Audi / A4 / Allroad
Our opinion
NO SOONER did we arrive at the drive loop for the new Audi A4 Allroad in the north of Queensland than torrential rain started to fall.
Audi Australia should thank its lucky stars, because surfaces like slippery bitumen and soggy gravel were where this all-wheel-drive crossover came into its own.
As a concept, the Allroad makes a lot of sense for Australia. The regular A4 Avant sells in limited numbers here, with the overwhelming majority of buyers opting for the higher-riding Q5 – the equivalent version of which is more than $7000 cheaper than the all-new Allroad.
This trend is a wider one, with SUV sales through the roof and now comprising close to 40 per cent of total new vehicles sales here.
Therefore, it seems a natural fit to create a vehicle that offers some of the higher ride and promise of adventure at the core of vehicles like the Q5, but retains the dynamics and premium style of the A4 wagon and is styled for buyers after something a little rare and unorthodox.
Those signature Audi black plastic wheel arches won’t be to all tastes – to our eyes the look a touch cheap – but they at least serve to differentiate the Allroad from its more tarmac-bound siblings.
Our drive loop took a wide selection of winding bitumen, gravel, mud and even the occasional water crossing – in other words, just the kind of territory for which this kind of crossover was made – and the Allroad scarcely missed a beat.
It’s no hardcore off-roader, but more than capable of reaching that slightly out-of-the-way picnic spot, hiking trail or – perhaps more importantly – snow resort.
The first thing you notice behind the wheel is the extra 37mm of ride height – not much in the grand scheme but enough to give the jacked-up A4 a more commanding view of the road. Audi has offset the dynamic downsides of this marginally higher centre of gravity by widening the wheel tracks by between 19mm and 23mm.
While the damping is firm for a crossover, the extra wheel travel afforded by the higher ride still affords an extra level of bump absorption over the regular A4. As a result, the ride is excellent and soaks up bumps without being thrown off-line by them either.
The quattro all-wheel-drive system gives the Allroad excellent traction in the wet and the car felt assured and planted in slippery conditions. We didn’t think twice about progressively ramping up the power delivery mid-corner or taking-on a gravel chicane with gusto.
The quattro drivetrain’s rear-axle bias also helps the engine puts its power down without axle-tramping like many front-drive Audi’s we’ve driven, and while plough-on understeer can be provoked without fuss, it remains fairly nimble for a vehicle of this type – noticeably more so that the bigger A6.
As with the rest of the recently facelifted A4 range, the Allroad gets a more efficient electric steering system in place of the old mechanical version. We think this version felt better than the similar system in the A6, offering more weight and speed off-centre.
This more nimble and dynamic feel over the A6 is no doubt assisted by the reduction of weight over the front wheels, with a smaller four-cylinder diesel in place of the A6’s oil-burning V6.
The 130kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine fitted as standard is a good match for the Allroad, taking a brief and laggy moment to respond but offering flexible power delivery from around 2000rpm and a pleasantly deep – but not gruff – note in the process.
The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is a good match in D mode, but as with many VW Group units is prone to holding onto gears for too long in sporty S mode.
The cabin is pure A4, meaning excellent build quality, a logical layout and soft-touch materials, coupled with excellent seats and a clear and high-mounted MMI screen.
We were less enamoured of the fiddly air conditioning dials and the lack of a standard USB point – the latter a feature of many circa-$15k light cars, so why not a circa-$70k Audi?
As with the regular A4, rear seat legroom is tight for taller drivers and the rear bench is too firm, but cargo space is better than most compact SUVs. It would be better, however, if the rear seats folded completely flat.
First impressions of the Allroad, then, are pretty positive. Audi attempted to create a more dynamic and offbeat alternative to the mainstream compact SUV, and has, by and large, nailed it.
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Price and equipment
AS its name suggests, the A4 Allroad is based on the A4 Avant and is priced at $69,900 plus on roads.
Conceptually similar cars including the Skoda Octavia Scout and the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack are cheaper by $26,000 or $20,000 respectively.
It can be argued of course that the Audi is a more premium offering and should therefore carry a higher sticker price, but how much more should you be paying over a couple of vehicles that also hail from the Volkswagen Group?
The Allroad is also $10,000 more expensive than the regular A4 Avant 2.0 TDI which retails for $60,900. But, then again, it is also just $2400 more expensive than the 2.0-litre petrol all-wheel drive A4 Avant, which seems much more reasonable.
