Audi A6 Allroad (2019 – 2021) Review

The Audi A6 Allroad follows the well trodden path of its predecessors that puts it part way between estate and SUV. It’s not alone, with the Volvo V90 Cross Country and Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain following the same formula. Based on the A6 Avant you get an increased ride height and slightly better ground clearance along with extras such as hill descent control. The A6 Allroad is not cheap of course, but the quality is excellent and this is every inch a spacious and comfortable premium estate that’s also ideal for towing with.

In an attempt to differentiate the 2020 A6 Allroad from the normal A6 Avant, Audi has given it obligatory wheelarch moulds, extra bits on the bumpers and a rather ugly grille design. That said, Audi has toned all this down since the original Allroad model and many people will be hard pressed to notice the difference between this and a standard A6 Avant. Good thing? We'll let you decide…

Refinement is a strong point with minimal noise of any kind making its way into the cabin on the move. This makes it a very relaxing car for big distances. The interior has masses of space although the big central tunnel in the back means it's a squeeze for three in the back, while the boot is as cavernous as you'd expect.

The cabin design is one of the best around while the quality is everything we’d expect from a high-end Audi with chunky metal trim on the dash and satisfying-to-use buttons. The interior is dominated by two touchscreens (one above the other) which control all the main functions in the car, making for an uncluttered look.

As for engines, the 45 TDI and 50 TDI use the same 3.0-litre diesel engine, albeit with differing power outputs, but both have a mild-hybrid system, designed to improve fuel economy. 

The 45 TDI should provide more than enough power for most with 231PS and more importantly 500Nm of torque. There is also a petrol in the shape of the 55 TFSI but it’s thirsty and seems redundant next to the strong diesels.

However, what lets the TDI models down is the Tiptronic eight-speed automatic. It's excellent when accelerating in a straight line with smooth and quick shifts, but it’s hesitant at junctions. The lack of response quickly becomes infuriating and can also be dangerous. It makes dealing with junctions and roundabouts very frustrating - this is the one thing which lets the A6 Allroad down.

The Allroad is expensive compared to standard A6 Avant with a starting price of more than £55,000 and there's still plenty of room for options on top of that. However, it is cheaper than an equivalent E-Class All-Terrain while other rivals include the Volvo V90 Cross Country and for less money the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack and Subaru Outback.

This is a car that's very much at home covering big motorway miles. If you can live with the hesitant gearbox, it's an excellent rugged estate.

Thanks to the standard-fit adaptive air suspension, it's a very smooth car to travel in, filtering out the noise and vibration caused by poor road surfaces and the even bigger potholes.

The air suspension cleverly adjusts the ride height according to speed (and what driving mode you're in). On the motorway the Allroad is a very relaxing car to travel in, feeling reassuring at higher speeds, even in wet and windy conditions. Above 74mph the ride height lowers itself automatically by 15mm, meaning better stability and fuel economy. 

Thankfully, that's not at the detriment of handling and the A6 Allroad is one of better handling cars of its ilk. Compared to a V90 Cross Country it grips better in corners with less body roll. That said, it has its limits and you only have to carry a little too much speed into a bend before you're met with noticeable lean.

Then there's the progressive steering which has little in the way of natural feel. However, you can at least increase its weight using the driving modes. The Individual mode allows you to tailor different elements so you can have dynamic steering with the engine and gearbox in their standard setting.

The majority of models are powered by the same V6 3.0-litre TDI engine. The more expensive 50 TDI is effortlessly quick thanks to 286PS and a hefty 620Nm of torque, which means acceleration is mightily impressive.

But the 45 TDI is our pick. It may 'only' have 231PS and 500Nm of torque, but it provides more than adequate performance in everyday driving and is considerably cheaper than the 50 TDI.

Both diesels are fitted with a mild-hybrid system, designed to improve fuel economy. Braking energy is harvested and stored in a separate 10Ah lithium-ion battery. This power is then used to restart the engine after coasting or when the start-stop function kicks in.

There is also a petrol in the shape of the 55 TFSI. With a 340PS 3.0-litre engine it's the fastest model, covering 0-62mph in just 5.5 seconds but it's also thirsty.

What lets the A6 Allroad down is the standard eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. Acceleration in a straight line is fine, but if you want to pull away quickly, there's a delay before drive is engaged.

Worse still is when you slow down, for example when approaching a roundabout, and then ask it to accelerate again. The second or two delay can seem like a lifetime before it suddenly springs to life, propelling you with more speed than you want. It makes it very frustrating to drive.

The A6 Allroad hasn’t specifically been crash-tested by Euro NCAP but the A6 on which it is based was awarded the maximum five-star rating in 2018 with a high 85 per cent rating for child occupant safety. Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated good protection against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision.

