Two-wheel drive, which is good, but four is better

Germain Goyer

Wednesday, February 14, 2018 16:02

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Wednesday, February 14, 2018 16:02

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Once one has spent a winter driving a four-wheel drive vehicle, it is difficult to pass later. And, it is not the only to believe this, since from 2016 to 2017, Volkswagen has doubled its sales of vehicles equipped with the system 4Motion.

In the context of reminding us of the effectiveness of this system that is gaining in popularity, Volkswagen has placed at our disposal some of his vehicles to drive in a context of winter.

But it was not a context winter banal. We took the wheel of the Atlas mountains, the Golf Alltrack and Golf R on lake Sacacomie, which was obviously frozen and specially arranged for the occasion. Snow and ice were at the rendezvous.

Everything had been put in place for vehicles to skid and slip. Obviously, they were not shod with tyres with studs. And yet, all the vehicles turned out to be quite pleasant. On the track, they were so comfortable that it appears tailor-made for the Quebec.

With the exception of the Atlas, it was possible to remove the help system to the traction story to maximize the enjoyment at the wheel.

During part of the day, it has also driven all of the vehicles on the roads in the Mauricie. The idea was to observe the manner in which they behaved with a more normal track.

Volkswagen Tiguan 2018

Germain Goyer

How does it work?

Attention, the system 4Motion does not work in the same way that the awd of Subaru. The four wheels of the Volkswagen vehicles equipped with this system are not motor continuously. In fact, as a Golf conventional, the power is normally transmitted only to front wheels. However, Volkswagen specifies that the system 4Motion is always active and that it is approached at the slightest slip.

It is interesting to note that in case of need, almost the entirety can be routed to the rear wheels. In addition, four drive modes are available depending on the type of surface on which you ride : road, snow, off-road and on measurement.

Volkswagen Golf R 2018

Germain Goyer

In what vehicles?

For 2018, Volkswagen is offering its system 4Motion on five models: Atlas, Tiguan, Golf Sportwagen, the Golf Alltrack and Golf R. Built in Tennessee, the Atlas is the most american, but also the larger vehicle of the range Volkswagen. It can accommodate up to seven occupants. Renewed to 2018, the Tiguan has been extended and now offers the option of a third-row seat and can accommodate also up to seven passengers.

With its base price set at 25 695$, the Golf SportWagen is the most affordable of the range 4Motion. It is actually a Golf wagon, to which has been grafted four-wheel drive.

As to the Alltrack, it’s a bit like the Allroad at Audi, that is to say, it is the more sturdy of the SportWagen regular. It can be recognized thanks to its suspension raised by 15 mm and the bottom of the desk in plastic. Present on the market for a few years, R is the epitome of the phenomenon hot hatch. With its 292-horsepower and 280 pound-feet, it is the Golf the most powerful of the catalog.

Volkswagen Atlas 2018

Germain Goyer

Our favorite

It is sure that the Golf R we overturned each time one is conducted. It has a compact size, a great look, very go-anywhere, power to spare and, of course, four-wheel drive. But our rational side brings us back to the Alltrack. It is not especially fond of sport utility vehicles – it is very personal – and the Alltrack is definitely the best remedy against this type of vehicle. Roomy, powerful enough, cute cute and 4Motion, it has it all.

Thanks to its long wheelbase and its ground clearance lower than an SUV, it has been found that the Alltrack was the more agile and enjoyable as a whole. The fact that it was the only vehicle equipped with a manual transmission certainly plays in his favor.

Duo Volkswagen Golf Alltrack 2018

Germain Goyer