Audi calls it the perfect crossover estate car, combining the versatility of an A4 Avant with the lifestyle attributes of an off-road vehicle.
That’s right, folks, Audi’s allroad badge is back – but this time in A4 guise (it was available from 2001 to 2004, but within the A6 range).
The A4 allroad quattro is easily recognisable with its tell-tale raised ride height of 180mm, stainless steel under-body guard, roof rails, stone guards, single frame grille with vertical chrome bars, and a more rugged-looking range of wheels. It also gets the new headlights and bumper from the recent A4 facelift.
OFF-ROAD DETECTION
The suspension’s been tweaked, too, with the latest-generation quattro permanent all-wheel-drive technology and ESP off-road detection (which detects the condition of the driving surface and adapts the ESC stability system accordingly), both of which are standard.
Buyers with an adventurous side have two engine options with the new allroad, petrol or diesel, with both 2-litre in size, force-fed, and available in S tronic only. The 2.0T FSI quattro makes 155kW and 350Nm, while the oil-burner, the 2.0 TDI, is good for 130kW and 380Nm.
DECENT STORAGE SPACE
The former should burn about 7.3 litres per 100km, the latter in the region of six litres per 100km; idle stop features in either model. Storage space is decent, too, with 1430 litres available from the Avant with rear seats down (490 with seats up), while options worth considering include a load-securing pack and an electric tailgate.
The A4 allroad 2.0T FSI is priced at R433 000, while the 2.0 TDI will set you back just five grand more – each of which includes a five-year or 100 000km service plan.
The new allroad replaces all other A4 Avant models in South Africa, exept for S4 and the recently launched RS4.