The Volkswagen Alltrack Will Succeed Where the Audi Allroad Failed

"MojoMotors.com" (MojoMotors) 04/14/2015 at 09:15 • Filed to: alltrack, volkswagen, allroad, audi, wagon, off-road, sport wagon, review, mojo motors, tristan cathers

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The first time Volkswagen Group decided they were going to build an off-roading wagon, we got the first-generation Audi Allroad. On paper, the Allroad was a dream, an enthusiast's car that's also practical for families.

The first generation Allroad made it to North America for the 2001 model year, along with its 250 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. It was equipped with air-ride suspension that could be adjusted with the push of a button and Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system to send the power where it needed to go. Best of all, the Allroad came standard with a 6-speed manual transmission.

But the dream didn't last for a lot of owners. That's because the first generation Allroad was an unreliable, over-engineered money pit. I should know, because I owned one. Here's a summarized list of work I did on the car in a little over a year of ownership.

Replaced all 4 airbags in the suspension (which still leaked).

Replaced the air compressor (which was already replaced by the previous owner).

Replaced the ABS control module (the rain tray clogged and flooded the passenger footwell, where most of the electronics were).

Replaced turbo oil-return lines (bad design led to caked up oil lines, a common problem on the Allroad that caused turbos to fail prematurely).

Dealt with irritating clutch chatter and a bent shift-fork.

I also once left a socket extension in the engine bay (like an idiot), closed the hood and turned the key. The socket fell behind the timing belt cover and caused the engine to jump time. That caused the engine to misfire and run "rough," but I was just lucky I didn't need to replace the entire head. I reset the timing and everything was fine. That incident was entirely my fault, but while I owned the Allroad I felt like my life was one impending disaster after the next.

Needless to say, when I watched Michael Horn, President of Volkswagen North America, unveil the 2015 Volkswagen Alltrack at !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , I had flashbacks to the grueling days spent in my garage, dealing with the many quirks of my Allroad. You have to admit, the Alltrack is highly derivative of the Allroad, if only in name and appearance.

But after speaking with Ted, an incredibly knowledgable Volkswagen representative, I felt confident that the Volkswagen Alltrack would not be anything like the belly-flop that the Audi Allroad was. In fact, we have reason to believe the Volkswagen Alltrack will be the best new vehicle to come from Volkswagen in a long time.

It's possible the Alltrack could finally be the alternative family vehicle we've been waiting for. The Alltrack certainly offers enough cargo space, practicality and modern amenities to go toe-to-toe with even the best !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! But ultimately, the Alltrack's success will depend on what configuration we get here in the United States.

One thing that's still unclear is whether the Alltrack will come with Volkswagen's 4th or 5th generation Haldex. 4th generation Haldex would limit the power to the rear-wheels to only 30%, while 5th generation (that you'd find in the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R) allows for 100% power distribution to the rear-wheels. Hooray for eliminating understeer!

It's also unknown whether the Volkswagen Alltrack will come with a TDI engine option in the US. We think the chances are very good, as the majority of Volkswagen TDI sales are wagons.

Perhaps the most interesting fact I learned from Ted is that the Volkswagen Passat tied with the Toyota Camry for !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! best projected reliability for 2015 sedans. This pertains to the Alltrack because they will share the same 1.8 liter turbocharged engine. With any luck, the Alltrack will be this reliable too.

There was a lot standing in the way of the Allroad's success, but reliability is the chief reason it failed. After all, my experience with the Audi Allroad was not unique. Sure, the new Audi Allroad is a much better car than the original, but it still never caught on the way Volkswagen Group had hoped.

These days, there's already a reliable, fuel-efficient, all-wheel drive wagon crushing sales in the United States, and it's called the Subaru Outback. If Volkswagen wants the Alltrack to succeed, they're going to have to match Subaru's reliability, utility and value. It's too early to call it, but the Alltrack stands a very good chance.

When my Allroad worked as intended, it was a blast to drive. Even though it was a tank, it was a tank with two turbochargers, and I couldn't help but smile when I stepped on the peddle and the boost pushed me back into the leather, 8-way power-adjustable seat. The air-ride suspension impressed anyone who got in and I've never driven a car that tackled the snow with the same level of enthusiasm.

I learned a lot from my Allroad, but would I recommend it as a family car? Not a chance. That's where the Volkswagen Alltrack has the opportunity to succeed. It can be the fun, fuel-efficient, reliable, capable and practical family vehicle we've been yearning for.

As long as Volkswagen doesn't screw it up.

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Written by Tristan Cathers

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is a website where shoppers Follow used cars and trucks to get alerts when dealers drop prices, sell cars and bring similar vehicles into inventory.

505Turbeaux > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 09:24

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What you didn't have ongoing EGR issues too? You got lucky!

However, I work on a few Allroad and in the long run all of the major issues have been sussed. You can actually drive one more reliably now than you could when it was 4 years old.

As far as the current iteration of VW doing anything better than that, it is yet to be seen. But I doubt it based on what I have seen

spanfucker retire bitch > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 10:10

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Replaced the ABS control module (the rain tray clogged and flooded the passenger footwell, where most of the electronics were).

