13/10/09

• Price39,490
• We like...Fine ride, punchy motor
• We don't...Expensive

 Big estate packs added muscle to let it tackle light off-roading - but ds that make it a better buy than the regular A6?

You want a car that definitely looks – and drives – like, well, er...a car. But you want something, too that promises to get you out of a muddy parking space, or up that twisty lane you live on, whatever the weather.

And Audi’s A6 Allroad will fit the bill neatly. It’s got four-wheel drive, with all manner of clever-techno bits which are there to keep you going whatever the weather. It’s also got controllable air suspension that, by twiddling a knob between the seats, you can lower to 120mm from the ground (that’s 5 inches, in old money) or as high as 185mm (7.5in). So while it’s no Land Rover, it will go a fair few places that regular estate cars can’t, and signals this with its chunkier wheel arches and prominent metal under-trays, the better to save you should you catch the underside on a rock.

It’s a handsome thing, tough-looking but understated. And, because it’s a regular Audi Avant (estate) that’s played dress-up, it loses none of the room or practical touches that make the regular car such a treat to live with.

The cabin has all the low-key sass you’d want from the make. It’s all pretty sober but the quality of all that you touch and see is spot-on, while there’s sufficient head and legroom for five full-sized adults, while there’s space enough out back for their luggage. The rear seats fold easily to free up extra space when needed. But the pale leather trim and fabric boot cover was at odds with this car’s all-weather purpose – we’d prefer dark hide on the seats and rubber flooring out back. You can get the latter, but it costs extra.

With the 3.0 turbodiesel fitted in ours, this heavy car can hitch its skirts and fly – its acceleration figures challenge those of many a smaller, more performance-tilted car. But its real strength lies in its low-revs urge, which’ll also make it something of an ally when towing a caravan. It kicks up a fair noise as it works but the sound is an encouraging burble. The six-speed Tiptronic gearbox will slur the changes neatly for you or let you pick the change points yourself, to taste.

There are five ride settings – Dynamic, Comfort, Automatic, Allroad and Lift. The first drops the car closer to the road and stiffens the ride. It’s fine if you’re in a press-on mood, but most Allroads, we’ll bet, will spent most of their lives in ‘Automatic’ or ‘Comfort’. In each, the ride height and settings adjust according to how you drive. Switch to ‘Allroad’ and the car rises perceptibly, while ‘Lift’ jacks it up further. It’s available only at low speeds, and is there to clear ruts and bumps.
The car is relaxing to drive and this latest A6 rides with little of the jitter and jolt present in previous models. It handles neatly, though the steering, though accurate, feeds back to the driver insufficiently.

Should you buy one? Possibly. We hesitate because the Allroad is a hefty whack of cash dearer than a standard A6 Avant Quattro. We’d want to be sure that we really needed this model’s extra talents before we’d lay out the extra.

To view and buy new and used Audi A6s, go to motors.co.uk

• Engines3.0 V6 turbodiesel
• Power174bhp
• 0-60 mph7.4secs
• Economy37.6mpg
• CO2g/km199
• Insurance groups16
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: