As expected the whole family of the A4 has benefited from the new generation, including the Allroad
The battle to conquer the D segment premium has always been in the hands of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes Class C. however, in 1995 Audi released the third of the contenders, the Audi A4. Since then it has been cutting down the distance that separated him with his other compatriots. But while the three models are fighting each other, there is one that plays league of its own, since to this day does not have any opponent. That is the Audi A4 Allroad, which I have had the opportunity to try.
a few months Ago because I had the opportunity to test the Audi A4, and at that time I was surprised of the tremendous leap that has given the hatchback compact Audi. Not only with regard to his successor, but also with respect to its rivals. In fact, I think that, today, is the best premium saloon that you can buy. Now, if the changes applied you have been sitting phenomenal to the sedan, how would you be sitting to your variant jacket? We’re going to check it out.
But before anything you need to know that the difference with respect to its base model. Well, the recipe for this occasion it has been the same that was followed in the past. A greater free height with respect to the ground, protections of plastic in the wheel arches and a design package (bumpers) different with a touch of field, but without forgetting the city. That is to say a hodgepodge that really works, as the designers have managed to create a very attractive style. Yes, always in a familiar format.
And it is that Audi uses the bodies Avant for uses never dreamed of. The case of the Audi RS6 or this Audi A4 Allroad. Family yes, but not have to be boring or ugly. Well it is true that this configuration would be more strange in the vehicle are normal. If you put an A4 Avant and the Allroad, the difference between the two would lie in the aforementioned elements, and especially in the height, being the family farm almost seven inches taller. Something that will come very well to get on the field.
The suspension high and the protections of plastic would give a character more campero
If noticeable is the change of the exterior styling, less so is the interior. In fact nothing changes at all. It is the same space that we already knew. Audi does not introduce anything new. And there are that say that it is still one of the best interiors in the segment. The feeling of quality is very large, as well as durability. The settings are made with the utmost care, as the materials employed. If to all this we add a greater space for all occupants and a number of technology is vast, you will understand why it is the best in its segment.
Obviously, and as usual, what more flame the attention is the Audi Virtual Cockpit. The TT was the first premiere, but it is not exclusive. The rest of the range starts to enjoy it. The box of instruments, as such, disappears to give way to a large display of 12.3 inches with many viewing options and customization. It is a really comfortable and practical. Its price as an option is 610 euros, although it always forces you to add the system MMI Plus that is worth nothing more and nothing less than 1.610 euros more.
The interior is very worked and well finished off. Finally the quality you have been added to the space. One of the weak points of the last generation
And if we are talking of extras, the list is almost endless. That is one of the problems Audi currently, the large number of optional available, and the high prices of these. For example: the headlights LED are worth 1.455 € 2.320 if we opt for the Matrix LED. The panoramic roof are 1.770 euros. The key to comfort is 695 euros, and the sound system Bang&Olufsen reaches 1.390 euros. That is to say are not cheap prices, and although many elements are not required, Audi should include a large part of them in the standard equipment. Taking this into account it is not surprising that the unit tests shooting their price up to 78,000 euros, with more than 20,000 euros in extras.
The technological level is very high, even though there will be that pull of money and extras to get it
Where there is a more limited supply is in the mechanical field. Audi has not opted at the time to choose configurations. And or needed. There are three possible motors, two diesel and one petrol. The powers range between 163 and 272 horses. The quattro comes as standard for all units, like the automatic change, which may be S Tronic seven-speed Triptronic eight for the larger versions of the V6 diesel 3.0 TDI.
Test Audi A4 Allroad
In my case I had the opportunity to try the more powerful variant, that is to say: the V6 diesel 3.0 TDI with 272 horses, all-wheel drive and automatic Triptonic eight-speed. A choice that many would consider excessive, but it really works wonders. You can’t ask for more, although I know that with less engine is also ok.
And I say that with knowledge of cause, because it makes already a few months I had the opportunity to test the Audi A4 sedan with 190 horses. At that time I thought it was more than enough, and I still think that is the engine correct for any of the variants. Although it is true that in the case of the Allroad increases the weight not only for the body Avant, but also by the awd system. If we add to all this, we obtain that the empty weight of the Allroad is 1.805 kilograms. Almost 400 more than the sedan.
