Anyone moved from A6 Allroad to 2014 X5?
Discussion
Hi all, first post here.
I'm considering changing my 2010 A6 Allroad 3.0 TDi for a 2014 X5 xdrive40D SE (7 seat).
The Allroad has been superb. It goes well, has never skipped a beat in 65k miles and the little extra height has been genuinely useful in floods/snow/odd muddy field.
Borrowing a Discovery 4 for a recent trip to the south of France, I really liked the higher driving position. It's an extremely impressive drive given it's size but I would struggle with the performance, cornering and motorway thirst long-term. Build quality-wise, it's good but just not in the same league as the Germans.
I only need light 4x4 ability anyway so the X5 could easily cope and the small rear-most seats would only be for occasional use locally so not critical.
The Q7 is too big/tyre-hungry. I'm not keen on the M-class / Cayenne / RRS. The Touareg may be worth a look but I just don't recall seeing very many. The X5's road manners make it the obvious choice, although the new model is no looker in my view. They normally grow on me though.
I test drove the 2014 X5 30D and it handled well given it's height. It felt much slower than the Allroad despite being about the same on paper. The 40D should be much quicker and the latest version sounds (unbelievably?) efficient at 45 mpg average, particularly with 0-60 in under 6 seconds. Appreciate 45mpg is completely unachievable but I would hope to get mid 30's on a long trip (easily get 35-40 mpg currently).
The X5 suspension options are pretty confusing but that's tomorrow's problem. I'm not looking to shatter any lap times in an SUV so the SE is preferable over the M-sport - big saving too.
Any similar experience out there i.e. moving from large diesel estate to X5? If there are horror stories then my plan B is to ditch the height idea and go for the Allroad BiTdi. I do fancy a change though after 4 Audis.
Thanks - apols for the long post!
I'm considering changing my 2010 A6 Allroad 3.0 TDi for a 2014 X5 xdrive40D SE (7 seat).
The Allroad has been superb. It goes well, has never skipped a beat in 65k miles and the little extra height has been genuinely useful in floods/snow/odd muddy field.
Borrowing a Discovery 4 for a recent trip to the south of France, I really liked the higher driving position. It's an extremely impressive drive given it's size but I would struggle with the performance, cornering and motorway thirst long-term. Build quality-wise, it's good but just not in the same league as the Germans.
I only need light 4x4 ability anyway so the X5 could easily cope and the small rear-most seats would only be for occasional use locally so not critical.
The Q7 is too big/tyre-hungry. I'm not keen on the M-class / Cayenne / RRS. The Touareg may be worth a look but I just don't recall seeing very many. The X5's road manners make it the obvious choice, although the new model is no looker in my view. They normally grow on me though.
I test drove the 2014 X5 30D and it handled well given it's height. It felt much slower than the Allroad despite being about the same on paper. The 40D should be much quicker and the latest version sounds (unbelievably?) efficient at 45 mpg average, particularly with 0-60 in under 6 seconds. Appreciate 45mpg is completely unachievable but I would hope to get mid 30's on a long trip (easily get 35-40 mpg currently).
The X5 suspension options are pretty confusing but that's tomorrow's problem. I'm not looking to shatter any lap times in an SUV so the SE is preferable over the M-sport - big saving too.
Any similar experience out there i.e. moving from large diesel estate to X5? If there are horror stories then my plan B is to ditch the height idea and go for the Allroad BiTdi. I do fancy a change though after 4 Audis.
Thanks - apols for the long post!
I've just gone the other way philosophically - I've just changes my Touareg R-Line V6 245 for an A6 Allroad BiTDI.
The main reasons for the switch were performance and ride quality. While the Touareg handled well for a big old beast, this handling was achieved by putting hugely stiff springs in the suspension. This was all well and good on perfect tarmac, but if you pressed on on an imperfect road, the ride very quickly became over-bouncy and almost crashy. It's not an X5, but I've heard similar complaints from X5 drivers.
The A6 Allroad is like a magic carpet in comparison. Having the standard 18" wheels helps (and also helps give it a Q-car quality compared to the dozens on larger wheels).
I miss the high-up view, the panoramic roof and the heated steering wheel, but I don't miss the ride or the appalling stereo.
