I have a similar issue with the Alltrack. A regular, manual Golf S is a $20k car, and that MSRP seems about right considering the comfort, quality, features, and refinement are at the economy car level. Adding AWD and stretching the tail to make it a Sportwagen S raises the price to $25k (or $26k w/ auto), at which point some of the compact CUVs like CX-5 Sport start to make it seem a little overpriced. Then, if you want climate control, power seats, navigation, or driver assistance features, you have to go all the way up to the Alltrack SEL trim. An SEL with the $2k package that provides nav and safety tech is $36k. At that price point, you might expect a premium-ish interior and some refinement, but instead you get leatherette, hard plastics, dated driver information displays, and a noisy cabin.