Audi A4 Allroad Review and Prices

If you love estate cars, but live down a bumpy track and constantly thwack the underside off rocks and logs, the Audi A4 Allroad will be right up your, er, trail. It’s essentially an Audi A4 Avant estate, but gets standard quattro all-wheel-drive, a dedicated off-road driving mode and 35mm of extra ground clearance for better off-road capability as well as chunkier exterior styling.

The A4 Allroad isn’t the only choice, mind. There’s also the raised-up and rough-stuff-ready Volvo V60 Cross Country and Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain to consider too.

It’s fair to say that the latest A4 Allroad, despite its recent update and chunkier tyres and ride height, is more restrained inside and out than its alternatives in terms of design. There are new LED lights and bumpers front and back, a flatter single-frame grille and bigger air intakes, but the A4 is still less in-your-face than the Volvo or Mercedes.

Inside, the Allroad remains simple, intuitive to use and stylish. It’s not quite as interesting to behold as the Mercedes’ design but the Audi’s numerous aluminium, wood and soft-plastic trims look classy and feel absolutely bulletproof. No other car this size is quite as well built. What is different to the pre-facelift version is the infotainment. Every Allroad gets a bright, high-definition 10-inch widescreen atop its dashboard, DAB radio, Bluetooth, built-in sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

You won’t have any trouble getting comfortable in the Allroad’s front seats. There’s loads of head- and legroom and plenty of seat adjustment as standard. Space in the back is very nearly as generous as up front. There’s enough room for a six-foot-tall passenger to stretch out behind an equally lanky driver and more headroom than in the V60 Cross Country.

If you tow horse boxes across muddy fields, though, the A4 Allroad will make a fine companion. If you regularly carry out serious off-roading, then there are better options.

The Avant’s 505-litre boot is very slightly smaller than the V60’s, although you probably won’t notice this difference unless you regularly fill your boot to the brim. However, if you want the best soft-road load-lugger, the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain’s boot is a fair bit bigger than either.

There are three engine choices for the Audi A4 Allroad – one petrol and two diesels. If you’re buying an Allroad as a company car or often travel long distances on the motorway then you’re probably better off buying a diesel. In which case the 190hp, 2.0-litre 40 TDI is the better choice. It feels eager to surge forward when accelerating, yet will return around 45mpg if driven carefully. The 245hp 45 TFSI petrol is smoother and quieter, but quite a bit thirstier so isn’t really worth considering.

The Audi A4 Allroad is an easy and comfortable car to drive across broken roads in town as well as down craggy tracks on its raised suspension. It doesn’t wander about in its lane on the motorway and there’s very little wind and road noise heard inside at higher speeds, too. However, if you value an agile drive then the lower A4 Avant keeps its body in better check around corners – although the Allroad is just as tidy to drive as the also-raised V60 Cross Country and E-Class All-Terrain.

So, while most people will be better off with the cheaper and just as spacious Audi A4 Avant, for those that need it the Allroad provides classy, quiet, comfortable transport on or off-road. Why not check out or deals pages to see just how much you could save on one?