The main reasons for the switch were performance and ride quality. While the Touareg handled well for a big old beast, this handling was achieved by putting hugely stiff springs in the suspension. This was all well and good on perfect tarmac, but if you pressed on on an imperfect road, the ride very quickly became over-bouncy and almost crashy. It's not an X5, but I've heard similar complaints from X5 drivers.
The A6 Allroad is like a magic carpet in comparison. Having the standard 18" wheels helps (and also helps give it a Q-car quality compared to the dozens on larger wheels).
I miss the high-up view, the panoramic roof and the heated steering wheel, but I don't miss the ride or the appalling stereo.
Interesting. The BiTdi Allroad is very tempting, same price and seemingly good on mpg. Great exhaust rumble too, albeit fake! Does it feel as quick as it looks on paper?
Thanks for the tip re crashing ride on the poorer roads. We're surrounded by potholed roads where we live and cover 60-80 miles every day on them. I've had to replace 4 otherwise good tyres on the Allroad in the last 2 years just due to punctures - 2 in one week. I put much of it down to the 19 inch wheels so you made the right move sticking with the standard ones.
I'll try for a longer test in the X5 and find some back roads. Unfortunately there are no reviews anywhere for the new 40D as I think it's only just out in the last week or two.
Thanks for the tip re crashing ride on the poorer roads. We're surrounded by potholed roads where we live and cover 60-80 miles every day on them. I've had to replace 4 otherwise good tyres on the Allroad in the last 2 years just due to punctures - 2 in one week. I put much of it down to the 19 inch wheels so you made the right move sticking with the standard ones.
I'll try for a longer test in the X5 and find some back roads. Unfortunately there are no reviews anywhere for the new 40D as I think it's only just out in the last week or two.
I'd stick with the Allroad, or go for a newer one. The X5 doesn't offer anything that the Allroad doesn't, yet the Allroad has a few key benefits which the X5 lacks, including:
I never thought I'd much like the Allroad. Generally, I can't see what it offers for most of the year over an A6 Quattro, unless you can't park for toffee and need big plastic bumpers. Scratch that if you get colour coded bumpers. In deep snow, or if you ever need to drive down a rutted farm track and you wish you go 5mph faster than a normal A6, you might find it useful. That said, I really enjoyed the 2010 3.0 TDi Allroad I went out in, it's more than the sum of it's parts and gimmicks! It does at least offer some pleasure and enjoyment.
- Anonymity on the road,
- It drives and handles like a car, albeit a taller one, so no great shake but not a hulking turd like the X5,
- A decent seating position, unlike the X5's goofy Ford Transit-esque effort,
- A better aerodynamic profile, again a benefit of not being a hulking, square turd of a machine
- More load space
I never thought I'd much like the Allroad. Generally, I can't see what it offers for most of the year over an A6 Quattro, unless you can't park for toffee and need big plastic bumpers. Scratch that if you get colour coded bumpers. In deep snow, or if you ever need to drive down a rutted farm track and you wish you go 5mph faster than a normal A6, you might find it useful. That said, I really enjoyed the 2010 3.0 TDi Allroad I went out in, it's more than the sum of it's parts and gimmicks! It does at least offer some pleasure and enjoyment.
The exhaust rumble is actually very good. Makes it sound like an old-school V8 both inside and outside of the car, to the point that other petrol head friends of mine wouldn't believe that it wasn't a V8.
In terms of performance, it's every bit as quick as a B8 S4 that I had when pressing on, and quicker than the S4 when you're not driving at 10/10ths. It's the torque that's mighty - even in 8th gear at 70mph (geared at 50mph/1000rpm) it can out-accelerate pretty much anything else around without needing to drop a gear. There's also very little around that can touch it at the traffic light GP too.
Edit: if you're anywhere near Coventry, i'll happily give you a demo.
In terms of performance, it's every bit as quick as a B8 S4 that I had when pressing on, and quicker than the S4 when you're not driving at 10/10ths. It's the torque that's mighty - even in 8th gear at 70mph (geared at 50mph/1000rpm) it can out-accelerate pretty much anything else around without needing to drop a gear. There's also very little around that can touch it at the traffic light GP too.
Edit: if you're anywhere near Coventry, i'll happily give you a demo.
Edited by legless on Monday 28th April 19:20
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