Pumped-up, SUV-like station wagons like the Subaru Legacy and Audi A6 Allroad have never really set the sales charts alight here or abroad, but it's still a niche worth persisting with and the latest entry comes from the VW Passat stable.
Volkswagen has just opened up the order books, in Europe, for its new Passat Alltrack, but it won't be coming to South Africa as VWSA's spokesperson explained that only the current sedan is part of the local Passat strategy.
But regardless of where it's going to be sold, can this Passat really go bundu bashing? According to VW, the Alltrack's raised ride height, all-wheel drive system and rugged body enhancements give it the ability to venture off the beaten track.
UK models are offered in two turbodiesel engine guises - namely a 103kW 2-litre TDI mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and a 125kW engine of the same capacity and linked up to VW's six-speed dual-clutch DSG 'box.
Buyers can also go wild on the options list with kit like Adaptive Chassis Control, rear-view camera and blind spot and lane assistance systems.
Useful for towing too, the Passat Alltrack has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg - 200 more than the standard Passat Estate.
Would you like to see this bundu-bashing Passat in South Africa?