Audi A6 Allroad is back and beefier than ever
Hardware changes, 8cm wider, all-wheel steering and off-road driving modes - job done
Everyone loves an Audi Allroad, don’t they? All the off-road ability that most could ever need (or most buy an SUV for, at least), with the style and usefulness of a large estate. It was a sad day in 2022 when Audi announced that no more Allroads would be coming to the UK. Because everyone was buying SUVs instead. And while there’s no confirmation yet that this latest, fifth-generation A6 Allroad will arrive here, its mere existence is surely reason to be cheerful.
Not least because this might be the best-looking Allroad, bulked up and filled out in a fashion that these A6s aren’t usually; the ride height raise and the arch cladding are a given, the 11cm increase in width rather less so. It makes for a meaner, more muscular Allroad than ever before, with big wheels and ‘signature allroad design elements’ like the hexagonal grille as well. It’s 8cm wider even than the last Allroad. Maybe you wouldn’t want to be taking 21s too far into the rough, but how good is this going to look outside school? Ten times cooler than a Q7, that’s for sure. Audi suggests its work makes the Allroad more striking than ever and gives the model ‘an incredibly powerful presence.’
There’s more than just the beefing up to distinguish the Allroad, too, with some off-road hardware to get it into and out of the most tricky National Trust car parks. So as well as a 34mm increase in ground clearance compared to an Avant (meaning there’s now 55mm of adjustment in the air suspension), all-wheel steer is standard, the tyres are wider, the steering is more stiffly mounted and the suspension has an Allroad calibration. It’s not going to outclimb a Defender, but it probably is going to be quite useful. Dedicated ‘offroad’ and ‘offroad+’ modes tweak ride height, traction control and damping to make for better progress in the dirt.
As is always the case with the Allroad, this latest car is only going to be offered with the more powerful engines in the A6 range. This time around, that means a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid with 367hp (and 60 miles of electric range) plus the new 299hp V6 diesel. Obviously both are quattro and auto only. But with the pair of steering axles, a little extra negative up front and stiffer bushes, Audi suggests both ‘noticeably improve steering response and provide more direct feedback from the road.’
Both Allroad models feature brake-by-wire, or integrated brake control system in Audi speak. This makes it simpler to offer the most efficient regen braking performance, yet with pedal feel said to be unaffected: the transition between regen and pad braking is ‘imperceptibly smooth and consistent.’ Up to 88kW of power can be recouped for the PHEV, and up to 25kW for the MHEV.
There’s a less drastic Allroad overhaul for the interior than the exterior. Much is as you were for a standard A6 - screens everywhere, ChatGPT in the infotainment, ambient lighting aplenty - with a few top-tier options offered. So if you want soft-close doors, a 3D-audio enhanced Bang & Olufsen stereo, and Audi exclusive personalisation on an A6, an Allroad is probably what you’ll need. From the regular options list, buyers will be able to choose from Glacier White, Mythos Black, Firmament Blue, Midnight Green, Madeira Brown, Florett Silver and Plateau Grey. Arkona White is the standard colour, which seems as likely to be seen as the 19-inch wheels; an Allroad body this pumped probably needs a spec to match. The Allroad bits are black as standard, optionally silver chrome.
Audi’s Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr said: “The A6 allroad is an icon in the Audi lineup and has always embodied a clear philosophy: an Audi that is exceptionally comfortable for everyday use and displays its off-road capabilities when the terrain becomes more challenging. This is made possible by its specific adaptive air suspension with variable ground clearance and quattro all-wheel drive. Combined with electrified drives, the A6 allroad is the ideal companion for anyone who doesn’t want to plan their freedom, but simply wants to hit the road.”
For Europe, the new Allroad will be in dealerships from the autumn, priced from €77,250 (£66,700) for the diesel and €80,250 (£69,300) for the PHEV. We’re waiting to hear on UK availability; in the meantime, the last versions of the previous generation are little more than £30k.
- black wheels, black mirrors, blacked out windows
- Privacy glass as standard. Anything else is not "premium"
- Slashes, creases and "aggressive" design
- Grey, primer grey, steel grey and black as the only options
- Wider and wider cars, meaning no one ever wants to hug the hedges anymore, and leading to ridiculous 'stand offs' in the lanes.
And ask ourselves...why the aggression?
What are we all trying to compensate for? What does it all mean?
It is just a "Look at me (as I struggle through width restrictions) in my uber-aggressive muscle Audi with adjustable ride height" car.
- black wheels, black mirrors, blacked out windows
- Privacy glass as standard. Anything else is not "premium"
- Slashes, creases and "aggressive" design
- Grey, primer grey, steel grey and black as the only options
- Wider and wider cars, meaning no one ever wants to hug the hedges anymore, and leading to ridiculous 'stand offs' in the lanes.
And ask ourselves...why the aggression?
What are we all trying to compensate for? What does it all mean?
I like the Allroads (C5 to present) and I like this, but it's a shame it's gone a bit roid rage.
Now it is width and weight?
This is a big sedan. It is big. You want something small, narrow? Buy that! Seriously.
My car is very wide, and I have no problem navigating narrow mountain roads and villages. It is what, 5-10% difference between "too wide" and "narrow"? How is that such a problem? Driving 10% wider car is a huge problem? Can you drive?
I have never seen width restrictors, in fairness. I gues, they are in the cities? Well, buy a City car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff