Audi A6 Allroad takes on SUVs
Sitting higher than a station wagon, this vehicle is a sturdy off-roader
The Audi A6 Allroad was first introduced in 1999, and above is the fourth generation of the model. Photo: Liz Dobson
It’s not a station wagon. It’s not an SUV. Instead, Audi has made a combination of the two and created the A6 Allroad.
Priced from $134,900, the Allroad* sits 45mm higher on the road than its sibling, the A6 Avant (Audi’s name for a wagon).
To also differentiate it from the Avant, it has a special grille and 20in wheels.
The A6 Allroad sits higher than then Avant. Photo: Liz Dobson
It also has more off-road capability than the standard A6 sedan thanks to an adjustable air suspension and features such as hill-descent control.
It also has the standard quattro four-wheel drive for greater traction on poor surfaces.
The A6 Allroad was first launched in 1999 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019 as a fourth generation model.
It has a 3-litre diesel engine producing 257kW and 700Nm, direct injection and plus an eight-speed transmission.
The A6 Allroad offers seven driving modes that alter the stiffness and ride height of its suspension, including "all-road" and "off-road" for driving off-road.
On long motorway journeys, it’s at its best when set to Auto or Comfort. When set to Off Road mode, the A6 Allroad is 60mm higher than a regular A6 Avant, providing extra clearance on rutted, uneven roads that we faced driving to Parihoa for the shoot in early March.
The air suspension also helps when the boot is heavily loaded, providing a self-levelling feature that prevents the car’s rear end from sagging on its wheels.
The Allroad has different settings including hill-descent control. Photo: Liz Dobson
Inside the Allroad, there is plenty of head-and legroom and it has Audi’s superb infotainment system.
It has Audi’s virtual cockpit plus that has all-digital 12in infoscreen for the driver that allows you to choose between classic, dynamic or sport presentation.
It’s not exactly entertaining, but it feels very planted and secure on challenging roads. That’s partly because it comes with Audi’s traction-enhancing quattro four-wheel drive system.
The A6 Allroad gets the virtual cockpit for the driver. Photo: Liz Dobson
The A6 Allroad’s steering is nicely weighted but offers very little feedback, and there’s noticeable body lean when you take corners at speed.
But what is in its favour is that it is a suitable rival to SUVs that dominate new vehicle sales.
It looks the part of a sturdy off-roader, and can cope with the rutted paddocks of Parihoa farm plus being lower to the ground means you can have a more spirited drive than an SUV.
*The photo shoot for the Audi A6 Allroad took place at Parihoa, Muriwai on March 4, 2020.