Frisky Dingo

You mean they market to their demograph?? Who would have thought? That's exactly the appeal of VW. Their cars aren't like the others on the market. They do things differently. That's why the people that like them like them. Why should they try to emulate everyone else??

The Passat and Tiguan still find plenty of buyers. And again, they have 2 new vehicles due out in just months. They have nothing but good things coming.

Rogue is a pretty solid effort. Lots of features for the money, good ride and handling. I don't like the CVT, though. I'm less impressed with the Pathfinder. The top of the segment is just so good it's hard to go against them- Explorer, Highlander, Pilot. Murano is a nice rig. Again, just the damn CVT. I like the Juke a lot, though I'd never buy one.

Can't go wrong with the GTI or the Alltrack either one. Both phenomenal little cars.

It is a more diverse buyer pool that buys GTI's and the like than I have ever seen. Everyone from young kids, to old retirees and everything in between. It's nuts, and also very cool.

No. I would literally take just about any crossover or SUV in existence over this. I would rather have a Grand Cherokee like you mentioned. Or the Q7. Or an X5. Or a Tahoe. Or a 4Runner. Just about anything besides an Equinox/Terrain, some of the mini-CUV's, or the disastrous Infiniti duo- QX60/80. On the contrary, I want to set every one I see on fire.

Oh gawd, please just stop. Please. For the love of all living things, the last thing we need is more pseudo-coupe CUV/CUV/SAV/whatthefackeverV abominations clogging our roadways.

Well, considering there are no TDI's to sell, of course the numbers are going to be down from before Dieselgate. That's obvious. Incentives are strong across the entire market, that's nothing new or anything to put much stock in. Dealers the nation over, regardless of brand, advertise stupid prices everyday. You may or may not qualify for them. Again, nothing of merit there. It would seem a lot of people think they are worth buying seeing as in how they are still posting projected or increased sales in most of their models. What people may or may not think about a brand they may or may not ever have intentions to purchase from don't count for much. It'd be like me asking you what you thought about Ferrari. It doesn't matter, because you're not buying a Ferrari regardless of what your thoughts on them are. The blue collar Midwest worker who has a union job wasn't buying a VW anyway. What he thinks of the brand means about as much as what he thinks of evolution. I do now, yes. I went back to my old dealer. Incentives across the board at VW are really no heavier or lighter than usual. Some models are considerably less incentivized they have been in the recent past.

Despite being the oldest CUV on the market, the Tiguan is actually a competitive product and is still selling well. And it's replacement will be here within 6 months. That is in addition to the Atlas. The CC makes up a fraction of VW sales, and is not vital to the brand's sales numbers. It is getting a replacement sometime next year, anyway. The Beetle is a niche product that will never do large numbers. There will continue to be special models here and there. The Beetle is nothing but a money maker at this point. It costs very little to build them. It doesn't need huge sales numbers. Passat numbers are up, GTI and Golf R sales numbers continue to increase, and Golf SportWagen sales are increasing, too. In addition to the Tiguan and Atlas, the E Golf is on the way, there will be a smaller CUV to slot below the new Tiguan, and the Jetta and Passat are both due for replacement in the near future. If VW continues with their plans moving forward, they will be fine. A new van in the vein of the Bus would really be a wise move that would bolster sales, as well. Something is in the works, but Idk how close it is, or exactly what form it will take.

This absolutely totally untrue, and you have nothing to back it up. VW sales are UP, and that is with existing models netting sales gains. With new products about to drop in the coming months- and in critical segments- they will only continue to see growth. VW isn't closing up shop and suggesting they do so is absurd. Bringing Skoda here was only going to happen as a last resort if VW had to exit the US market. That is obviously not going to happen. Skoda cannot coexist with VW here. There would be far too much overlap. VW is already hampered by VAG not wanting to step on Audi's toes. Throwing another brand into the mix would be disastrous. Especially one with no equity among US buyers. VW just needs to stay the course and focus on marketing their current models and continuing to bring new products to market. The TDI deal will soon be water under the bridge, and though they may have burnt some of their loyal buyers, and lost some sales due to lack of TDi offerings, it is totally possible to bounce back from this. Hell, look at Toyota and GM.

@ykX Nice list. @A Horse With No Name Sounds like someone likes forced induction and AWD, lol!!

Uh, let's just say they're not known for reliability, especially the earlier cars, and especially at higher mileage levels. I took these threads to imagine we were spending our own money on them, and for me, a 50,000+ mile Aston is too big of a risk. I do love them, however. If we keep getting higher price brackets, a Vantage could very well end up on one of my lists.

Wouldn't touch one w/ that many miles, either. You're brave man.

The ZL1 is a lot more fun to drive than the new SS, imo. Plus, I was able to get a Vert. So that settled it. And I'd MUCH rather have a 911 than a rebuilt title Aston. Hard pass.

I can't help but wonder who the target buyer for this is?? Who is demanding a huge, 2 door, auto-only AWD V6 sled priced in the mid-upper 30's?? What is the point of the car?? A Golf R, WRX/STI, or Focus RS all kill this car for similar or less money. And off a ton more practicality to boot. In other words, AWD widebody Hellcat or bust.

New 4runner Trail Premium New (2016) Golf R DSG w/ DCC & Nav New Charger R/T w/ Road & Track Pkg Used ZL1 Convertible Used 997 C2 (S, if possible)

Any Porsche. Sepecial models of Mustangs/Camaros. Subarus like AHWNN mentioned. There's plenty of smart used car buys.

Buy cars that don't depreciate much.

Shouldn't be a problem. The R is coping with far greater power levels.

Thought you didn't like newer luxury cars.

