Volkswagen of America has announced that the VW Golf Alltrack and Golf SportWagen will end production with the 2019 model year. Volkswagen will continue building the Alltrack at the Puebla, Mexico plant through December 2019 – the last chance to own a European-designed wagon.
Over the past several years, demand has shifted from wagons to SUVs. Through the first half of 2019, SUVs account for 47% of the industry sales, and more than 50% of Volkswagen sales. Thanks to sales of the Atlas and Tiguan, Volkswagen has had the highest year-over-year percentage growth among mainstream automotive brands in the first six months of 2019.
What was new way back when…
Volkswagen plans to release three new SUV models in the next 24 months. The five-seater Atlas Cross Sport will be unveiled later this year, and the ID. CROZZ electric SUV debuts early next year. Last week, Volkswagen announced a new smaller SUV model expected to arrive in 2021 under the Tiguan.
“SUVs have definitely assumed the mantle of family haulers from the station wagons and minivans we remember from our childhoods,” said Scott Keogh President and CEO, Volkswagen of America. “As the ID. BUZZ concept demonstrates, the flexibility of our EV platform gives us the ability to revive body styles of the past, so anything is possible.”
The 2019 Golf Alltrack with all-wheel drive combines is powered by a 1.8-liter TSI® engine with 168 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, offered with either a six-speed DSG automatic or a six-speed manual. The car also has unique exterior styling and an extra 0.6 inch of ride height compared to the Golf SportWagen, giving it 6.9 inches of ground clearance.
The Alltrack comes standard with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and taillights, leatherette seating surfaces, Volkswagen Car-Net® App-Connect, Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring (Front Assist), Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Traffic Alert.
Optional are 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights with the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), Car-Net Security & Service and Guide & Inform, navigation, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping System, (Lane Assist), Park Distance Control, Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), and High Beam Control (Light Assist). MSRP starts at $27,790 for the Alltrack S with a standard six-speed manual transmission, and $28,890 for the Alltrack S with a six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 2019 Golf SportWagen combines the space and utility of a compact SUV with the nimbleness and fun-to-drive capabilities of a Golf. Front-wheel-drive models are powered by a 1.4-liter TSI engine with 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while 4Motion models use the 1.8T engine found in the Alltrack. The 1.4T is paired with either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the 1.8T is available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG automatic transmission.
Standard features include 15-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and taillights, cloth seats, and App-Connect. Optional features include 17-inch wheels, LED headlights with AFS, fog lights, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Car-Net Security & Service, ACC, Lane Assist, and Light Assist. MSRP starts at $22,790 for the Golf SportWagen S front-wheel-drive model with a standard six-speed manual transmission and $23,890 for the eight-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for the S 4Motion® with a standard six-speed manual transmission starts at $25,290, and the six-speed DSG automatic transmission starts at $26,340.
VW Wagon History
1600 Squareback Sedan: 1966-1971
- 6-liter air-cooled engine with 65 hp
- Had cargo space under hood and in rear above the engine, like the Beetle
- The first mass-produced model with computerized fuel injection
Type 412 Wagon: 1971-1974
- 6-liter air-cooled engine with 80 hp
- Unibody chassis and MacPherson strut suspension were firsts for VW
- First true four-door wagon body for VW in America
Volkswagen Dasher: 1974-1981
- First water-cooled, front-engine, front-wheel-drive car for VW of America lineup
- Also offered as a two-door or four-door hatchback, with 74 hp
- Sold as the Passat in Europe
Volkswagen Quantum: 1981-1988
- Midsize successor to the Dasher
- Sold with four- or five-cylinder engines up to 110 hp
- Introduced Syncro all-wheel-drive in a wagon, offered in 1986-1988
Volkswagen Fox: 1989-1991
- Offered as a two-door subcompact wagon, rare in its era
- 80-hp, 1.8-liter four cylinder, with manual transmission
- Built in Brazil, along with two- and four-door variants.