The Allroad gets a few more goodies and SUV-like styling flourishes such as cladding on the lower part of the vehicle, beefier wheel arches and roof rails, and some people will be happy to pay the extra for the more macho-looking version.
For the extra outlay you also get a higher ride, with the Allroad adding 37mm to the ground clearance of the regular A4 Avant for a total of 180mm.
Because it is an all-wheel drive, Audi has also included an off-road driving program that can identify road surfaces and adjust the traction control when needed.
Standard features include a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and rear-view parking camera, Bluetooth, 10-speaker sound system, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, Xenon headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels.
There is one thing that the A4 Allroad has over its competitors and that is exclusivity. Audi has allocated just 150 units for the Allroad’s first year of sale in Australia and will gauge the response before making a decision on whether to increase that number.
Interior
AFTER recently spending some time in the entry-level variant of Audi’s top-selling Q5 mid-size SUV, we came away a little disappointed with the less-than premium feel of the cabin.
We are happy to report that the interior of the Allroad is a much more luxurious affair.
A lot of darkly coloured materials are used but the cabin is far from gloomy. In fact there is a lovely cosseting feel about the interior of the Allroad which is due in part to the size of the vehicle and the design of the interior.
Dash materials have a quality feel and the leather used on both the seats and the steering wheel feel top notch.
The dash has a much more appealing design than the Q5 and there is no question you are sitting in an Audi.
As with other Audis we have driven recently, the Allroad’s sat-nav and infotainment controls are easily accessible in the centre console and you don’t need a physics degree to operate them.
Sound quality for the Bluetooth audio and phone is of a high standard.
The Allroad test car had an occasional rattle that we think was coming from under the centre of the dash, close to the audio speakers and while it wasn’t constant, it was a slightly irritating distraction.
Somewhat unfairly, we tested the rear seat legroom by ferrying a six foot two adult male around Melbourne who said that it was a tad squishy in the back. We imagine children would fare better.
Boot space for the Allroad is 490 litres with the seats up and 1430 litres with them down – the Passat Alltrack and Octavia Scout have 588 and 580 litre capacities respectively seats-up.
Engine and transmission
AUDI’S 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that powers the Allroad is lifted straight from other variants in the A4 line-up and paired with the Quattro all-wheel drive system.
Outputs of 130kW and 380Nm are enough to propel the 1670kg crossover with gusto. A zero to 100km/h sprint time of 8.1 seconds is sprightly, and there is plenty of torque on tap once on the move.
The seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission was generally imperceptible in regular D mode, but held onto low gears for too long in S mode pottering around town.
While Audi’s auto stop/start function is great for saving fuel, when combined with a turbo-diesel, there was a noticeable delay when accelerating.
This wasn’t a problem until we had to put our foot down to make it through a busy Melbourne intersection after a being slowed by a texting driver in front of us.
We made it through unscathed but we were very much aware of it after that.
Our drive in the Allroad took us from the streets of Melbourne to the Golden Plains Shire near Geelong and we managed to better Audi’s fuel consumption figure of 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle.
We recorded an impressive 5.3L/100km for highway driving and 5.6L/100km around town.
Ride and handling
HAVING a slightly higher ride and SUV-like styling thankfully did not translate to the handling and performance of the German-built car.
The Allroad has A4 underpinnings meaning it handled well and was not lofty enough to have any body roll issues. In fact, when we first sat in the Allroad, we did not even notice the additional ride height.
Taking the Allroad on some winding country roads was a pleasant experience, with the vehicle holding its nerve and tucking in neatly, even when it was being pushed into corners.
We didn’t get a chance to see how the Allroad managed on the rough stuff but given that it is based on a mid-size station wagon, we probably wouldn’t take it to the outback or test its ability on a hardcore off-road track.
In saying that, the bumps that we encountered on our drive through the city streets and on country highways were soaked up beautifully by the Allroad.
Overall, while the ride of the Allroad didn’t set us on fire, it certainly provided a spirited and even sporty drive that left very little to complain about.
Safety and servicing
THE Audi A4 range has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and the Allroad is kitted out with all of the necessary goodies including eight airbags, the Attention Assist fatigue detection system, Audi’s electronic stabilisation program with an off-road detection system and speed-sensitive power steering.
Audi covers the high-riding A4 with a three year unlimited kilometre warranty and the service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km.
Verdict
THERE is clearly a lot to like about the A4 Allroad.
