Audi A6 Allroad quattro

Costs

Despite the weight and power involved, the diesel engines all achieve good fuel economy if driven gently in the in-built efficiency-specific drivetrain mode. Affordability is not one of the typical Allroad buyer's chief concerns and there is no low-CO2 option to appeal to markets that depend on such figures. Residual values are famously high because there are relatively few Allroads by comparison to A6 Avants, and because of their extra versatility.

Space and practicality

Practicality is high on the A6 Allroad's list of talents, not least with its useful off-road ability. The cavernous boot also features a very useful load-securing system to ensure that loads don't slide around the available space. If maximum load capacity is a priority, the A6 Allroad platform offers it in spades. On the other hand, there could be more space inside the cabin to store oddments, loose change or receipts, for example.

Controls and display

Audi follows a very set design for its instruments across almost all of its ranges, which is to say they feature a black background with simple white numerals and red accents. It's a formula that works, and whether in sunshine or at night the dials are so clear your peripheral vision is usually enough to read them accurately. The controls follow a familiar layout to any recent Volkswagen Group car owner and fall to hand easily enough. Automatic headlights and windscreen wipers are standard.

Comfort

With more suspension travel to play with, Audi's engineers have been able to dial in the ideal combination of body control and supple, bump-absorbing comfort. It never feels like a compromise. Tyre noise is more of an issue but it's still relatively well contained. The seats are wide and comfortable, despite the backs in particular being rather firm. With dual-zone climate control standard, 'basic' comfort is taken care of. Four-zone climate control is available as an option.

Car security

A sophisticated alarm and immobiliser system can be taken for granted, but there is rarely cause for a manufacturer to reveal the exact systems that protect its cars. As such, few details are known in the public sphere apart from that the alarm features a tow-away warning and interior monitoring, both of which can be switched off. Security experts Thatcham award the A6 on which the Allroad is based five stars for preventing theft of the vehicle.

Car safety

On top of its compliment of airbags, the Allroad has automatic hill hold control, whereby the handbrake will activate when the car stops, releasing it automatically when the gearbox requests forward motion. There are tyre pressure and seat belt monitoring systems, stability control and a break recommendation system that monitors the driver's inputs and alerts the driver when it's calculated that he or she might need a break. Many additional and complex systems are optional.

Driver appeal

Driving appeal largely depends on the engine chosen, with the lower powered diesels acting as very capable but ultimately unexciting choices. The BiTDI range-topping engine is a revelation in diesel response, thrust and enjoyment, adding more than its own cost increase to the ownership satisfaction. The suspension is tuned wonderfully well to bumpy roads and allows astonishingly swift progress in comfort. It also cruises brilliantly and offers excellent all-round comfort, and so makes an irrepressible case for itself.

Family car appeal

Family taxi duties are among the most important that the Allroad has to be adept at. Child seat mounts are installed in the outer rear and front passenger seats, and the spacious boot has more than enough room for child-related paraphernalia. If the family enjoys the country lifestyle and towing is a factor, the Allroad can pull up to 2.5 tonnes, which is about as good as passenger cars get. Many of the luxurious interior materials are not well suited to potential liquid spills, though.

First car appeal

There are few reasons why a typical first car buyer would single this car out, and many why it would be a bad idea if they did. Theoretically inexperienced drivers might not find the easy-going nature of the Allroad too difficult to deal with, but it's still a large, heavy and powerful car that's very unlike typical learner-friendly cars. Insurance is a particular hurdle for young drivers and here it would be insurmountable, even before considering the purchase price.

Quality and image

Audi enjoys a reputation for materials quality that is envied by most of the rest of the industry, regardless of whether their own products are actually better or not. The wider Audi image is extremely popular, and has been shown to be particularly popular with men. The perceived quality of the interior, including the contact points, matches with the reality of how well the cabin is screwed together. Audi's cars don't often number among the most reliable, though.

Accessibility

Large door apertures and seats that are raised higher in relation to the standard A6 mean that access is very easy. The seats do have modest side bolsters but nothing that's likely to cause annoyance or difficulty. The boot, which as standard is accessed via a manual boot lid, is low enough to load items in easily enough, although not quite so easily as in the lower A6 Avant. Electric boot operation, both opening and closing, is an optional extra. Electric soft-closing of all doors is also available optionally.

Stereo and ICE (In car entertainment)

A motorised fold-out colour screen is standard, and retracts into the dashboard to neaten the array up when not in use. It follows the same layout as other Audi systems, allowing users to navigate through stereo options controlling tone and output geography. There are two SD card slots, a single-slot CD player and 10 speakers. The entertainment menus are simple to understand, very easy to read and allow quick changes.

Colours and trim

The available colour palate is somewhat funereal, with only two whites and a silver bucking the trend for dark, sober shades. The size and shape of this car does better suit darker colours though, helping to integrate the look of the trim extensions. Custom colours are available on request. The interior trim is of a very high quality with wood inserts available if specified. It looks much like the interior on most other high-spec Audis, and is designed to encourage upgrading from lower models.

Parking

Part of the Allroad's standard equipment is a Parking System Plus array that includes front and rear parking sensors and a visual display on the dashboard's central screen. It goes a long way towards offsetting the size of the car, but the generally good visibility and raised driving position mean that even without the driver aids parking is not too challenging. It does, however, have quite long doors, which can sometimes be difficult to open safely to their rest points in bay spaces.

Spare wheel

Space saver fitted as standard.