The newest forbidden fruit to grow on the Volkswagen tree is the Caddy Alltrack. As its name implies, it’s a more rugged-looking variant of the Caddy, a small van that’s about the same size as the Ford Transit Connect.
The Alltrack is available as both a passenger van designed with families in mind and a cargo van aimed largely at business buyers. Both versions fall in line with other Alltrack-badged members of the Volkswagen lineup (such as the 2016 Golf SportWagen) by adopting styling cues like protective black plastic trim over the wheel arches and on the rocker panels, a new grille with three chromed slats, and specific alloy wheels. A set of roof rails completes the look.
A utility vehicle at heart, the cargo van remains rather spartan inside. However, passenger vans are spruced up with features such as a chrome package, a leather-upholstered steering wheel, more durable upholstery on the seats and airplane-style folding tables built into the front seat backs. The list of standard features includes automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and a five-inch touch screen that runs the latest generation of Volkswagen’s infotainment system.
The list of available gasoline-burning engines includes a 1.0-liter, a 1.2-liter, and a 1.4-liter, and Volkswagen also offers a 2.0-liter turbodiesel TDI that makes anywhere between 74 and 149 horsepower depending on which state of tune it’s ordered in. All models regardless of fuel type ship with front-wheel drive, but Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system can be ordered at an extra cost.
When it goes on sale, the 2016 Volkswagen Caddy Alltrack will carry a base price of €16,485 (approximately $19,000) when it’s ordered without side windows. Families who want to step up to the passenger van will need to pay at least €24,359 (roughly $28,000).
Don’t get your checkbook out just yet. The Caddy Alltrack was designed largely for the European market, and Volkswagen currently has no plans to sell the van on our side of the herring pond.
