2019 Audi A4 allroad

In an age where the segmentation between sports car, SUV, and sedan have been blurred into oblivion, the 2019 Audi Allroad is a refreshingly sensible offering. Sure it's still a turbocharged station wagon with offroading aspirations, evolved from a small luxury sedan, but it has a wholesome and purposeful look that just works. The luxury off-road station wagon isn't a new concept, and cars like the Volvo V60 Cross Country and Subaru's Outback have been around for a while, so this class is actually more competitive than you'd think. The A4 Allroad is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that makes 248 hp and for 2019 it comes in three different trim levels. The base model starts off at $45,700 and creeps over the $50k mark as you get to the top of the range.

The only thing that gives away the Allroad's off-road intentions are those flared wheel arches and a slightly lifted ride height. Other than that the Allroad is all A4, and that means clean and calculated corporate lines that are more suited to the sidewalks of San Fran than a Sub-Saharan safari. You can even opt for color-matched fenders to further hide the fact that the Allroad is meant to go on all roads. The front of the Allroad features a set of rugged-looking fog lights, and at the back, a bold silver diffuser gives it a more purposeful look. Meanwhile, filling those flared arches you'll find 18-inch alloy wheels across all three trims.

The A4 Allroad shares its dimensions with its A4 sedan sibling. It measures 187-inches in length, 72,5-inches wide and 58.8-inches tall. The more purposeful Subaru Outback has a clear height advantage at 66.1-inches, and even the comparatively luxurious Volvo V60 Cross Country stands taller at 60.8-inches. The Allroad has 6.5-inches of ground clearance, 1,4 less than the Volvo, and a notable 2,2-inches less than the Subaru. It weighs in at 3825 pounds, the lightest in this comparison.

Powering the 2019 A4 Allroad wagon is a fantastic 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that develops 248 hp and a useful 273 lb-ft of torque. This power unit feels effortless in the way it moves the Allroad along, but there is a noticeable lag when you want to get going from low speeds, or after coasting. Nothing to do with the turbo system, this lag seems to stem from the seven-speed automatic, that tends to get confused in slow-speed situations. Switching over to dynamic mode appears to solve this issue, but it also takes away from the A4's otherwise cool and collected feel. Other than the hesitation issues, the auto 'box delivers clean and precise shifts and fades into the background when cruising along the highway. An aggressive launch will see the A4 Allroad go from 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds, impressive stuff for a practical family station wagon.

Increasing the ride height of a car is not conducive to increased lateral stability, yet the A4 Allroad holds its own. Steering is light, as you would expect from a family orientated car, and the turning radius is surprisingly tight, making parking lot maneuvers easier. Out on the road, there's very little steering feedback, which will numb the experience for enthusiast drivers. The all-season tires and lifted ride height limit the Allroads' turn-in sharpness, but most owners would never dream of pushing it to its actual limits. The ride is compliant and strikes a good balance between a city car and a cross-country cruiser. Audi has done a great job of keeping road noise to a minimum, something that will go a long way in improving long-distance comfort.

The Allroad will most likely spend most of its time in urban areas where it will haul kids from soccer practice to Pokemon Go events and back. This is exactly why the Allroad and any other station wagon makes so much sense; it provides you with enough practical space but doesn't have an SUV sized drinking problem. The Allroad will return 22/29/25 mpg city/highway/combined, the exact same figure as the Volvo V60 Cross Country, and three miles per gallon better than the Subaru Outback fitted with that big 3.6-liter boxer engine. With a 15.3-gallon gas tank, the Allroad should manage around 383 miles range on a single tank in mixed conditions.

The interior of the 2019 A4 Allroad is a decidedly pleasant place to be. Firstly, you won't find any cloth seating here, it's all leather, including the steering wheel. The seats are heated and power-adjustable in eight ways and the driver's seat even gets lumbar adjustment. You'll be kept cool (or warm) thanks to a three-zone climate control system while you enjoy the view out of a standard panoramic moonroof. The interior layout is clean and easy to understand, and in terms of layout and functionality, it must be one of the best in its class. Getting in and out of the Allroad is made than much easier thanks to the lifted ride height, something taller folks, or people with accessibility issues will appreciate. The higher seating position also improves visibility out the front, and the driving position is excellent.

Cargo space is one of the big reasons buyers will flock to the Allroad instead of a traditional A4 sedan. In typical station wagon style, the Allroad has a generously sized trunk area, and even with the rear seats in the upright position, you still get 24.2 cubic feet of space, more than enough space for two small bicycles or camping gear for a serious weekend of adventuring. The rear seats are easily folded down via a latch in the cargo area, and increase the usable cargo space by 34 cubic feet for a total of 58,5. The low liftover height in the back makes it easy to load and unload, but the Allroads slanting rear window puts a limit on taller items. Small storage is good, and you'll find plenty of nooks and crannies for all your personal stuff.

