 In the North it is always good to have AWD. The 6 times a year you need it in the snow, AWD is worth its weight in gold. I decided to go from a sedan to a wagon for the space to haul easier. There isn’t a lot in that segment. After narrowing it down to a Subaru Outback or an Alltrack, I chose the VW because it handled much better, felt faster, was quieter, and had a much more upscale interior. I thought I would like the Outback more (coming from a Legacy) but I didn’t. The reasons I chose the Alltrack:1. It handled confidently and felt the most car-like in cornering and freeway ramp driving which was important to me. 2. The interior was nicer and the seats are really comfortable and supportive. 3. The panoramic sunroof is huge and impressed my teenaged son (not easy to do). 4. The transmission and engine (1.8turbo DSG VW against a 2.5 boxer w/ a CVT) felt zoomy and the DSG shifts very nicely. 5. At highway speeds the wind noise is significantly lower. 6. In the last 2 snowstorms, the AWD has been flawless and the traction has been fantastic. It is perfectly balanced for the conditions and I never once worried about getting stuck. Now that I have had it for a while, what are the nitpicks? 1. Wish it had a bigger fuel tank. Don’t get me wrong, it gets great mpg (34-35 hwy) - but a little more range would be nice for those who do a lot of driving. 2. Nav system is okay, but the Apple CarPlay makes it unnecessary. Oh - and a bigger screen would be nice. 3. There are about 100 ways to monitor what the car is doing which is cool - but holy cow, the menu structure is terrible. In my opinion, if you are looking for a driving car, get the VW. It has a little less hauling space, but if you enjoy driving, you will prefer this car. 