The allroad was previously introduced to South Africa in the form of the Audi A6 allroad in 2001, but discontinued in 2004. Now the allroad name makes a local comeback in the form of the A4 allroad.
With allroad-specific styling, quattro® all-wheel drive and S tronic transmission, the new A4 allroad is the perfect cross-over estate car. It combines all the versatility of the A4 Avant with true lifestyle appeal.
With a raised ride height of 180mm and additional under body protection, the A4 allroad is a capable on or off-road companion. The stainless steel under body guard, specific allroad applications and a body that is noticeably higher, the Audi A4 allroad quattro® combines the assertiveness of an off-road vehicle with the sporty elegance of an Avant.
The ride quality of the Audi A4 allroad quattro® is further enhanced by using suspension technology developed specifically for the allroad quattro®. Alongside greater stability, there is outstanding grip in the most demanding conditions thanks to the latest generation quattro® permanent all-wheel-drive system and ESP off-road detection, both of which come as standard.
With permanent all-wheel drive, the A4 allroad quattro® is equally at home on the road. It appears larger, particularly in height, than the A4 Avant. It offers 180 millimeters of ground clearance, and distinctive design details such as the stainless steel underbody protection, the Single frame grille with vertical chrome bars and the allroad-specific range of wheels underscore its strong character.
It also boasts the redesigned headlights and the distinctively shaped bumper of the updated Audi A4 launched in 2012.
The allroad quattro® holds from 490 to 1,430 litres of luggage. Optional features include a load-securing set and an electromechanical rear tailgate.
The A4 allroad boasts the same improvements under the skin as the Sedan and its range of features is just as rich and rewarding as that for the other A4 models.
One special function is off road detection (ORD), which detects the condition of the driving surface and adapts the control characteristic of the ESC stabilization control system accordingly, as we were made aware during our test drive in NW Province before setting off to FS.
The engine lineup features two four-cylinder options: a 2.0 TDI or a 2.0T FSI, with quattro® permanent all-wheel drive with torque vectoring as standard. The 2.0 TDI quattro® S tronic generates a power output of 130 kW and 380 Nm of torque, while the 2.0T FSI quattro® S tronic produces 155 kW and 350 Nm of torque.
Both engines are highly efficient and specifically suited to the allroad’s characteristics. It offers impressive fuel consumption and range, with combined fuel consumption of 6l per 100km for the 2.0 TDI and 7.3 l per 100km for the T FSI. Automatic Start – Stop and Recuperation is standard on both models.
One shouldn’t be surprised if it sells more units than anticipated…
It comes with the following features:
- 17” 7 arm design alloy wheels
- quattro® all-wheel drive system
- Raised rough road suspension
- Headlight washers
- Driver information system in colour
- Cruise control
- Aluminium package: roof rails, window trim surround, additional stone covers
- Auto dimming interior mirror
- Rain and light sensor
- Bluetooth
Costing
- Audi A4 allroad 2.0T FSI quattro® S tronic: R 433,000
- Audi A4 allroad 2.0 TDI quattro® S tronic: R 438,000
Retail price includes all taxes and the standard five-year/100,000km Audi Freeway Plan.
Verdict:
1-10 (Diesel) 7
1-10 (Performance) 6