The base model comes equipped with a power tailgate, heated front seats, climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. Audi's middle of the range A4 Allroad is the Premium Plus, which adds wireless phone charging, leather-covered armrests and USB charging ports for rear passengers. The driver's seat gets a memory function. The Prestige trim includes everything mentioned above and adds a thicker dual plane glass windshield and side windows for increased sound insulation, LED interior lighting, and a heads up display system.

The MMI infotainment system in the 2019 A4 Allroad is based on the older generation system, which is a pity, seeing as the newer version is already available in the U.S. Despite its age, the MMI system remains a pleasure to operate, and first time users usually get the swing of it within a day or two. The Premium model makes use of a seven-inch display which grows in size to 8.3-inches on the Premium Plus and Prestige models. The system includes two USB charging points upfront, two in the rear for Premium Plus and Prestige, Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto as well as Bluetooth streaming. The Premium Plus and Prestige models get Audi's 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display system, and the Prestige also gets a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Audi offers the Allroad with a standard four-year/50,000-mile warranty in combination with a four-year/50,000-mile drivetrain warranty and a one-year/10,000-mile maintenance plan. You also get 12 years worth of corrosion cover and a four year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance plan. The 2019 Audi A4 Allroad has not been subjected to any recalls.

The Audi A4 Allroad scored favorably with the IIHS who gave it a good overall rating for small to medium front overlap damage, side-impact damage, rollover, and roof strength. The NHTSA has not yet rated the 2019 A4 Allroad. The Allroad comes standard with Audi's basic collision avoidance tech as well as hill descent control and a rearview camera. There's also the standard array of airbags numbering eight, including driver and front passenger knee airbags. Adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance assist, and a head-up display are all available.

The 2019 Audi A4 Allroad sits in an interesting segment of the market. It offers more practicality than a standard sedan but is more economical and better to drive than a full-size SUV, not to mention the fact that it is seriously luxurious. This Audi's exterior blends cool and collected German styling with a playful dose of adventure and the end result is unquestionably good to look at. You'll struggle to find a better interior in this segment of the car market, with the Volvo V60 being the closest runner up. The Allroad is no driver's car, but it is plenty quick and will handle anything you encounter on an adventure weekend - within reason. For the asking price, it would have been nice to get Audi's newer generation of MMI infotainment systems, but the standard seven-inch unit does a fine job. The additional 12.3-inch virtual cockpit system is a cool bonus. In the end, the A4 Allroad builds on an already outstanding platform, to deliver a practical family car that does more than just cart around people and their stuff; it is effortlessly luxurious, comfortable and takes dirt roads in its stride. Who needs an SUV with an Allroad around?

The 2019 Audi A4 Allroad starts off at an MSRP of $45,700 for the base model and creeps over the 50k mark for the Premium Plus ($50,600). The Prestige will set you back $53,900. These prices exclude a $995 destination fee. By comparison, the most expensive Subaru Outback will cost you $38,995, and the top of the line Volvo V60 Cross Country is $45,700.

The A4 Allroad is by no means a poorly equipped vehicle. Even in base form, the Allroad comes with premium luxuries such as an all-leather interior, heated and power adjustable seats and a panoramic moonroof. There is a catch, however. The base model only gets a seven-inch display screen and misses out on the excellent virtual cockpit feature. Audi's A4 Allroad Premium Plus and Prestige models also get a bunch of added active and passive safety features. The best value for money will be found in the Premium Plus, which, for an extra $4,900 over the base model, will get you an upgraded 8.3-inch infotainment display, comprehensive LED head- and taillights, two more USB charging ports, wireless phone charging, a 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display, driver's seat memory function, an anti-theft alarm system and extra parking sensors.

The Subaru Outback and Audi A4 Allroad represent the two ends of the family off-road station wagon spectrum. The Subaru is not as refined, well built or comfortable as the Audi. Neither is it as fast or feature-rich, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve. The Outback is way more capable than the Allroad at driving on a greater diversity of terrain. The Subaru sits higher off the ground, and Subaru's X-mode drive setting allows the Outback to tackle roads that would see the Audi left stranded. The Outback's naturally aspirated engine matches the Audi's for power (they both make around 250hp), but the almost $17,000 difference in asking price is there for a reason; do you want luxury or off-road capability?

Volvo's V60 Cross Country is the closest competitor to the A4 Allroad, and for good reason. The Volvo is also a traditional looking station wagon that's been given a toughening up. This Volvo is driven by a 240 hp turbocharged four-cylinder, slightly less powerful than the Audi, and delivers the same gas mileage figures. The Volvo does, however, have better ground clearance, important when you're going off the beaten path, and also has more cargo space with all the seats folded up. This Volvo is almost as nice to sit in and offers a fantastic driving experience. The top of the line V60 Cross Country Platinum AWD costs $45,700. That's over $8,000 less than the Audi, which makes the Volvo look like quite the bargain...