It looks a bit sexy and has a beautifully laid out interior with high quality materials that feel classy and easy-to-use gadgets.
Fuel economy was excellent and the turbo-diesel engine was impressive, despite the turbo lag.
Audi has produced a dynamically solid car that was a pleasure to drive around town and on a lazy Sunday drive in the country.
But with a number of cheaper rivals that also hail from Europe, is $69,900 too much to pay for a jacked-up A4 wagon?
Some people won’t question the value of the Allroad, given that the limited allocation provides instant exclusivity, while others will deal with a less-premium European badge for around $20,000 in change.
For those willing to fork out the extra cash, they will enjoy a very competent, stylish and well-rounded prestige offering.
And with such limited availability, you are all but guaranteed to be the only person on your block with one parked in the driveway.
Rivals
1. Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2.0 125TDI – From $47,790 plus on-road costs. Generous specification levels, excellent fuel economy and clear value for money make this a tempting proposition.
2. Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 103TDI Premium – From $43,990 plus on-road costs. Skoda offers even better value for money but misses out on the performance of the Audi and the Volkswagen.
3. Subaru Forester 2.0D-S From $43,990 plus on-road costs. An Asutralian favourite, the Forester might not have the badge cache of the European cars but it is a solid performer off road and good value.
Specs
Make and model: Audi A4 Allroad Quattro 2.0 TDI
Engine type: 2.0-litre four cylinder diesel
Layout: All-wheel drive
Power: 130kW @ 4200
Torque: 380Nm @ 2500
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
0-100km: 8.1 seconds
Fuel consumption: 6.0L/100km
CO2 rating: 156g/km
Dimensions: 4721mm long/ 1841 wide/ 1495 high/ 2805mm wheelbase
Weight: 1670kg
Suspension: Five link front/independent-wheel trapezoidal link rear
Steering: Electromechanical steering
Price: $69,900
AS its name suggests, the A4 Allroad is based on the A4 Avant and is priced at $69,900 plus on roads.
Conceptually similar cars including the Skoda Octavia Scout and the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack are cheaper by $26,000 or $20,000 respectively.
It can be argued of course that the Audi is a more premium offering and should therefore carry a higher sticker price, but how much more should you be paying over a couple of vehicles that also hail from the Volkswagen Group?
The Allroad is also $10,000 more expensive than the regular A4 Avant 2.0 TDI which retails for $60,900. But, then again, it is also just $2400 more expensive than the 2.0-litre petrol all-wheel drive A4 Avant, which seems much more reasonable.
The Allroad gets a few more goodies and SUV-like styling flourishes such as cladding on the lower part of the vehicle, beefier wheel arches and roof rails, and some people will be happy to pay the extra for the more macho-looking version.
For the extra outlay you also get a higher ride, with the Allroad adding 37mm to the ground clearance of the regular A4 Avant for a total of 180mm.
Because it is an all-wheel drive, Audi has also included an off-road driving program that can identify road surfaces and adjust the traction control when needed.
Standard features include a seven-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation and rear-view parking camera, Bluetooth, 10-speaker sound system, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, Xenon headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels.
There is one thing that the A4 Allroad has over its competitors and that is exclusivity. Audi has allocated just 150 units for the Allroad’s first year of sale in Australia and will gauge the response before making a decision on whether to increase that number.
Interior
AFTER recently spending some time in the entry-level variant of Audi’s top-selling Q5 mid-size SUV, we came away a little disappointed with the less-than premium feel of the cabin.
We are happy to report that the interior of the Allroad is a much more luxurious affair.
A lot of darkly coloured materials are used but the cabin is far from gloomy. In fact there is a lovely cosseting feel about the interior of the Allroad which is due in part to the size of the vehicle and the design of the interior.
Dash materials have a quality feel and the leather used on both the seats and the steering wheel feel top notch.
The dash has a much more appealing design than the Q5 and there is no question you are sitting in an Audi.
As with other Audis we have driven recently, the Allroad’s sat-nav and infotainment controls are easily accessible in the centre console and you don’t need a physics degree to operate them.
Sound quality for the Bluetooth audio and phone is of a high standard.
The Allroad test car had an occasional rattle that we think was coming from under the centre of the dash, close to the audio speakers and while it wasn’t constant, it was a slightly irritating distraction.
Somewhat unfairly, we tested the rear seat legroom by ferrying a six foot two adult male around Melbourne who said that it was a tad squishy in the back. We imagine children would fare better.
