They had us at “exploring machine.” That’s what the email we received from Volkswagen called the new Golf Alltrack being introduced in the U.S. for 2017. Exploring machine – what an appropriate name for a car for us.

We’ve driven a Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited for the last four years and most of the miles we’ve logged were spent exploring. From coast to coast, through deserts, mountains, cities, and the countryside, the car has hauled us and our loads of gear to ski, hike, bike, photograph and explore much of America.

Earlier in the year, we’d decided to check out buying a new vehicle, but couldn’t find something new that matched our lifestyle and performance needs. So, when we heard about Volkswagen’s new U.S. entry into the outdoor market, we wanted to see more.

Which is how we ended up in Seattle for a weekend to learn about the Volkswagen Alltrack and, ultimately, on Bainbridge Island, where we’d test drive the car along with taking in a bit of hiking and photography – all against a gorgeous Washington backdrop, complete with Mt. Rainier in the distance.

A Volkswagen Weekend in Seattle

The Pacific Northwest, commonly shortened to PNW, is an amazing place. A photography and outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, the PNW is home to some of the most majestic scenery in North America, with mountain ranges, rocky shorelines, and breathtaking views around each bend. In addition to fabulous outdoor activities, the area is home to cities with character, charm, and much to do. The largest city in the region, Seattle, was our base for this visit to the PNW and where we’d be introduced to the new Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.

Arriving in Seattle on a Thursday afternoon, we were whisked away from Sea-Tac airport by a gentleman driving a beautiful blue Passat and taken to our hotel for the weekend, the Kimpton Palladian Hotel in downtown Seattle.

After dropping our bags in the room, we headed down to our first activity of the weekend, a walking tour of Pike Place Market, located just a couple of blocks from the hotel.

Pike Place Market

The iconic Pike Place Market dates back to 1907 and is one of the longest-running farmers’ markets in the United States. Each year over 10 million people visit the year-round market, which is home to over 500 small businesses that include bakeries, fishmongers, produce vendors, craftspeople, specialty food stores, restaurants, and shops.

From flowers to yogurt to fish to spices, Pike Place Market has been satisfying Seattle’s affinity for fresh, local goods since its inception. Around the turn of the 20th century, middlemen were drastically marking up prices on farm products sold to the consumer, with the farmers making little to no money and buyers overpaying. To counteract the situation, farmers began appearing near the waterfront, selling their products from wagons – the beginning of the Public Market in 1907. Eventually, buildings were built, and over the next century, Pikes Place Market transformed into the top attraction in Seattle.

Following our walking tour of the Market, we took some time to roam the streets of downtown Seattle. The vibrant, eclectic city is home to a wide range of attractions, museums, shops, and restaurants. But, simply strolling the streets taking in the urban landscape, exploring Seattle’s unique atmosphere and quirkiness, can be a perfect way to spend an hour or an afternoon – with stops of course along the way at one of the coffee shops located on every block.

Introducing the Golf Alltrack

Upon our return to the hotel, the group gathered for an introduction to the star of the weekend, the Golf Alltrack.

So, what exactly is an Alltrack? The vehicle is based on the existing Volkswagen SportWagen, has higher ground clearance, a more rugged exterior, and an Alltrak specific interior. Our initial impression that the Alltrack could be a suitable alternative for the Subaru Outback appeared to be on target, as the second slide of the presentation jumped straight in with a feature comparison between the two go-anywhere vehicles.

Comparing the Volkswagen Alltrack and the Subaru Outback

Engine

The standard engine in a Subaru Outback is a 2.5L naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine, although we opted for the 6-cylinder for our Outback. Comparably, the Volkswagen Alltrack comes with an EA888 1.8L direct-injected and turbocharged 4-cylinder TSI engine.

Size & cargo space

The Outback is slightly bigger than the Alltrack. The Alltrack has a roof rack height of 59.7 inches, while the Outback sits at 66 inches. With the rear seats in place, the Alltrack has 30.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity. The 2017 Subaru’s cargo capacity is 35.5 cubic feet. With the rear seats folded, there are 66.5 cubic feet of luggage space in the Alltrack versus 73.3 cubic feet in the Outback.

In the areas of style and comfort, the Alltrack excels in standard features.

Smartphone integration

The Alltrack includes Standard Car-Net App-Connect with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink on all model levels.  The 2017 Subaru Outback has a similar package called Subaru Starlink™ on its models.

Sunroof

The Outback has a standard-sized sunroof available. The Alltrack has a huge tilt-and-slide panoramic sunroof available on the SE & SEL models that have more than twice the area of Outback’s.

