Why so many people buy SUV’s they never intend taking off-road is one of the mysteries of our time - right up there with who really built the Giza pyramids and why there is no USB port on an iPad.
South Africa’s roads are clogged with soggy-handling, difficult-to-park all-wheel-drive SUVs that, according to market research, spend most if not all of their time on tar.
If you’re seeking a little extra traction and ground clearance for the occasional dirt road or game-park drive, a vehicle such as Audi’s A4 Allroad seems to make more sense.
It’s a station wagon with a raised ride height and all-wheel drive, giving it some not-too-rough off-tar ability, but without handling like a hippo on roller skates.
Launched here in February, the Allroad is a smaller car than the A6 Allroad that sold here in the early 2000s.
Still, the A4’s grown to be a bigger vehicle in that time and its passenger quarters will fit four adults quite comfortably.
Stowage space is decent too, with a 490-litre boot that expands to a gigantic 1 430 litres with the rear seats down, and you can order an electric tailgate as an option.
Unlike the A6 Allroad, which had height-adjustable air suspension offering ground clearance ranging from 142mm to 208mm, the new A4 Allroad is a simplified vehicle limited to a fixed 180mm ride height.
This makes it unviable for continent-crossing off-road expeditions, but the little extra ground clearance over a standard A4 gives it the above-mentioned ability to tackle dirt roads without complaint.
PERMANENT ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Quattro permanent all-wheel drive ensures good traction, so the car doesn’t turn into a fishtailing handful around slippery corners, while ESP off-road detection adapts the stability system according to the driving surface.
Even though our test car was fitted with optional lower-profile 18” tyres (17s are standard), the A4 Allroad had a comfy ride quality both on and off the tar.
The car feels suitably nimble and there’s no top-heavy feel like in an SUV; there’s little to tell you it’s anything but a regular passenger car. The steering’s very light, perhaps too much so, but fairly direct.
RUGGED STYLING
Of course, no car with an Allroad badge is complete without the requisite “rugged” styling, and giving this Audi its metaphorical square jaw and hairy knuckles are a stainless steel under-body guard, roof rails, black wheel arches, vertical chrome bars in the grille, and a more rugged-looking range of wheels.
It also gets the new headlights and bumper from the recent A4 facelift.
There are two engine options: a two-litre turbopetrol with outputs of 155kW and 350Nm, and a two-litre turbodiesel boasting 130kW and 380Nm, each available only with an automatic seven-speed S-tronic transmission.
EXTENDED PAUSE
We road-tested the turbodiesel version, a smooth and gutsy cruiser with reasonable economy. Audi claims it will scoot from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds at sea level, but at Johannesburg altitude we found it’s afflicted by more than a fair share of turbo lag. The car has an extended pause from a standing start that sometimes made me hanker for a manual gearbox, but once it’s rolling there’s little to criticise, with a beefy power delivery that makes for easy cruisability and swift overtaking.
Whether using the manual function or left in auto mode (which offers both normal and sports programmes), the S-tronic dual-clutch transmission snicks through its seven speeds with smoothness and precision.
In manual mode, gears can be changed with the gearknob or via F1-style steering-wheel buttons.
Our test car averaged a consumption of 8.5 litres per 100km in a mix of town and freeway driving, which is much higher than Audi’s optimistic six-litre claim, but still reasonable for an all-wheel drive vehicle.
The Allroad 2.0 TDI sells for R438 000 including a five-year or 100 000km Audi Freeway Plan, and comes with a respectable array of standard luxuries including leather seats, climate control, cruise control, Bluetooth, and automatic wipers and headlights.
However, you can go crazy with added-cost extras and our test car was specced up to R527 000 with pricey options such as satnav, electrically adjustable front seats, rear park distance control, three-zone aircon, and a glass sunroof among others.
VERDICT
The A4 Allroad 2.0 TDi is a versatile family car with a big boot that’s adept on slippery surfaces. Its all-wheel drive and slightly elevated ground clearance should come in handy on bad dirt roads. The only thing you lose compared to a soft-roader SUV is the “command” driving position, if you feel the need to stare over the rooftops of other cars. - Star Motoring