Volkswagen Passat: 1990-2010
- Three generations of Passat wagons were sold in America
- Stylish B4 generation unveiled a new, upscale VW design language
- The W8 variant offered 270 hp, 4Motion all-wheel drive and an available manual transmission
Volkswagen Jetta: 2001-2005; 2008-2014
- Most popular wagon model Volkswagen has sold in America
- First generation was unique to North America
- Independent rear suspension in later models
Volkswagen Golf SportWagen: 2015-2019
- First wagon for U.S. built off flexible, modern MQB platform
- Offers full suite of modern technology such as App-Connect
- Spacious interior and cargo area compare well to compact SUVs
Volkswagen Golf Alltrack: 2017-2019
- Higher ground clearance than SportWagen and standard 4Motion offer SUV-like capability
- Mixes more aggressive design cues with timeless Volkswagen style
- Manual transmission offered on top line SEL for enthusiasts
About Volkswagen
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America and a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. Volkswagen’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Arteon, Atlas, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, e-Golf, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat, and Tiguan vehicles through more than 600 independent U.S. dealers.
KARPUT! Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, Sportwagen Die in 2019
Over the past several years, demand has shifted from wagons to SUVs. Through the first half of 2019, SUVs account for 47% of the industry sales, and more than 50% of Volkswagen sales. Thanks to sales of the Atlas and Tiguan, Volkswagen has had the highest year-over-year percentage growth among mainstream automotive brands in the first six months of 2019.
What was new way back when…
Volkswagen plans to release three new SUV models in the next 24 months. The five-seater Atlas Cross Sport will be unveiled later this year, and the ID. CROZZ electric SUV debuts early next year. Last week, Volkswagen announced a new smaller SUV model expected to arrive in 2021 under the Tiguan.
“SUVs have definitely assumed the mantle of family haulers from the station wagons and minivans we remember from our childhoods,” said Scott Keogh President and CEO, Volkswagen of America. “As the ID. BUZZ concept demonstrates, the flexibility of our EV platform gives us the ability to revive body styles of the past, so anything is possible.”
The 2019 Golf Alltrack with all-wheel drive combines is powered by a 1.8-liter TSI® engine with 168 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, offered with either a six-speed DSG automatic or a six-speed manual. The car also has unique exterior styling and an extra 0.6 inch of ride height compared to the Golf SportWagen, giving it 6.9 inches of ground clearance.
The Alltrack comes standard with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and taillights, leatherette seating surfaces, Volkswagen Car-Net® App-Connect, Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Monitoring (Front Assist), Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Traffic Alert.
Optional are 18-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, LED headlights with the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), Car-Net Security & Service and Guide & Inform, navigation, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping System, (Lane Assist), Park Distance Control, Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), and High Beam Control (Light Assist). MSRP starts at $27,790 for the Alltrack S with a standard six-speed manual transmission, and $28,890 for the Alltrack S with a six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 2019 Golf SportWagen combines the space and utility of a compact SUV with the nimbleness and fun-to-drive capabilities of a Golf. Front-wheel-drive models are powered by a 1.4-liter TSI engine with 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, while 4Motion models use the 1.8T engine found in the Alltrack. The 1.4T is paired with either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the 1.8T is available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG automatic transmission.
Standard features include 15-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) and taillights, cloth seats, and App-Connect. Optional features include 17-inch wheels, LED headlights with AFS, fog lights, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Car-Net Security & Service, ACC, Lane Assist, and Light Assist. MSRP starts at $22,790 for the Golf SportWagen S front-wheel-drive model with a standard six-speed manual transmission and $23,890 for the eight-speed automatic transmission. Pricing for the S 4Motion® with a standard six-speed manual transmission starts at $25,290, and the six-speed DSG automatic transmission starts at $26,340.
VW Wagon History
1600 Squareback Sedan: 1966-1971
Type 412 Wagon: 1971-1974
Volkswagen Dasher: 1974-1981
Volkswagen Quantum: 1981-1988
Volkswagen Fox: 1989-1991
Volkswagen Passat: 1990-2010
Volkswagen Jetta: 2001-2005; 2008-2014
Volkswagen Golf SportWagen: 2015-2019
Volkswagen Golf Alltrack: 2017-2019
About Volkswagen
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of America and a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with headquarters in Herndon, Virginia. Volkswagen’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The Volkswagen Group is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Arteon, Atlas, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, e-Golf, Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen, Jetta, Passat, and Tiguan vehicles through more than 600 independent U.S. dealers.