Passat Alltrack availability in Australia?

[team_v]

Quote - Pricing will be unveiled closer to the launch date but it will be cheaper than the $57,990 of the Passat 4Motion wagon and more than the existing front-drive $45,990 2-litre diesel version.

Artciel is up on drive:
First drive - Volkswagen Alltrack

They are saying base model 125TDI will be 50k + on road costs.

[Marakai]

Artciel is up on drive:
First drive - Volkswagen Alltrack

They are saying base model 125TDI will be 50k + on road costs.

Thanks for the link. So we're talking a $65K car once you add in options and "on road costs" (aka government price gouging and whoever else has their hand in the till )

[Inego]

I have a Scout (and am very happy with it following an Outback). But, being tall and with two growing boys, the Alltrack is firmly in my sights as a next car (well, until I can convince my wife on an allroad ).

However, don't discount the Scout if you're currently looking. It's a fine car, and Skoda regularly beats VW in euro quality surveys. There is an A4 allroad in the UK/Europe, and the view of the UK motoring press is that the Scout is the better ownership proposition.

That said, the small Skoda dealer network in Oz is a problem (especially with the inner Sydney chopping and changing).

[Marakai]

I have a Scout (and am very happy with it following an Outback). But, being tall and with two growing boys, the Alltrack is firmly in my sights as a next car (well, until I can convince my wife on an allroad ).

However, don't discount the Scout if you're currently looking. It's a fine car, and Skoda regularly beats VW in euro quality surveys. There is an A4 allroad in the UK/Europe, and the view of the UK motoring press is that the Scout is the better ownership proposition.

That said, the small Skoda dealer network in Oz is a problem (especially with the inner Sydney chopping and changing).

Yeah, the dealer/service network has been a concern from the first time we saw that otherwise the Skodas are quite attractive cars. It's self-fulfilling, I know - not enough Skodas means not enough service/dealers means not enough Skodas...

That said, from looking at the specs the Scout doesn't quite meet our needs. As you note, not ideal when you're tall (and being two people above 6feet that's a prime concern ) and the load volume in the back is smaller somewhat and finally the tow weight is significantly lower. I would indeed place the Scout at A4, where the Passat seems to sit somewhere between the A4 and the A6.

I would love the A6 Allroad but that thing falls out of the budget, not the least because you pay probably another huge chunk in "luxury car tax".

[richdave]

Agree the Skoda is a great option and good value for money. Servicing, resale, and interior quality/finish are the big concerns for me though. I have a friend in Checz republic who has an Octavia wagon with over 160K on the clock and running strong so reliability seems solid

[Inego]

Interestingly, although it's A4 sized, the Scout is surprisingly roomy and the load volume is greater and better shaped than an Outback (although rear legroom is noticeably smaller than the current Outback). The compact dimensions can be useful in the city and country also.

Early last year there were some Superb Scout mules running aorund in Europe - that would be an interesting comparison. But until then, awaiting local release of the Alltrack.

[team_v]

Another thing i noticed is that the Alltrack only sits 30mm higher than the standard passat so basically no real difference in ride height there.

[brad]

You keep talking about the pull capacity but not once have you mentioned ball weights (maximum downward force on the towball). This is usually abysmally low (~75kg) on VWs/Skodas so it's worth checking.

Skoda do a Superb 4x4 with TDI & DSG. They also do an optional "rough road package". RRP is ~$47k on road ($48.5 for the wagon?) so that might be worth a look. Towing specs still look undercooked though.

We own a Gen5 Subaru Outback (the latest, ugly model) and while the lack of features (compared to our $15k cheaper Octavia) is often dissapointing, the vehicle itself does everything required of it & the whole family fits comfortably (all 4 of us are ~167cm).

I'm not ovely sure why you can afford to spend ~$50k on a vehicle & be so concerned about economy. Depreciation is the killer, fuel is cheap. Unless you are doing 50,000km a year, Tdi economy shouldn't be an issue.

Considered a Toureg or one of the Volvo Wagons?

[Marakai]

You keep talking about the pull capacity but not once have you mentioned ball weights (maximum downward force on the towball). This is usually abysmally low (~75kg) on VWs/Skodas so it's worth checking.

Good point. What I've found hard to come by is hard data on what a horse trailer produces in this regard. Actually asking some of the owners at our riding stables returns zilch. I really don't want to sound sexist but asking any of my fellow riders, who are overwhelmingly female, for that data just gives me blank stares. Asking to maybe look at the spec/owner's manua also just gets me a helpless shrug.

We own a Gen5 Subaru Outback (the latest, ugly model) and while the lack of features (compared to our $15k cheaper Octavia) is often dissapointing, the vehicle itself does everything required of it & the whole family fits comfortably (all 4 of us are ~167cm).

What drove us away from the Subaru was the short seat surface. For long-legged people like us, we found the lack of proper leg support uncomfortable on test-drives and imagine it would get outright fatiguing on long drives. Plus, we've got enough of short seats from the junker we drive right now. Sitting in the Passat we never experienced fatigue.

I'm not ovely sure why you can afford to spend ~$50k on a vehicle & be so concerned about economy. Depreciation is the killer, fuel is cheap. Unless you are doing 50,000km a year, Tdi economy shouldn't be an issue.

Considered a Toureg or one of the Volvo Wagons?

It's not a money thing, it's a "let's try and do at least a *little* bit for the environment". Plus, fuel prices will tend to continue upward, I'm quite convinced. They'll never go back to where they once were. So long term it's still a win.

As for the second, that's part of what drove our decision process in the first place: we came into this with the decision for a Passat already made, as we'd fallen in love with the car during repeated stays in Germany. The limitations were a concern, but when the Alltrack was announced it seemed like someone had specifically listened to us and given us the best combination we could ask for.

We don't want a full-bore SUV. Nor a sports-cute. We're still remotely considering at least looking at the Volvo. Heck, we might test-drive the Audi, just for the wistful sighs.

[brad]

My wife has relatives in Germany & Austria and we've done a reasonable amount of driving there & the UK. What I have discovered is that a car that is bliss over there can be a steaming pile of excretement in AUS. So make sure you test drive well.

Also, if you are breaching the $60k barrier then have a look at a demonstrator C-Class wagon. You might be pleasantly surprised at what price they can do for you.

Also, if it's an occasional tow car then would it be worthwhile to have a good car as the general run-a-bout & a dunger for tow duties?