Seats

Leatherette is standard on all Alltrack models. Cloth is standard on the Subaru, with leather optional and only available on the upper-level models.

Comfort

Heated seats, mirror-integrated turn signals, cooled glove box, fog lights, and leather steering wheel & shifter are all standard on the Alltrack, while optional on the Outback.

Things that make you go “wow”

Both the Outback and the Alltrack have options that increase the comfort and up the wow factor. On the Alltrack, aside from that unbelievable optional sunroof, cool options include features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning & Autonomous Emergency Braking, and, for all those that still have nightmare flashbacks to parallel parking in driver’s ed class, Park Pilot and Park Assist.

Models and Pricing

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack comes in three models, the S model which starts at $26,950, the SE beginning at $30,530, and the SEL that starts at $32,890. The Subaru Outback comes in 6 levels ranging from the entry-level 2.5i at $25,645 to the top line 3.6R Touring which starts at $38,195.

Dinner and late evening Lego fun

Following the Alltrack introduction presentation, we walked back to the Atrium Kitchen at Pikes Place Market for a reception and dinner. The Atrium is a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen available in the heart of Pike Place Market available to local chefs for hands-on cooking classes, cooking demonstrations, tastings, and private events.

The group enjoyed a wonderful feast of local specialties prepared from fresh ingredients from the market while socializing and sending a few shots of the delicious dining offerings and the event out on social, #VWGolfAlltrack or #VW2017. After dinner, some late-night Lego fun was on tap back at the hotel before retiring for the evening.

The ferry to Bainbridge Island

A trip across Puget Sound on the ferry to Bainbridge Island is a must for any visit to Seattle. The 35-minute ride provides spectacular Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier views and provides transport to beautiful Bainbridge, a 28 square mile island that is a great place to explore and the location of our Alltrack test drive.

After passengers and vehicles boarded the boat, the Alltrack made its entrance, sporting a bright green canoe. We quickly made our way to the vehicle deck to capture some shots of the car as we departed Seattle.

Time to test drive the Alltrack

We spend a lot of time outdoors. We ski, we hike, we bike…and getting there often means winding our way around back roads and through the countryside, so we planned to put the Alltrack to the test, checking out its performance, handling, and fun-to-drive factor.

For our first test drive of the day, we selected a red Alltrack S model, wanting to start with the entry-level to see what the base model would deliver. The Volkswagen crew provided a detailed itinerary and overview, with three destinations around the island.

We took turns driving and we both enjoyed piloting the Alltrack. It was very responsive and handled well, taking turns with authority. The engine was energetic and the overall feel was both comfortable and sporty. After stopping for a short hike at Scenic Beach State Park, we headed for Port Gamble, our lunch spot for the day and the point where we would swap cars and try the SE model.

As expected, the comfort and gadget level increased with the SE model. The SE added keyless entry, a premium audio system, the above-mentioned driver’s assistance package, and that mind-blowing sunroof, which alone would be our reason to upgrade.

We also gave Volkswagen roadside assistance a quick test when I tried to open the sunroof and accidentally pressed the “call for help” button instead. A nice female quickly responded and after advising her it was simply a case of pilot error, she wished us a good day.

As Subaru Outback owners, what did we think?

We loved the Alltrack. It is fun to drive and has quite a few features that we felt make it a great option for those seeking an alternative to the Outback. The Alltrack seemed quieter and handled the road extremely well. While we obviously didn’t have the opportunity to test it out over any 12,000-foot mountain passes, the engine responded well and the steering was highly responsive, a necessity for zigging and zagging up and down switchbacks in the mountains.

While we have both bike and ski racks for our Outback, we rarely use them, opting to throw our gear in the back. We tested out loading a road bike in the back with the seats down, and the Alltrack handled it with ease. The Alltrack also has 60/40 rear split seats with a center pass-through, providing ski hauling options as well.

Overall, the Alltrack was fun to drive, performed well, is super comfortable, and is definitely worth a test drive.

Learn more about the Volkswagen Alltrack

The 2017 Volkswagen Alltrack is available in the United States beginning in October 2016. Learn more and get the details on the Volkswagen website.

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Disclosure & disclaimer: Special thanks to Volkswagen for hosting us for the event. The opinions expressed are entirely our own. Reviews are based only on our assessment and we accept no responsibility for how the information is used. We do not accept paid posts although some posts may contain information regarding businesses where we have previously been compensated.