Boot space for the Allroad is 490 litres with the seats up and 1430 litres with them down – the Passat Alltrack and Octavia Scout have 588 and 580 litre capacities respectively seats-up.
Engine and transmission
AUDI’S 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that powers the Allroad is lifted straight from other variants in the A4 line-up and paired with the Quattro all-wheel drive system.
Outputs of 130kW and 380Nm are enough to propel the 1670kg crossover with gusto. A zero to 100km/h sprint time of 8.1 seconds is sprightly, and there is plenty of torque on tap once on the move.
The seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission was generally imperceptible in regular D mode, but held onto low gears for too long in S mode pottering around town.
While Audi’s auto stop/start function is great for saving fuel, when combined with a turbo-diesel, there was a noticeable delay when accelerating.
This wasn’t a problem until we had to put our foot down to make it through a busy Melbourne intersection after a being slowed by a texting driver in front of us.
We made it through unscathed but we were very much aware of it after that.
Our drive in the Allroad took us from the streets of Melbourne to the Golden Plains Shire near Geelong and we managed to better Audi’s fuel consumption figure of 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle.
We recorded an impressive 5.3L/100km for highway driving and 5.6L/100km around town.
Ride and handling
HAVING a slightly higher ride and SUV-like styling thankfully did not translate to the handling and performance of the German-built car.
The Allroad has A4 underpinnings meaning it handled well and was not lofty enough to have any body roll issues. In fact, when we first sat in the Allroad, we did not even notice the additional ride height.
Taking the Allroad on some winding country roads was a pleasant experience, with the vehicle holding its nerve and tucking in neatly, even when it was being pushed into corners.
We didn’t get a chance to see how the Allroad managed on the rough stuff but given that it is based on a mid-size station wagon, we probably wouldn’t take it to the outback or test its ability on a hardcore off-road track.
In saying that, the bumps that we encountered on our drive through the city streets and on country highways were soaked up beautifully by the Allroad.
Overall, while the ride of the Allroad didn’t set us on fire, it certainly provided a spirited and even sporty drive that left very little to complain about.
Safety and servicing
THE Audi A4 range has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and the Allroad is kitted out with all of the necessary goodies including eight airbags, the Attention Assist fatigue detection system, Audi’s electronic stabilisation program with an off-road detection system and speed-sensitive power steering.
Audi covers the high-riding A4 with a three year unlimited kilometre warranty and the service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km.
Verdict
THERE is clearly a lot to like about the A4 Allroad.
It looks a bit sexy and has a beautifully laid out interior with high quality materials that feel classy and easy-to-use gadgets.
Fuel economy was excellent and the turbo-diesel engine was impressive, despite the turbo lag.
Audi has produced a dynamically solid car that was a pleasure to drive around town and on a lazy Sunday drive in the country.
But with a number of cheaper rivals that also hail from Europe, is $69,900 too much to pay for a jacked-up A4 wagon?
Some people won’t question the value of the Allroad, given that the limited allocation provides instant exclusivity, while others will deal with a less-premium European badge for around $20,000 in change.
For those willing to fork out the extra cash, they will enjoy a very competent, stylish and well-rounded prestige offering.
And with such limited availability, you are all but guaranteed to be the only person on your block with one parked in the driveway.
Rivals
1. Volkswagen Passat Alltrack 2.0 125TDI – From $47,790 plus on-road costs. Generous specification levels, excellent fuel economy and clear value for money make this a tempting proposition.
2. Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 103TDI Premium – From $43,990 plus on-road costs. Skoda offers even better value for money but misses out on the performance of the Audi and the Volkswagen.
3. Subaru Forester 2.0D-S From $43,990 plus on-road costs. An Asutralian favourite, the Forester might not have the badge cache of the European cars but it is a solid performer off road and good value.
Specs
Make and model: Audi A4 Allroad Quattro 2.0 TDI
Engine type: 2.0-litre four cylinder diesel
Layout: All-wheel drive
Power: 130kW @ 4200
Torque: 380Nm @ 2500
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
0-100km: 8.1 seconds
Fuel consumption: 6.0L/100km
CO2 rating: 156g/km
Dimensions: 4721mm long/ 1841 wide/ 1495 high/ 2805mm wheelbase
Weight: 1670kg
Suspension: Five link front/independent-wheel trapezoidal link rear
Steering: Electromechanical steering
Price: $69,900
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