It’s been almost 10 years since an Audi model wearing the allroad moniker has been available on the local market. With the introduction of the A4 allroad, Audi’s South African arm looks to net buyers who want the gravel road capability of a compact SUV but prefer the overall packaging afforded by the firm’s Avant models.
What is it?
Essentially, the Audi A4 allroad quattro will now form the entry point into the firm’s range of Avant (Audi parlance for station wagon) models with the standard Avants making way for this model, the sporty S4 and the fire-breathing RS4 Avant models. It also bridges the gap between the Q3 and Q5 in Audi’s model line-up.
Stylistically, the A4 allroad is a more rugged take on the standard A4 Avant with a such features as a revised version of the signature single-frame grill, lower body cladding, a series of chrome accents on such components as the roof rails and side skirts and a selection of model-specific alloy wheels. The interior remains largely unchanged from that of most A4 models while the luggage capacity stands at 490-1 430 dm3.
Anything other than styling?
The most prominent of the A4 allroad’s features has to be the ride height, which has been raised to 180 mm. Stainless steel under-body guard plates that offer some protection from rougher obstacles supplement this additional ground clearance to give the allroad a respectable degree of ability off the beaten track. Audi has also mildly retuned the suspension to accommodate the raised ride height and augmented the quattro all-wheel drivetrain with an ESP odd-road protection system that modulates traction control to better compensate for challenging surfaces such as mud and gravel where too much ESP intervention can hamper proceedings.
What’s it like to drive?
Two models are offered, both of which are coupled with Audi’s S tronic transmission. The 2,0T FSI turbopetrol develops 155 kW/350 N.m, while the 2,0 TDI turbodiesel produces 130 kW/380 N.m. The petrol engine is a free-revving unit that does a respectable job of propelling what is a heavy vehicle at a decent lick. While it feels every bit its 155 kW, it has to be said that the turbodiesel’s additional 30 N.m of torque makes itself felt at lower revs. The raised ride height doesn’t seem to have negatively impacted on the ride quality, which remains pliant, nor does it hamper the car’s attitude during cornering. The overall feel is typically A4; refined with little in the way of engine/road noise intrusion, pleasantly weighted steering and the slightly nose-heavy, understeery feel that accompanies most of Audi’s all-wheel drive offerings – which is hardly a bad thing when you factor in the high levels of grip afforded by the all-wheel drive system.
The Western Cape launch route involved a fair amount of gravel road driving, and here the A4 allroad seemed well within its element. The allroad didn’t appear to be afflicted by the fishtailing that often accompanies brisk driving on loose surfaces, nor did sudden changes in road surface from tar to gravel unsettle it. Broadly speaking, there’s little to separate the allroad’s driving manners from that of any of the more road-biased A4 Avant models.
Who’s it aimed at and what do you get?
Audi has levelled the allroad at the active lifestyle set who need some additional lugging space but don’t require the outright off-road ability of an SUV. There are very few of these crossover station wagons on the local market, with only the Subaru Legacy Outback and the ageing Volvo XC70 Cross Country being comparable in terms of packaging. In terms of standard equipment, Audi has fitted the allroad with such features as cruise control, auto headlamps and wipers, Bluetooth and 17-inch alloy wheels. The pricing stands at R433 000 for the 2,0T FSI and R438 000 for the 2,0 TDI, both inclusive of a 5 year/100 000 km maintenance plan.
Overall
The A4 allroad’s biggest challenge remains that which has lead to the wide-scale demise of the station wagon; compact SUVs. Our market’s preference towards SUVs is understandable, especially given the macho connotations they carry. But for those after a more car-like package that offers civilised road manners with enough off-road ability to suit most needs the A4 allroad makes a good deal of sense.