­Test Drive: 2013 Audi A4 Allroad

2013 Audi A4 Allroad. Click image to enlarge

Review and photos by Mike Schlee

Photo Gallery:
2013 Audi A4 Allroad

The 2013 Audi A4 Allroad is a perfect example as to why we can’t have nice things in North America. For years Audi sold the compact A4/S4 Avant (Avant meaning wagon in Audi-speak), as well as the mid-size A6 Avant. As much as enthusiasts adored these sleek wagons, no one bought them. Luxury crossover sales flourished while one by one, luxury wagons disappeared from our shores. The Mercedes C-Class Wagon, Volvo V70 and V50, BMW 5-Series Wagon and aforementioned A6 Avant are all distant memories for Canadians.

And now, another one bites the dust; the A4 Avant is no more. To help increase sales for the non-sedan-bodied A4, Audi has had to ruin the gorgeous A4 Avant styling and ‘butch’ it up in hopes that consumers will buy it, now that it is a ‘crossover utility vehicle’. The 2013 A4 Allroad body has been lifted up 37 mm compared to the 2012 A4 Avant, is 34 mm wider thanks mainly to body cladding fender flares, and is 18 mm longer thanks again to exterior aesthetic tweaks. As well, the wheelbase shrinks 3 mm in the new Allroad. Since the general body structure is unchanged, it should come as no surprise that every interior dimension remains the same as the old A4 Avant.

2013 Audi A4 Allroad. Click image to enlarge

The A4 Allroad begins at a starting price of $45,100 and is available in three trims. Check off all the option boxes and the A4 Allroad will top out at around $55,900. My test vehicle was the mid-trimmed Premium edition with a base price of $49,700. The only option added to my test vehicle was a $750 Monsoon Grey Metallic paint job, which brought the as tested price to $52,445 after destination charges. Monsoon Grey is one of 10 available colours for the Allroad, although, saying there are 10 distinct colours may be a stretch since there are really only three colours, two of which are blue; the rest are all shades of black, white, or grey.

So, has the truck-ification of the A4 spoiled the driving experience? Thankfully, no. Despite its new crossover duds, the Allroad drives just like an A4 Avant of old. Although my test vehicle lacked Audi’s Drive Select option package, the car’s steering feel is just as good as a regular A4 in ‘comfort’ mode. The car handled far better than I expected and equipped with a full set of 245/45R18 winter tires, it stayed planted to the road no matter what the conditions were outside. Under acceleration, grip is equally impressive, but what else would you expect from Audi’s world-renowned Quattro all-wheel-drive system?

2013 Audi A4 Allroad. Click image to enlarge

The Allroad is not a sports wagon and the chassis is set accordingly. At one point I drove the car off and on for an entire day, spending roughly six hours behind the wheel and never felt fatigued. The car crossover is just a great, comfortable cruiser that can also hold its own during a spirited back road jaunt. The suspension blends comfort with control in a nearly perfect way rarely experienced in any automobile.

As with all A4s currently on sale, power for the Allroad comes from a 2.0L turbocharged engine producing at least 211 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission option for the Allroad is an 8-speed automatic transmission that is smooth and flawless. This powertrain quickly reminded me why we picked the A4 sedan to win our German compact luxury car comparison last fall.

Like the suspension’s sweet combination of comfort and handling, the engine succeeds at blending speed with efficiency. Audi claims the Allroad will sprint from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in 6.7 seconds, which should appease the majority of crossover buyers. Despite this haste, the 1,765 kg Audi is still officially rated at 10.4 L/100 km in the city and 7.4 L/100 km on the highway. During an extended stay at our offices, we were able to average a frugal 9.8 L/100 km with this wagon crossover.

Okay, I’ll stop with vehicle classification jokes. But the interior of this vehicle is a wagon, and being that, it does what a wagon does best; haul stuff. The rear cargo area has an adjustable floor panel that can adjust trunk depths depending on the size of the items you are carrying. Up front, the seats are comfortable; more comfortable than the sporty S Line seats found in the two previous A4s I have driven. The interior is finished with quality materials and feels every bit the way a luxury car should. The radio, while decent, is not one of the better units I have heard in a luxury vehicle in the $50K range.

For me, everything is fine with the A4 Allroad until I exit the vehicle and see the exterior once more. Not to beat a dead horse, but this may be the first Audi I do not like the looks of – ever. I am not a fan of the chromed out grill, unpainted body cladding, or the uncharacteristically ordinary-for-an-Audi wheels. However, it is possible to paint the body cladding for $1,300 with an option Audi calls ‘Full Paint Finish’. It is not all bad aesthetically on the outside, though, as I do really like the LED headlight design (as usual), and love the rear end styling treatment.

2013 Audi A4 Allroad. Click image to enlarge

At $50,000, the A4 Allroad is up against some tough competition like the far more powerful Volvo XC70 T6 and more conventional compact luxury crossovers like the X3, GLK and Audi’s own Q5. The fact that, at this price, it is missing some luxury options like navigation, a rear camera (or sensors), adaptive headlights and adaptive cruise, only makes its task to win over buyers even more difficult. Luckily, these options are available for a price, and thanks to its wagon roots, it trumps most of its rivals in usability, driveability and efficiency.

Pricing: 2013 Audi A4 Allroad Premium
Base price: $49,700
Options: $750 (Monsoon Grey Metallic)
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,995
Price as tested: $52,545

Competitors
2013 Audi Q5
2013 BMW X3
2013 Infiniti EX37
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK
2013 Volvo XC70

Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)