No sooner has the all-new B8 generation Volkswagen Passat arrived than the first proper variant of it has been announced for Geneva - this is the Passat Alltrack, an all-wheel drive, rugged version of the Passat Estate. It follows on from a preceding model introduced in 2012.
Exterior
Taking its lead from other, similar Volkswagen Group products - think Skoda Octavia Scout, SEAT Leon X-Perience and Audi A6 allroad - this Passat wagon is jacked up (by 27.5mm compared to a regular Estate) and clad in plastic around the lower sections. There are also revised bumpers front and rear to improve approach/departure angles for off-road inclines, while there's added underbody protection too. The Alltrack gets its own design of 17-inch alloys and it is based on the MQB architecture like regular Passats.
Interior
Not as many changes inside, with bespoke Alcantara/fabric seats the main update, as well as sundry bits of shiny trim and a new infotainment system (with varying screen sizes offered). Given what this car will be used for, though, Volkswagen has seen fit to equip it with useful electronic aids like Trailer Assist (to help you reverse park a trailer).
Mechanicals
As it is supposed to be a vehicle with proper off-road capabilities, an extra mode has been added to the Passat's drive selection systems. This new mode is called, er... Off-Road, and it adjusts the throttle mapping, the brakes and the hill start and descent systems to ensure your adventures into the wild don't end up in tears. Naturally, the Alltrack has 4Motion Haldex all-wheel drive, which is nominally front-wheel drive until torque needs to be sent to the rear, while the XDS+ electronic differential is fitted to the two most powerful versions to bless the Passat Alltrack with decent on-road manners.
Talking of power, two petrol and three diesel engines are offered, in line with the regular Passat estate. The turbocharged petrols make 150- or 220hp, while the 2.0-litre TDI can be had in either 150-, 190 or 240hp versions. Only the 150hp models come with six-speed manual transmissions - all the higher output cars are equipped with six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatics as standard.
Anything else?
No word on price yet, nor on the Irish market line-up, although if it follows the traditional pattern exhibited by ever other car in this niche sector, it will be more expensive than the regular estate it is based on. The Alltrack will go on sale in Europe from September.