By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(June 18, 2017) I was certain someone had made a mistake. Just under two years ago a very similar Volkswagen SportWagen was dropped off at the office. It had the same Silk Blue Metallic paint and beige cloth interior. The only difference was that this car had an automatic transmission and a slightly different wheel design.

It was the automotive equivalent of that time when I was in charge of the news desk at AutoWeek magazine, and ran a story about Honda’s latest VTEC system two weeks in a row. The information was the same, only the editing was different. And the only person to catch the error (after it went into print) was me.

Unlike that error, this one would be a bit tougher to deal with. If I was sneaky, I’d update the 2015 writeup, throw in a few new pictures and call it a day. Or I could refer back to that review, add in some updates, and write a short driving impression. The only other option would be to bear down and crank out an extended review while trying to say the same thing in a new way.

When I drove it down the street to the local park/nature preserve (the same place I photographed the last Golf SportWagen), however, something felt different. The car seemed a bit heavier, and this had a slight effect on the steering and acceleration. Some of that could be put down to this being an automatic instead of a manual, but it was more than that.

A few extra pounds and a different gearbox wouldn’t explain the difference in steering feel. I jokingly said to myself: “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this was all-wheel drive. But it’s not an Alltrack.”

Apparently, I didn’t know better. The Alltrack isn’t the only all-wheel drive Golf SportWagen you can order. You can now get VW’s 4Motion drive system on the entry-level S trim, mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automatic. All-wheel drive adds about 240 lb. to the weight of the car, and reduces the EPA fuel economy by three/four/four miles per gallon city/highway/combined.

It’s sort of odd to have such a small car only get 22 mpg city, even odder to find its highway rating at an even 30 mpg, and the combined number at 25 mpg. Yet most folks wouldn’t bat an eye at these numbers if this was a small crossover.

In terms of interior space, it might as well be one. There’s 30.4 ft.3 of cargo space with the rear seats up, and 66.5 ft.3 with them down. Load height is a low 24.8 in., and the hatch aperture is 40.6 in. at its widest point. There is minimal intrusion from the side panels, and the load floor is flat and long.

However, because the Golf SportWagen doesn’t have the visual bulk and height of a crossover, the cargo area doesn’t look very large. That impression goes away once you start loading items into the hold. The amount of stuff that it will swallow is mind boggling, as is the fact that, except on rare occasions or when carrying tall items, you can pull the window shade-style cargo cover over your treasure, keeping it from prying eyes.

Plus, if you have more than the usual amount of junk to bring along, you can use the flush levers located on either side of the cargo space to drop one or both sides of the 60:40 split seat back. And, unlike a crossover, your back will appreciate the low liftover height when loading and unloading.

Because of the increased weight, the  4Motion-equipped SportWagen does feel not as light on its feet as its front-drive brother at first blush. No matter how many wheels are driven — two or four — the horsepower is the same at 170. However, the manual-equipped models get 15 more lb.-ft. of torque than their automatic counterparts (199 versus 184), and the initial take-up from a dead stop is slightly more leisurely in the dual-clutch automatic in other than hard acceleration. Under maximum acceleration, however, the dual-clutch is the quicker choice, snapping off upshifts at redline like a professional race driver. The only thing that could make it more fun are a pair of paddle shifters behind the steering wheel, though shifting into Sport mode or using the "+/-" gate increases the sportiness factor.

The extra weight also leaves a faint impression of increased understeer upon initial turn-in. Faint because the 4Motion system retains the front-drive version's XDS cross-differential system that applies the brakes to the inside driven wheel when needed to reduce understeer. This means the 4Motion version remains fun to drive, especially when charging into corners as the 4Motion system amplifies this ability by feeding power to the wheels that need it.

Push hard enough, and you will find the 4Motion system seamlessly shuttling power from front-to-back and from side-to-side as conditions dictate. It may feel a slight bit less “pure” than the standard version, but the 4Motion SportWagen is immensely stable and confidence inspiring at speed; a trait that should transfer over to slippery conditions, whether created by rain or snow.

Like a crossover, the addition of all-wheel drive comes down to perceived need and perceived value. For most drivers under most conditions, front-drive will do just fine. It’s only when the roads are really slick and/or snow covered that you need all-wheel drive, and — even then — a good set of snow tires on a front-drive vehicle will give you most of what you need. That said, the extra feeling of security coupled with grip when needed at all four wheels has no equal in bad conditions; even though they may be few and far between.

As for the value equation, adding 4Motion increases the price by $2,250, decreases fuel economy, and adds heated front seats. It may seem a bit pricey, but if you travel long distances on dirt or gravel roads, or live in the snow belt, it could be considered a something of a bargain.

The Virtual Driver