Quick, agile wagon ready for all roads

Times Colonist
January 9, 2013

The 2013 Audi Allroad replaces the A4 Avant wagon. ItÕs larger and handles better than the previous model.

First things first. The all-new Audi Allroad is ready to take on all roads, and it does so confidently and in style.

But there’s a reason they called it the Allroad, not the Offroad. Oh, it has stainless steel skid plates and 180.3 millimetres of clearance, but this is a timid creature if you’re talking boulders and serious off-road terrain. It has no low-range gearing or hill descent control. Even Audi folks would shrug at the thought of getting too daring.

Still, I found the Allroad to be game on most reasonable surfaces, including gravel and sand.

This is the second go-round for the Allroad. More than a decade ago, it was a little more rugged, had adjustable air suspension and was based on the A6. This time it’s based on the A4 and sports a smaller engine. No more 300-hp V-8 or even the 250-hp V-6.

But it is as quick and bold as the V-6. Each Allroad comes with a turbocharged 2.0-litre, inline four-cylinder engine that produces 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. That’s good for a zero-to-60 run of around 6.6 seconds. Not bad for a multiple-surface vehicle.

It is mated to a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic and Audi’s superb Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Replacing Audi’s A4 Avant wagon from last year, the 2013 Allroad comes with some new perks. First, the five-passenger Allroad is bigger — 63.5 millimetres taller, and a bit wider and longer, too. That contributes to more cargo space inside and improved handling.

Second, its clean, classy interior is perhaps the best in its class. More on that in a minute.

The Allroad is surprisingly fun to drive, even sporty. There is good feedback from the new electric-boosted steering, and road feel is decent, too. But its higher road clearance means compromises on the corners, i.e. more body roll.

Acceleration is eager from the stoplight and in the passing lane. Go for the optional Drive Select system and you get improved steering, throttle and tranny response.

The ride is on the firmer side but not so much that a long ride has everyone grumbling for rest stops.

What will keep everyone — including the driver — really happy is on the inside. In a word, it’s luxurious.

The materials are top-of-the-line and the fit is exquisite.

Leather-trimmed upholstery is standard and the seats are supportive — especially in the lumbar region — and comfortable for the long ride.

The graphics in the nav system are among the best in the business. All the functions are easily accessed near the shift lever.

And the whole system is sensible and user friendly.

Visibility is good all around. And so is storage, with 1,444 litres with the rear seats folded down but still an adequate 481 litres with passengers seated in the second row.

OK, the Allroad is beginning to sound good to you. Well, now you have some decisions to make. It comes in three aptly-named trims, the Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige.

Premium gets 18-inch wheels, eight-way power seats (leather, of course) with four-way power lumbar, plus 10-speaker audio and a package of Bluetooth and iPod. bi-xenon headlamps and LED running lamps.

Move up to the Premium Plus and get a power liftgate, driver memory functions and three-zone climate.

The Prestige adds adaptive headlamps, keyless ignition, blind-spot warning and 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio.

The navigation system, optional on the Plus and standard on the Prestige, includes rear-view camera, rear parking sensors and Audi /Connect Web services.

And a Sport package for the Premium Plus gets better bolstered seats, 12-way power seats and paddle shifters on a three-spoke wheel.

For safety, beyond the optional adaptive headlamps, blind-spot warnings and parking assistance, Allroad has ABS, stability and traction control and side bags with side-curtain air bags for front seat passengers. Rear seat air bags are optional.

Caution: With all the options and packages, you can drive up the base price by $10,000! So choose carefully.

If you seek a roomy, rugged wagon with the added benefit of a smart, sophisticated interior, this Audi is ready to hit the road.

All roads, even.