Audi A4 allroad 40 TDI quattro road test and review: Top quality and a great all-rounder, DAVID HOOPER says the latest A4 allroad is an excellent proposition

THE Audi A4 has long been one of my favourites, ever since I owned an Avant model which provided seven-plus years of excellent service.
Things have moved on since then though, and the Audi A4 range today is packed with the latest technology, while this new, go anywhere Allroad model, complete with hill descent control and an automatically locking centre differential, moves the A4 quite literally up to the next level.

Not only does it look premium, it feels premium in the way it drives and the way it feels – except for the plasticky indictor stalks which are the only items which detract from its upmarket ambience.

The car we tested costs, £40,825, but with a generous helping of extra toys from the Audi parts shelves, our test car’s price tag is £200 less than £50,000. For that you get a phone charging pad, Google maps sat nav, radar cruise control, 3 zone climate control and the strobing directional indicators which just look so cool from the outside, front and rear parking cameras, as well as sensors, the panoramic glass sunroof, a frameless rear view mirror – the list goes on.
The leather-clad interior of our test car was one of the most comfortable you can find at any price, and although rear leg room isn’t the most generous in an A4, it’s adequate for two or three full-sized adults to travel in comfort.
At the back, the boot space is generous, and when you open the tailgate, the load cover now glides upwards to allow access without having to actually unlatch it and roll it in – it’s only a little thing, but it definitely helps when your arms are full of shopping.
Our test car was powered by the 2.0-litre diesel engine, providing 190 braked horses, which means performance is always on tap, whatever the driving conditions, and with the quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system you’re unlikely to run out of grip, even if you take liberties with it. It’s deceivingly rapid too, carrying its speed well, with the 0-62mph sprint being despatched in just 7.9 seconds on its way to a potential top speed of 137mph. During my test it returned an average of 44.9mpg over a distance of 600-plus miles.
My only other slight niggle was the Stop/Start system, which turns the engine off in traffic jams – sometimes it was too slow to restart and provoked a couple of aborted starts at roundabouts and junctions.
On the road, the Audi A4 Allroad drives beautifully, and the passengers travel in near silent luxury at motorway speeds. I loved the radar cruise control which allows the car follow the vehicle in front in the ebb and flow of traffic queues – once you learn to trust it, but my right foot was never too far from the brake pedal – just in case!
The Audi A4 Allroad offers an excellent, high quality competent all-rounder which sits somewhere between an estate car and an SUV. I loved it, and if you can afford the price tag, I’m sure you would too!
Rating:

If you like this, read our review on the Audi Q5

THE VITAL STATISTICS
MODEL: Audi A4 allroad 40 TDI quattro 190PS Sport S tronic.
ENGINE: 1968cc, 190PS four-cylinder diesel engine, driving four wheels through 7-speed S-tronic gearbox.
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 137mph. 0-62mph in 7.9 secs.
ECONOMY: Combined 43.5-44.1mpg
Wheel World test average: 45.1mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 136g/km.
FUEL TANK: 58 litres.
PRICE: £40,825 (£49,800 as tested).
WEBSITE: www.audi.co.uk
• All data correct at time of publication.