Offroad Wagon Showdown – Subaru Outback v Volkswagen Passat Alltrack Comparison REVIEW
WHILE SUVS RULE, THE SUBARU OUTBACK AND VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT ALLTRACK TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH.
For both manufacturers, that path is fraught with danger given that $50,000 wagons don’t typically sell well in this market. But don’t tell Subaru; its Outback has made its own niche, and is a quiet sales success for the Japanese marque here.
The Volkswagen Passat however, is on a tougher road to acceptance. But, for family buyers, each of these cars has a good story to tell.
Y’see, the tested Outback 2.0D Premium and single-specification Passat Alltrack aim to combine car-like performance and handling, with SUV-like space and light offroad ability. On paper it sounds like the best of both worlds.
But, while the purchasing pitch is similar for each, they go about things in quite different ways. Time, then, to take these ‘jacked-up wagons’ from the urban centre to the middle of nowhere and find which one presents the more convincing path...
TESTEDSubaru Outback 2.0D Premium - $44,990 (plus on-road costs)
Volkswagen Passat Alltrack - $49,290 (plus on-road costs)
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OVERVIEW
There is a decent $4300 stretch between the ($44,990 plus on-road costs) Outback 2.0D Premium to the ($49,290 plus on-road costs) Passat Alltrack.
Both competitors include 18-inch alloys, foglights, an electric tailgate, leather seats with front heating, satellite navigation, modern connectivity options, plus autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitor and adaptive cruise control.
However the 2.0D Premium boasts electrically adjustable front seats, electrically foldable door mirrors, LED headlights and a sunroof. In the Alltrack, the latter three features form part of a $3500 Luxury Package, although it also includes automatic park assistance and swivelling lights not available at any cost on its rival.