundled up with its Off-Road mode of the Driving Profile Selection. This proved quite effective for a descent named 'the Mineshaft'. Sandy and steep, the well-known geographical feature of rallies around Canberra going back decades did provide a useful demonstration of the Alltrack's Off-Road mode. The HDC system might be out of its depth with a grade any steeper or more rutted than the Mineshaft, and even on the rally stage the speed felt a little high, but this was in a vehicle without dual range or all the lockable gadgets of larger SUVs that are serious off-roaders.

Like the Golf R, the Alltrack embraces all the virtues of the Golf 7 design, with the longer wagon body. The solid feel – door closure, for instance – carries through to both cars. The seats in the Alltrack were nicely shaped and comfy, but felt light on for under-thigh support after driving the Golf R. Against the Alltrack's direct competitors there's no denying the seats are up to the task.

There's a big boot that Volkswagen claims will hold 605 litres of goods. But part of the reason the luggage compartment is quite so accommodating is the space-saver spare sitting below the boot floor – arguably a downright liability for anyone who does actually take the Golf Alltrack out into the bush.

Even more volume is freed up (1620 litres) with the rear seats folded down. They don't fold entirely flat, but come close to it, and finger pulls in the sides of the luggage compartment make it easier when loading goods through the tailgate.

The Golf Alltrack tested was fitted with the Driver Assistance Pack, a $1300 option that includes adaptive cruise control, Front Assist with City Emergency Brake function, Park Assist (parking bay and parallel parking assistance) and proactive occupant protection system.

In one sense the two cars were very different in character, but they do share at their core the sensible design for which the Golf 7 has become renowned. The Alltrack is a very worthy car, but offers little more than the Skoda Octavia Scout for the money. By comparison, the Golf R is quite a lot more expensive, but it's formidable around the track, yet docile and practical in everyday situations.

2015 Volkswagen Golf R wagon pricing and specifications:
Price: $58,990
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Output: 206kW/380Nm
Transmission: Six-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (NEDC Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA