By Jeff Glucker
Practical, stylish, and still fun to drive. When I use those terms that means I’m talking about a wagon. I love the long roofs, and Audi in particular makes some wonderfully choice examples. Their latest though, is a revival of the Allroad name. It’s based on the A4 Avant but it benefts from 7.1-inches of ground clearance and a bit of extra cladding on the fenders.
The original Audi Allroad rode on the A6 platform, featured adjustable suspension and a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, and it was also capable of making it through the Land Rover test course. That’s a serious gauntlet laid down right there, and I am curious is the new version can rise to the challenge. What was the best way to find out? By getting dirty…
[youtube width=”720″ height=”405″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUoEfuaGvNs[/youtube]
[Disclaimer: Audi let us borrow the Allroad for a week, and included a tank of gas. I proceeded to get the car filthy, and left it that way for a few days to scare off lesser wagons, boring crossovers, and crisp clean SUVs. I washed it before giving it back of course, but there was still some mud in the fenders and on the exhaust outlets. Sorry, Audi.]
Kamil Kaluski 
William Byrd
Notas expensive, but probably good enough
<img src="http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/image48868_b.jpg" width="600">
Skoda Scout
I think you did a pretty fair review, and I would tend to agree that the new Allroad isn't quite the same as the old one. It's always hard to top the original, though.
So basically buy an older one is what I'm getting from this. Although, I'll admit I think the new one looks ten times better.
Well, the older one is probably going to have a few issues though too… so there's that. Yes, the new one does look pretty good.
There's the rub. The old ones are starting to reach 100,000+ miles. Those two turbos aren't going to live forever.
And the airbag suspension… A lot of things to go south on the old allroads.
Thats true, but you can get an older one for less than ten grand, and some people would rather spend the money keeping something older on the road.
I wouldn't take any Audi wagon off the road, allroad or no, unless I really enjoyed broken plastic and bent wheels. And the original allroad wheels tended to fill up with mud or snow and get really out of balance.
It's kind of one of those vehicles that just doesn't go far enough in its mission. It does at least seem like a good car for snowier regions, though.
Wellingtons vs. Hunters. Some basic rubber boots will get the job done and work well but people are still willing fork out significantly more for Hunters.
Yes, your name was the inspiration for the analogy!
I feel so honored. 😛
Especially since Hunters don't have the quality any more that people think they're buying.
What I don't understand about the reviews surrounding the A4 Allroad is why no one is asking the obvious question; why should you fork out more money for the Allroad when you could get the outgoing Avant, which looks way, way better, for significantly less?