Hah. Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

What a fucking disaster. Did Audi even have a QA department when designing that clap trap?

MojoMotors.com > 505Turbeaux 04/14/2015 at 10:36

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Have any of the Allroads you worked on fallen victim to oil starvation/overheating turbos? That was always my main concern with long term reliability.

MojoMotors.com > spanfucker retire bitch 04/14/2015 at 10:36

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And no faith in the current Volkswagen line up? I think it's looking pretty strong, especially now that they've moved away from the 2.5l 5 cylinder.

505Turbeaux > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 10:42

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all of the ones I have worked on have had them replaced at least once by the time I got my hands on them, but the replacements have held up well with full synthetic and a good de-sludging. One of them gets a good flogging daily as well, built out to around 450hp with a 6 speed

MojoMotors.com > 505Turbeaux 04/14/2015 at 11:02

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Indeed, a redline a day keeps the sludge (and carbon) away!

Just curious, any internal changes to support that kind of horsepower? I had a GIAC tune that boosted the horsepower to 330, but my Volkswagen mechanic mentioned that these motors were known for fragile internals.

505Turbeaux > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 11:06

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from what I hear and see the crank wont take much more than 450 consistently from stock, but that one was upgraded in the crank, rods, and pistons. It pulls insanely well. Uprated clutch obviously as well. A true sleeper to boot, stock rims and suspension, no visual add ons, just a slight bit noisier than stock

MojoMotors.com > spanfucker retire bitch 04/14/2015 at 11:10

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Opening the door to find the Everglades in my passenger floorpan was not a great way to start my weekend.

I will say this though, after blowing the water out and letting them bake in the sun, the rest of the electronic components that got soaked worked just fine. I was impressed.

Gated Manual > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 12:15

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Nice writeup. Alltrack TDI would be awesome here in the states. if they bring it with a manual too. I'd trade in my CX-7 right away.

MojoMotors.com > Gated Manual 04/14/2015 at 12:28

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I would be very surprised if Volkswagen didn't offer an Alltrack TDI here. I feel like diesel really suits the car/type of person who would be interested in it. As for the transmission, I think there's a good chance we'll be stuck with DSG, but one can dream, right?

MojoMotors.com > 505Turbeaux 04/14/2015 at 12:29

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I'm sure it's a blast to drive. I've never seen someone do a proper build like that on an Allroad before. All I can say is that the best part of owning my Allroad was seeing the looks on peoples faces when they get pulled by a station wagon!

505Turbeaux > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 12:33

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yeah, the gentleman that owns it bought it as just a car he liked the looks of, the 6 speed, and the capability of, then was looking to replace it. After test driving numerous newer Audi's including S models, he decided he loved the allroad the most except for the power. So financially, it made sense to put 10 grand into building that one (and eventually, more), than shelling out 60-80 for a new car that was going to depreciate

MojoMotors.com > 505Turbeaux 04/14/2015 at 12:48

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Hey, good for him. There's a lot to be said for having something unique, which the Allroad is (especially a modified one.) I'm glad to hear there are Allroads out there being properly maintained and running reliably in return!

Coffeewagon > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 14:33

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I still have my C5 allroad, sure its a maintenance whore, But it has never ever left me stranded, in the 10+ years of ownership.

Its survived a hail storm.

A flooding. due to failure of the wind shield lower seal. I was actually still able to drive it to my mechanic, only had to replace the carpet and a $200 module, the wiring connections in the allroad are heavily sealed in comparison to others.

I have replaced all the bags with arnott's before failure(still on a stock working compressor :/), I did have a ko3 fail, so now its on k04s(stage3!)

I think about replacing it all the time due to its minor issues, but I can't find anything remotely close to it. They only thing is have stopped doing with it(mainly due to lack of trust), is hauling 1,000 lbs of coffee in the back for 500mi every month.

scienceroller > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 14:57

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Umm, aren't we getting the Golf Sportswagen Alltrack? I see you have posted pictures of Passat Alltrack and talked about Passat reliability. VW USA website also mentions about only Golf Sportswagen Alltrack. Those two are very different cars though.

Livermore-Dad > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 17:09

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"Sure, the new Audi Allroad is a much better car than the original"

It's not an allroad, it's an A4 with a body kit. Nothing that made the allroad unique made it to the new A4 sport.. No adjustable suspension (sure the old one had some issues, but there are lots of options now including ones with lifetime warranty), a weak motor (Over $40K for a 4 cylinder 2.0????) and only an 8 spd auto as an option (Sure the 8spd is probably one of the better tips that Audi has made, since the prior ones were absolutely awful, off brake throttle lag etc.etc. really bad transmission's). But the fact you can't get a manual or a real motor in the A4 Sport er allroad, it's lack luster at best. A pretty car with a boring powertrain and undercarriage. Put the 3.0 TDI or the 2.5 in there or as options and you have an appealing package without some of the downsides of the older allroad.

