Audi A6 allroad 3.0 TDI road test

02 July 2012 by Chris Ebbs, News and Features Editor

Off-road estate offers flexibility and compromise

More than half of owners to be company car drivers

High monthly price of £400 for 40% tax payers

The appeal of cars that can cope with a multitude of tasks and owners’ needs is ever-growing and the Audi A6 allroad is the latest all-rounder offering.

This A6 allroad, similar to cars like the Volkswagen Alltrack and Volvo XC70, looks to blend the practicality of an estate – or 'Avant' in Audi launguage – with the mud-going capabilities of a 4x4. Not quite Land Rover Defender levels of off-roading, but enough to get you out of a trouble if you ever veer on to the UK’s green lanes.

It may seem like a bit of an odd proposition - the majority will possibly never make it in to any dirt - but the security associated with four-wheel drive is a major factor for a huge number of motorists. At the same time those few that do use the car for more adventurous activities won’t be sneered at like owners of full blown 4x4s.

This latest model takes the basic A6 Avant body shape and adds number of features to make it more capable in sticky situations. It’s slightly longer than the standard car (14mmm to be precise) and the lift function raises the car’s body 18.5cm higher than the Avant. It also gets stainless steel guards at the front and rear as well as underneath the car to make sure there aren’t any accidents.

Fitted with the company’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel, this version produces 242bhp and 580Nm of pulling power. This helps the car go from zero to 62mph in 6.6 seconds. Our car is fitted with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

All this power translates to an emissions figure of 165g/km, placing it in the 27% Benefit-in-Kind band. With a P11d value of £44,465 this means that monthly costs for a 40% tax payer are around the £400 mark. While that might sound steep, and unrealistic for business users, Audi claims that around 50% of sales of the A6 allroad will go to company car drivers.

The engine is very good. With plenty of low down power available it makes light work of getting up to speed and overtaking slower traffic. The seven-speed auto ‘box is also a very good match to the engine, offering slick and quick changes.

Find yourself some bends and the A6 allroad’s added weight over the Avant start to become more apparent. There’s a touch more body roll, though putting it in to Dynamic mode on the Audi Drive Select can tighten this up a little. It’s a little void of feedback through the steering, but with the majority of these being driven up and down the motorway in a straight line it shouldn’t be a major worry.

What is impressive is the refinement in the cabin. There is very little road noise, a slight hint of wind noise from the large wing mirrors while the engine is so quiet you would be hard pushed to recognize that it’s a diesel.

The interior finish is just as polished. Fit and finish is first class, with all interior joins sitting flush as they should while a choice of materials can give the sometimes drab all black look that little bit of lift that is needed.

Being an Audi it’s hard to escape the optional extra conundrum. Extra kit like the panoramic glass sunroof adds that final bit of class, but will cost you a healthy amount of cash to get it fitted, at a whopping £1,225. Don’t be taken in by the sparkly 20-inch optional wheels; as well as costing £2,445 extra, they also make the ride jittery. The standard 18-inch ones are more than sufficient. Choosing myriad optional extras could have quite a marked effect on the P11d value of the car and see your monthly payments increase dramatically.

While the Audi A6 allroad is a competent all-rounder, before committing its worth asking whether you need an estate that can handle a little tough terrain. If it’s space you’re after, got for the A6 Avant, if it’s off-road abilities you need then there’s always the Q5.

That said if you’re desperate to own some kind of jacked-up load-lugger, and have enough justification to convince yourself you do, then A6 allroad is the best of bunch to pick from.

To read the full Audi A6 allroad review, go here.