The Allroad will not be sold more than the A4, but it is own, it has no rivals in its scope
The increase in weight is noticeable, and obviously affects the driving. If we take as a reference the saloon, with behaviour beyond reproach, the Allroad is more lazy when it comes to perform certain manoeuvres such as curves bound. Also keep in mind that Audi has provided a setting more jacket, and that forces you to have a set of suspensions with a touch more soft. And is note.
The vehicle has a cornering much more precise, but the truth is that I’ve been quite surprised of what he is capable of doing the Audi A4 Allroad in a driving at high rate on a narrow road. Obviously it is not as precise, but the suspension, despite bouncing steadily on the front axle, it holds very well the car, producing a balancing, not very excessive. Even if remarkable. I repeat that it is something logical, taking into account the settings of the car, and that for the same behavior continues to be excellent.
as excellent is the comfort. If there is something that stands out of the new batch of Audis is the careful detail that has been given to fine-tune the behavior in motion. The A4 Allroad is a car very soft, very comfortable, with which to make long journeys not a problem. This same suspension soft which affects the driving dynamics, work miracles on conventional routes. The bumps are not such, as are cushioned by the tire and the suspension. A great work that brings to the fore a tune-up, very neat.
The dashboard digital is very comfortable and easy to read. Just distracts from the road
This fact is not only remarkable in ways comfortable but also in the outside track. There are six modes of driving: Offroad, Efficiency, Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual. With the first of them we managed to get the car to behave in a more subtle way, with a throttle with a slower response, ideal for driving todocamino. On the contrary if we opt for the mode Dynamic, we change to behave more dramatically, the address is hard and the suspension stiffens, but yeah, always retaining that touch soft.
we must admit that the Allroad 3.0 TDI will suck up almost everything. With so much power, and a shift of gears that takes advantage of each horse, the latest jacket of the A4 surprises with some figures of the performance really good. Audi states that the 0 to 100 Km/h takes to be 5.5 seconds, and its maximum speed is limited to 250 Km/h. That is to say, that this saloon family aspect may stop lying to a lot of cars to look sporty and be close to others with a lot more power. Something commendable and not surprising.
The change triptronic 8-speed is smooth to the couple that efficient. Ensures maximum performance with a minimum consumption
One would think that with these data, the consumption will trigger, but nothing could be further from the reality. When you have so much power, and much of it will not be needed most of the time, so that the car is going more filed in an driving routine. Thanks to this, we obtain a consumption that exceed by little the six liters in normal conditions. The problem is not the consumption, but the autonomy. For more inner space Audi has reduced the volume of the deposit up to 58 litres. With this, the autonomy is reduced to about 800 kilometers, something that today is not too surprising.
The change Triptronic is only available with this engine, and this is a success for smoothness and response
As I have already said Audi has decided to do this so that the occupants be more liberated space. And they really, really succeeded. The new generation of the A4 is more spacious in all its dimensions, and five occupants can travel in a comfortable way, even in the legroom of the second row. The same goes with the bags. The body Avant lets you have a minimum volume of 505 litres. The maximum, if you folded down the rear row, it will be of 1.510 liters.
Conclusions
like happened with the saloon, the A4 Allroad is a great car. The improvements of the new generation not only left in evidence the past, but also to the most direct competitors. The Allroad is the best in its segment, but the truth is that it has no direct rivals. Neither BMW nor Mercedes made a version jacket of their sedans compact, and therefore, the A4 Allroad has no comparison. But even so does not cease to be an option that is valid for any buyer.
The high price is its main negative point, as the long list of optional. However, beyond those aspects costs take ifs and buts into the A4 Allroad. Your behavior, your performance and above all its comfort are excellent. Well it is true that it is not so precise that his brother’s saloon, but still am surprised by the behavior, like driving off-track where the quattro leaves clear evidence of why it is one of the best systems of all-wheel drive is that there are.
The A4 Allroad is a great choice for those lovers of the field. Although it does not come out cheap
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