And come on, there is no way a socket extension or socket makes it past the timing belt covers, that is a blatant exaggeration!!! Now tell the nice readers that you were doing your own timing belt job, wanted to crank the car without the covers on and left an extension in play, okay that's plausable!

And the failing turbo's on the car were due to a flaw in how the K03 was assembled, a flaw in the casting. This was not an allroad issue, this was an Audi/KKK issue that was swept under the rug, much like the Carbon build up on all new FSI motors , another Audi issue that is being swept under the rug and consumers are paying for it. (Okay it's an FSI issue and not only tied to Audi's use)

I like the idea of the VW and in fact I am starting to like the VW line up more so than the boring and more so getting boring Audi offerings. The Jetta TDI is a great vehicle for the money and want more room the Passat TDI

So Yes to avants/wagons, we do in fact want them no matter what Audi wants people to believe and no matter how many Qvehicles they want to shove down our throats (I own a Q5), but the Q3 over a real avant, shame.

And yes I'm very aware that manuals are going the way of the do do bird and some transmissions make that okay.....

syapol54 > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 18:16

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If I was to believe this article, I guess I can say I am very lucky guy. I owned a 2004 Audi Allroad and from the day I bought it with a milage of 35K until I totally wreck it after hitting two deers at 95K miles, I never, I mean never experienced what the author described in his Allroad. It was a very reliable car. Then I bought a 2009 Audi A4 Prestige, complete with Bang & Olufsen sound system, that is when my problem with Audi started. Rust started to appear on the bottom part of the right passenger door. When I brought the problem to the attention of the Audi dealer, they said that they will have to wait for Audi America to reply to my complaint. Then AudiUSA informed me that they will not act on the rust issue until there are perforations caused by the rust. Next came the OIL consumption. My car drinks the oil like a drunkard, 1 quart every 650 miles and Audi TELLS me that it is WITHIN the acceptable consumption level of the car's model! Well, that was the last they have seen me. There were Three Audis in my garage before this, now you will never see one. Last month, I received a correspondence from a Law Firm in California stating that there is a lawsuit against Audi for the oil consumption issue. Maybe this is the day that I get my revenge on Audi.

Acadianlion > spanfucker retire bitch 04/14/2015 at 19:00

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This was actually an owner maintenance issue. If the car was parked where leaves could accumulate on the front end of the car they could trap the drains in the shelf and this would cause the backup of water that would flood the foot well. If the car had been kept clean this would not have happened.

Mark N > MojoMotors.com 04/14/2015 at 21:52

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I wouldn't count on a VW being any more reliable.

spanfucker retire bitch > Acadianlion 04/15/2015 at 07:01

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In no reality does having some leaves fall on the car and causing it to flood the driver's side foot well constitute an owner maintenance issue.

That's just shit design.

Justin51784 > MojoMotors.com 04/15/2015 at 07:35

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Sooo you completely skipped over the B8 A4 based Allroad? Sure it is just a lifted A4 wagon, but all this thing is is a lifted Jetta wagon.

MojoMotors.com > Livermore-Dad 04/17/2015 at 17:21

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TL;DR

JK. I swear on me mum, I was changing my diverter valves when it happened. Tiny 8mm socket slipped behind the cover. I have a local VW/Audi shop I bring my cars to when it’s time for the timing belt service.

Cars with the FSI engines aren’t the only ones to suffer from carbon build up issues. The BMW 335i, Audi RS4, 3.2l A6 and plenty of other cars have this issue.

That’s why you have to be sure to clear it out with a good redline. ;)

MojoMotors.com > syapol54 04/17/2015 at 17:30

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Maybe you were one of the lucky ones. I drove my Allroad pretty hard (drifting, off-roading, etc) but the issues I had were never from it. An older couple lives in my neighborhood owns an Allroad and experienced all the same problems. It’s a story i’ve heard over and over. But of course, they can’t ALL be unreliable.

Really sorry to hear about your misfortune. One quart of oil every 650 miles is unnerving. I hope it all works out.

MojoMotors.com > Mark N 04/17/2015 at 17:33

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Chances improve greatly if the Alltrack comes in a TDI.

MojoMotors.com > Justin51784 04/17/2015 at 17:39

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Maybe it’s for the best? Volkswagen/Audi have a reputation for over-engineering. The air ride suspension on the Allroad never added much utility, anyway. Not nearly enough to make it worthwhile.

MojoMotors.com > Coffeewagon 04/21/2015 at 11:45

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Mine never truly left me stranded either. If you’re willing to put in the maintenance work, the Allroad is a fantastic car. Maybe it’s time to get a Tacoma for the coffee runs though?

Coffeewagon > MojoMotors.com 04/22/2015 at 13:23

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I dunno yet, I love my German wagons, so not sure what to use yet. I’m a glutton for punishment though, my other cars are a B5 s4 wagon(stage 3 ofcourse) and a Phaeton W12 :/

Few cars have the payload and towing capacity of the C5 allroad. I’m actually looking toward mercedes, an R350(ugly I know, but 1,500lb payload), sprinter, or the new awd small cargo van they plan on releasing.