Audi A4 allroad 2012 Review

The latest addition to the range is the A4 allroad, which as its name suggests is closely based on the mid-size A4 Avant wagon, just as its big brother, the A6 allroad – which has just appeared here in third-generation guise - is based on the A6 Avant.

The A4 allroad has actually been around since 2009 but only in the wake of a recent A4 midlife facelift has it been brought to Australia. That’s because it is now available in the preferred drivetrain – a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine mated to a seven speed S tronic (dual-clutch) transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Previously, the diesel was manual-only.

Audi describes the A4 allroad as a limited-edition, although that only means when it gets close to 150 sales it will organise a fresh supply, but with the specification varied from the current package.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

So the A4 allroad faces a lot of internal competition, which is no surprise considering how congested Audi’s range is these days.
But Audi says its smallest allroad is aimed at a buyer who hungers for car-like driving behaviour mixed with off-road capability sans SUV ride height, bulk and style.

What the allroad has going for it is plenty of equipment, including Xenon headlights with LED driving lights, an electro-mechanical park brake, cruise control, keyless entry and start, foglights, 10-speaker audio, Bluetooth, three-zone climate-control, MMI controller with sat-nav, powered front seats and a combination of natural and artificial leather trim. The spare wheel is a collapsible space-saver with compressor.

The allroad is distinguished from the Avant via its 37mm higher ride height, vertical bars in the single-frame grille, pronounced bumpers and large air inlets, stainless steel underbody guard, roof-rails, flared wheel-arches and 17-inch alloy wheels.

And despite being a ‘limited edition’, there are plenty of options including metallic paint ($1650), a powered sunroof ($2850) and a powered tailgate ($1050).

The 2.0-litre common-rail direct-injection 16-valve engine makes 130kW at 4200rpm and 380Nm between 1750rpm and 4200rpm with the aid of a variable-geometry turbo and an intercooler.

With the assistance of an automatic idle-stop function, the fuel consumption claim is 6.0L/00km and CO2 is emitted at a rate of 156g/km.

Audi claims an 8.1-second 0-100km/h acceleration time, which is quite respectable given its 1670kg kerb weight.

The seven-speed gearbox can be shifted manually via the lever or steering wheel paddles. It includes a launch control function for faster starts.

The quattro system is based on a mechanical centre differential and with the aid of torque vectoring nominally directs drive 60 per cent to the rear, although depending on conditions that can switch up to 65 per cent to the front or 85 per cent to the rear.

Ride height is 180mm and the A4 allroad is suspended via multi-links front and rear. The car’s track is 1583mm at the front and 1574mm at the rear – some 19 and 23mm wider than the A4 Avant.

The electro-mechanical rack-and-pinion steering has speed-dependent power assistance, which provides a claimed fuel consumption reduction of up to 0.3L/100km. Braking is via 314mm front discs and 300mm rears, aided by ABS, EBD and brake assist.

The A4 allroad rolls on 225/55R17 rubber, although 18 and 19-inch options are also offered.

Luggage capacity is 490 litres with all five seats in place. However, that expands to 1430 litres and a 1.78-metre length with the rear seat folded.
Load area width is exactly one metre.

The interior is of typically high Audi quality, although driving it on the same day as the $117,900 A6 Allroad emphasised the understandable quality gap between different pricing grades.

There was less evidence of piano black and metal trim in the A4 and more obvious plastic. Perhaps one positive was the reduction of buttons and controls in the A4. However, from roller buttons on the steering wheel to the MMI’s drill-down menus, there was still plenty for the driver to learn.

It doesn’t take long to get comfortable behind the wheel thanks to a fully adjustable steering column, a large and supportive seat and such appreciated details such as a well-placed left footrest. There are also plentiful storage options up front.

However, it’s not quite so impressive in the rear. Outboard passengers will have no complaints about space, but the middle-rear seat is just about useless. The transmission tunnel cruels leg space, the seat is too high and the backrest is hard because of the flip-down armrest.

Storage is also poor; there are no seat-back pockets and no cupholders, although here are angled bottle holders in the doors.

In the luggage compartment the cover and partition safety netting are stored in separate compartments. Additionally, there are fastening rings and bag hooks as well as a shelf on one side with an adjustable net.

The stability control system features an Off Road Detection mode which identifies driving surfaces and tolerates more wheelspin when appropriate. However, the ESP/traction control system cannot be fully disengaged.

While the A4 allroad has not been independently crash-tested, the A4 upon which it is based has been awarded five stars by ANCAP. However, that result is based on Euro NCAP results for a left-hand drive petrol four-cylinder sedan.

Other crossovers which have a similar concept but a lower price include the Subaru Outback and Skoda Octavia Scout. As this was written, Volkswagen was about to join the party with the Passat Alltrack.

Such conditions place a premium on stability and grip and there’s no doubt the allroad has a heap of both, happily chugging up and down loose, slimy country roads with confidence.

Quattro did its part, smoothly shuttling power forward and aft as we negotiated the challenges. But the wider front and rear tracks also contributed to this assured feeling, as did reliable and accurate steering.

Maybe the closet rally driver in me yearned for more throttle adjustability and a skerrick of lift-off oversteer, but that was quashed by the overwhelming sense as a parent that this is a car secure enough to entrust the family to.

There’s also not much to complain about when it comes to ride quality and noise intrusion, as the allroad handles both well.

The drivetrain provides solid and unspectacular returns. There’s no doubt the 2.0-litre engine – for all its smoothness and quietness – feels the car’s weight on the uphills, necessitating some heavy throttle use and even manual shifting via the steering wheel paddles. That’s not an unpleasant experience thanks to S tronic’s slick operation.

Somewhat annoyingly though, S tronic tends to head for the tallest gear as quickly as possible in the interests of fuel economy when cruising.

However, response is prompt when the throttle is pressed, with little evidence of turbo lag or dual-clutch indecision.

So there’s no doubt the A4 allroad is a pleasant drive and a decent package overall. It’s easy to see a few people really liking it, but a hell of a lot more will prefer the cheaper, SUV-look Q5 2.0 TDI.

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