There is definitely room for both in the market place. People who but Outbacks aren't tackling the Rubicon. They're buying it as an alternative to the usual crossover options. Despite being smaller, the Alltrack shines in that light.

Friends, if you don't like VW or German cars, turn away now, because these next few paragraphs are going to read like a circa-2008 preteen girl just met real life Edward from Twilight. So with that disclosure out of the way, I'll throw a punch straight to the gut for those still with me. The Alltrack is the best new vehicle I've ever driven. Not the fastest. Not the most fun. Not the sexiest. Not the coolest. But all things considered, the all-around best. Some of you may remember I made a nearly-as-bold statement when I posted a review of the then-new '16 Malibu. This is finally the car that unseated it as being the most impressive out-of-the-box car for the everyman. So what makes it so good? Glad you asked. 'Everything' is a word that comes to mind. Almost, at least. But let's start with the visuals. It is an aesthetically inoffensive, yet cohesive and clean design. It doesn't shout "look at me", or try to fool you into thinking it's more expensive than it is. Nor does it portend to be something it's not. Instead, it is what it is- a Golf Wagon with a slight raise in ride height, and some nice cosmetic touches to set it apart w/out being garish. It gets unique bumpers front and rear, unique alloys, black cladding on the lower panels and wheel surrounds, silver mirrors and trim, and GTI-like mesh grilles to complete the look. It's nice. Understated, but handsome. The size is great. You notice the minor difference- ~.9"- in ride height pretty quickly. It looks just right. It's definitely not as tall as an Outback, it's would-be rival. It's not as big in any dimension, really, for better or worse. Say what you will about cladding- thanks Aztek- but I think it suits this car fine. In fact, I think it improves it. And even ignoring the looks, having that added protection against dings, chips, and scratches is great in my eyes. Inside is business as usual. For the Golf family, that means a simple, clean design with fantastic ergonomics, fit and finish, and materials. The Alltrack does get it's own unique finish for the trim on the doors and center stack and console. It also offers a lovely Marrakesh Brown upholstery option that is specific to the Alltrack. Said upholstery is the trademark VW/Audi 'leatherette', and although noone is mistaking this for a Bentley, it's nice enough. As with the other Golfs, the guages, buttons, visibility, seats, adjustability, and general layout are sublime. It easily looks and feels considerably more expensive than it is. Pretty sure everyone here has read me rave about the optional Fender audio system. But enough about those other things. The meat and potatoes of this thing is how it drives. And oh man, does it drive great. It's like a GTI and the aforementioned Outback had a love child. Only it got 80% of its genes from the GTI. And that 20% from the Subie is the good stuff- AWD, better clearance, etc- and not the bad stuff- unrefined feel, crappy CVT, poor driving dynamics. It's what the Crosstrek or the Outback could be. The steering closely mirrors the GTI's- light, precise, with pretty good feel. The handling is wonderfully neutral with none of the excessive roll or understeer you might expect. In fact, it's very hard to induce understeer. Aside from blunderous corner entries, this thing pretty much just sticks and goes where you tell it. In low speed, sharp corners, you can feel the AWD system doing its thing. It's not intrusive, but you can tell the only reason you were able to take that turn 10 MPH faster than you anticipated despite the modest rubber is because of some invisible workings. No matter. I expected the well-behaved, crisp manners that are baked into the Golf and its MQB platform, but I didn't expect to emulate an 'R' more than it does a standard SportWagen. The thing turns in with a quick deftness, takes a flat, balanced set and sticks with authority. Then claws out out and hustles forward with far more gusto than anything with only 170hp moving 3,400 lbs of weight ought to. I think they may be flubbing on that '170' number. Then again, the DSG is no doubt a factor here, and may actually be this car's ace in the hole. Simply put, it's transformative. The tuning in full auto 'D' is better than it is in the GTI. It's smoother, quicker, and doesn't get confused. And in 'M' mode, it's shifts are every bit as crisp and quick as the GTI's. The DSG really illuminates this engine for the gem it is. Forget that crappy setups you've experienced in Fords and Hyundais. This a dual-clutch auto in all it's glory, cracking off lightning upshifts, smooth, crisp downshifts, and adding a true layer of added involvement a slushbox can't offer. All this while having a better ride than the GTI and a bigger boot. Complaints? A few. I wish the upgraded lights were available at a lower trim level. Umm, maybe a few more or more vivid colors? Idk man, that's about all I got. The 2.0T would transcend this car into legendary status, but that's about it. As it stands, it is a truly brilliant car with a depth of talent precious few other cars could hope to match. It makes an Outback look and feel like a school bus in comparison. And it does so while offering I'd say 75-80% of the goodness the GTI offers. How anyone in their right minds would buy a run-of-the-mill CUV over this is mind-boggling. I'm already formulating a plan on how I can incorporate one of these into the household. I could easily let my GTI go to have this as the new primary family car, and replace my wife's Rav in doing so. Rolling 2 cars into one would make it easy for me to justify finally getting a used 911 or Cayman or similar, as well. If you are in the market for a vehicle for a vehicle even remotely similar to this, ie- a car with 4 doors and 4 wheels- go look at and drive one of these. This is VW at it's absolute strongest, am immensely capable great all-arounder that doesn't break the bank and is enjoyable to drive. It is much, much more than the sum of it's parts. Bravo, VW.

Just realized the Passat V6 SE w/ Tech comes in at $30,115 w/ Destination. I'm bending the rules by $100 and picking that. For a long-distance family hauler, it's a no-brainer.

Damn! I thought a Golf R was a helluva of a winter beater, but a 993 Turbo is taking it to another level!!

New price was supposed to be based on MSRP.