Safety equipment includes the Tour Assist package which has functions such as efficiency assist, adaptive cruise assist and emergency assist. The City package features the intersection assist and the exit warning. The latter warns passengers not to open the doors if the car has stopped and it detects cyclists or cars approaching.

With its self-levelling air suspension, the Audi A6 Allroad is perfectly designed for towing. You can also change the ride height, from the standard 139mm to the maximum 184mm at speeds up to 22mph, which is handy over rougher ground or long grass.

Both TDI versions and the TSI petrol can tow up to 2500kg - the same as a Kia Sorento and Volkswagen Tiguan - while an electrically swivelling towbar is available as an £800 option and also includes trailer stabilisation with ESC. All models have a kerbweight of 1945kg, regardless of engine.

There's lots of space inside the A6 Allroad and the driving position is excellent, low slung but with plenty of adjustment in both the seat height and steering column. 

The fact it is close to five metres long means plenty of boot space too with 565 litres behind the back seats although that's some way short of the 640 litres in the E-Class All-Terrain. It's still a useful space of course with rear seats that split 40/20/20 and a rail system with straps, a net and bag hooks all standard.

The central tunnel is very wide though and means you won't be able to get three adults in the back, although the centre seat is fine for younger children in a car seat. There is however plenty of knee and head space, even for those over six feet tall.

Shorter drivers may find it tricky to judge the front end of the bonnet. Fortunately, both front and rear parking sensors are standard fit along with a rearview camera. 

From the chunky metal panel that stretches across the dash to the metal leather on the gear lever, this is certainly what we’ve come to expect from a modern premium car. The A6 Allroad may not be cheap, but you can see where your money goes.

All the doors close with a heavy thud (Vorsprung models get power door closure) plus there's an electric tailgate as standard, while all the buttons inside work with a satisfying thud.

The two big screens that dominate the A6 Allroad cabin control all the main functions with the climate control shown on the lower display. This also has haptic feedback, which means you have to press the screen until it 'clicks' although we think a standard touchscreen is actually easier.

The large 10-inch screen above controls everything else and it's easy to use with clear menus and an attractive layout. Navigation is standard as are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's a shame that the Virtual Cockpit is only available as part of the £1500 Technology Pack as it’s a neat (if unnecessary) feature.

New list prices start at more than £55,000 which is a £13k premium over a standard estate A6, albeit one that’s not as well equipped nor as powerful. 

It’s very easy to add on several thousand to that price with a few options, especially things like the Comfort and Sound Pack at £1900. Still, that looks positively affordable next to the Vorspung trim which starts at an eye-watering £72,000. 

That said, its main rival, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, costs from £66,000 which is why we’d be very tempted to look at a Volvo V90 Cross Country which is just as capable but much cheaper, starting at £46k. True it doesn’t have the big 3.0-litre diesel engine, but like the Audi, it’s incredibly comfortable.

If you’re buying on finance, Audi does often have decent deals on the Audi A6 Allroad with things like a £6000 dealer deposit contribution to help soften the blow of that high list price. That’s on a PCP deal at close to 5% APR but does bring down the monthly payments to a more realistic £490 a month.

The A6 Allroad isn’t an especially common car so pre-reg examples are incredibly few and far between but they do come up on the used market occasionally. Your best source will be Audi dealerships - you aren’t going to find many at the local used car supermarket.

Audi lists an official fuel economy figure of 37.7mpg for both the 45 TDI and 50 TDI models under the new WLTP tests and this is certainly achievable on long runs. If you’re doing a bit more stop start driving in traffic, expect this to drop to about 34mpg, but that’s still not bad for a big four-wheel drive estate.

If you go for the 55 TSI with its 3.0-litre petrol engine and 340PS of power, you’ll be lucky to see 30mpg, which is another reason not to choose it.

Running a big Audi such as this is never going to be that cheap, especially when it comes to servicing and maintenance. To replace all four of the Continental Premium Contact tyres with equivalents will cost you the best part of £1000. Ouch.

Insurance is Group 43 for the majority of the Sport models (Group 45 for the 50 TDI engines) while Vorpsrung models sit in Group 46 to 48.

Given that prices for the A6 Allroad start at more than £55k, it’s no surprise that the standard equipment list is pretty comprehensive with all models getting Audi's clever Matrix beam LED headlights that keep the main beam on, but avoids dazzling other road users by adjusting the pattern of the beam. You also get electrically adjustable front heated seats and heat-insulated glass.

The standard Sport model will offer more than enough for most with leather seats (electrically adjustable of course), LED interior ambient lighting, a rearview camera, 19-inch alloys, keyless go and privacy glass for the rear side windows. This would be our choice.

If you want the ultimate A6 Allroad, there’s the Vorpsrung which has 21-inch alloys, a panoramic glass sunroof, power door closing, an electric steering column, the extended leather pack, head-up display, Technology Pack, Tour Pack and the City Assist Pack.